30.09.2018 | Building shell

National Museum of Qatar - Doha, Qatar

Six weeks for the aesthetically unconventional „Desert Rose“. In Doha, the capital of Qatar, in the Persian Gulf, a new building beyond superlatives rises up, the likes of which has never been seen before. The demands on the development team were therefore complex and varied.

1 Ratings

Specialist series:

The main challenge was to construct a post, pivotal in all directions and non-detachable.

Christoph Ortner
 National Museum of Quatar and Innotech

Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al-Thani would like a museum that resembles a desert rose – so the renowned architect Jean Nouvel will play out this dream and let the National Museum of Qatar blossom – a fascinating architectural building, which incorporates a multitude of museums and will rise up over the city like a giant flower. The main partner, the National Museum Authority, and the assigned partner for the planning and implementation, Hamlim Engineering & Construction, must quickly realise the non-standard, solution-orientated project – the mandate for INNOTECH was clear regarding the R & D area:

 

The main challenge

The main challenge was to construct a post, pivotal in all directions and non-detachable. These posts should lie in parallel gaps running between the stone slabs on the roof – on both sides just a 4mm breathing space – and under load they must not touch. Therefore, an enormous amount of rigidity is necessary.The demands on the development were therefore very varied and complex. Numerous drawings were made by hand, a removable anchor point was required, whereby the building or the anchor point wouldn’t collapse in the event of a fall.

Furthermore, the force on the roof construction couldn’t be more than 12 kN, as this was how the roof structure had been designed.The third challenge for the team was the design. Due to the complex design of the shell-shaped roof, there were a huge amount of undulations. The in-house testing lab at INNOTECH Arbeitsschutz GmbH tested everything according to EN 795:2012 regulations, as well as multi-personal tests in conformation with CEN/TS 16415, so that in every respect a visual, successful solution could be offered that gently complimented the special outer shell of the building, because – every stone slab is unique!

As for our production plant, INNOTECH Fertigungstechnik GmbH, the logistical challenge was unbelievable. A total of 8 tonnes of material was shipped to Qatar, where some 2,000m of rope, 80 abseil points and c. 460 special supports were moved from the production plant. Operation Desert Rose succeeded!!

Guide for safe facades