designboom · Creativity & design

Gerhard Richter Designs Hexagonal Pavilion in Doha Based on Strip Paintings

Artist Gerhard Richter has designed a permanent hexagonal gallery pavilion in Doha, Qatar, which translates his "Strip" paintings into a walkable architectural space. The pavilion, realized with Selldorf Architects, will open on November 20th, 2026.

The pavilion's exterior features repeating patterns derived from Richter's 2011 book "Patterns," which originated from a digital process of dividing an image into thousands of strips. This method, initially used to deconstruct a painting, now covers the building's surface.

Inside, three large-scale Strip paintings line the walls, with each horizontal band representing a sliver of an original photograph only 0.08 millimeters wide. A central sculpture, "Strip Tower," lifts these bands into the room, while two floor-to-ceiling mirrors create an immersive, dynamic experience by reflecting the paintings and visitors.

Richter conceived the pavilion following a 2013 visit to Doha, inspired by the city's architecture and history. The facade's symmetry intentionally connects to Islamic art, filtered through Richter's digital techniques.

A stone sculpture, "Brunnen (Well)," is situated outside the pavilion, extending the artwork into MIA Park. The pavilion will inaugurate the first Rubaiya Qatar arts quadrennial, which runs until April 30, 2027, and will remain a permanent fixture in Doha.

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