Competition to design a modern art museum in Sharjah is launched

The thematic designs would house the Barjeel modern art collection

The Sharjah Art Museum is a must-visit
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Architects are being invited to submit their designs for a landmark building in Sharjah, which would theoretically house the Barjeel modern art collection. The building should incorporate components of modern art, architecture and design in the Arab world.

Entrants to the Rifat Chadirji Prize, part of the Tamayouz Excellence Award programme, are required to come up with a design for a building that includes exhibition spaces, film screening rooms and a library. Although these submissions are thematic at this stage, the building would be located in the Al Tarfa district of Sharjah, located on the highway to Dubai and Ajman.

The judges are looking for “aspirational, transformative and original projects with a programmatic response to existing environmental, social conditions and local challenges”.

Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, founder of Barjeel Art Foundation, said: “The idea of establishing a building to house the Barjeel collection is something I have been considering for the past decade. I started collecting art in 2002 with the intention of making the works available to the public in one way or another.”

“I am hoping for a modern design that takes into consideration environmental concerns,” Al Qassemi continued. “I would also like to see something more on a human scale that still has the ability to stand out. It’s important for participants to keep in mind that this is a structure that would potentially house a collection of art from across the Arab world.”

"I hope that I will be able to raise funds from the UAE and elsewhere to construct the museum," he added. "A strong design will only add weight to the project and allow us to build a better case for its realisation."

The winner will be announced in November and receives $5,000 (Dh18,400).

For more information and to register, click here.