Words By Allegra Salvadori | Photograpjy By David Levene, Francesco Galli Courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia

In the hushed grandeur of Venice’s Giardini, where architecture becomes diplomacy, a new structure is poised to reshape the cultural landscape: Qatar’s first permanent pavilion, designed by acclaimed Lebanese-born architect Lina Ghotmeh.

Unveiled during the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, the pavilion marks a profound milestone—not only for Qatar, but for the Biennale itself. Only the third national pavilion to be built in this iconic location in over half a century, it is imagined as a place of “hospitality and cultural dialogue”—a space that welcomes, listens, and reflects.

Chosen through an international competition chaired by Rem Koolhaas and judged by a distinguished panel of curators, critics, and cultural leaders, Ghotmeh’s design embodies the themes that define her work: architectural clarity, deep contextual awareness, and a poetic dialogue between nature and memory. Her vision proposes a flexible interior that can morph with each exhibition—allowing art and architecture to speak to one another, across borders and eras.

“This is more than a building,” says Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. “It is a platform for the artistic and architectural creativity of our nation and the wider MENASA region.”Lina Ghotmeh’s architectural language has always been one of memory and dialogue. From the Bahrain Pavilion at Expo Osaka to the soon-to-rise Contemporary Art Museum in AlUla, her work forms a quiet yet powerful bridge between heritage and innovation. With the Qatar Pavilion in Venice, she offers a new kind of monument—one that doesn’t impose, but invites. A place not of spectacle, but of presence. Rooted in craft, open to the world, and destined to become a lasting chapter in the evolving story of Arab design on the global stage.

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