Pakistani architect takes centre stage at Qatar Museum

Bamboo community centre at Doha exhibition highlights humanitarian architectural model

Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari's humanitarian approach to architecture features prominently in a major exhibition in Qatar, that brought together the work of more than 40 architects and practices from across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.

Titled 'Beyti Beytak – My Home Is Your Home', the exhibition, organised by the future Art Mill Museum and presented by Qatar Museums, opened at Fahad bin Ali Palace in Doha on October 26 and will remain on display until May 29, 2027, according to Qatar Times.

The exhibition examines how architecture can respond to the needs of communities while fostering hospitality, collective care and a sense of belonging. Its expanded Doha edition follows its earlier presentation at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale in 2025, which marked Qatar's first official participation in the event.

Lari's contribution is particularly significant for Pakistan, with her Community Centre, designed in 2024, demonstrating how locally adaptable materials and traditional construction techniques can serve communities affected by natural disasters.

"I realised her work is a direct legacy of (Egyptian architect) Hassan Fathy. Like him, she empowers the poor to build their own futures," Aurelien Lemonier, architect and curator at the Art Mill Museum, and the exhibition's co-curator, told Arab News.

The bamboo structure was developed around techniques deployed by the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, an organisation co-founded by Lari in 1980. The foundation has continued its work establishing shelters and villages for people affected by a devastating earthquake and repeated flooding in Pakistan.

Featuring a perimeter veranda and a dome topped with a waterproof palm-frond roof, the community centre demonstrates the versatility of bamboo through different structural assemblies. The installation also highlights Lari's humanitarian, social, cultural and architectural development model.

The exhibition brings together architectural drawings, photographs, models, films and archival material, examining three generations of architects whose work has shaped the MENASA region. Its themes include community centres, city housing, mosques, museums, gardens and the reinvention of traditional oases.

Among the participating Pakistani architects is Nayyar Ali Dada, while Lari is represented through the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan. The international line-up also includes pioneering architects Hassan Fathy, Balkrishna Doshi, Rifat Chadirji and Geoffrey Bawa, alongside contemporary architectural practices.

The exhibition features projects ranging from the Mleiha Archaeological Centre in the United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Museum to the Jadgal Elementary School and Qatar National Library, highlighting the relationship between architecture, local environments and community needs.

Curated by Lemonier and Sean Anderson, the exhibition is organised into seven sections and includes archival research into Doha's urban development. It also marks the first time Qatar Museums and the Art Mill Museum have opened Fahad bin Ali Palace to visitors.

The exhibition's presentation at the historic palace seeks to establish a dialogue between contemporary architectural practices and regional heritage, placing particular emphasis on architecture as a means of strengthening social connections and collective identity.