A National Monument OMA

Category Architectural

Architect OMA

Location Qatar

A modern monument to ancient Arab-Islamic civilization, the Qatar National Library is a testament to innovative stone technology applied on an epic scale. The public library houses over a million books as well as 42,000m2 reading space – a beacon for satellite campuses from leading universities and institutions around the world. Designed by Rem Koolhaas’ OMA, the space is swathed in endless travertine to give a sense of gravitas and grounding to the gargantuan endeavour.

ULTRA-LIGHTWEIGHT TECHNOLOGY

Giving the illusion of a solid block of stone, SolidNature utilises a ‘honeycomb’ technique traditionally used on super-yachts. A thin layer of naturally heavy materials, such as marble, onyx, travertine or semi-precious stones, is applied to a lightweight honeycomb backing and edges are finished to complete the effect.

EXPERT SERVICE ON A MONUMENTAL SCALE

Rising to the challenge of this project, each individual tile was laid down and dry-fit for the client, architect and contractor to approve – in total around 2,000 individual tiles were approved pre-build, leading to a 0% rejection on-site.

MAKING OF BLOCK COMING TO LIFE

A fastidious attention to detail, proprietary technology, expert knowhow and creative problem solving were invaluable when conceiving a project of this calibre. Every possible outcome was considered to ensure a seamless client experience.