German artist Gerhard Richter’s Doha Pavilion, a permanent structure merging his Strip paintings with architecture, will open in November 2026, designed in collaboration with Annabelle Selldorf and inspired by his 2013 visit to Qatar.
The Doha Pavilion: Gerhard Richter, a hexagonal structure blending art and architecture, will open on November 20, 2026, in MIA Park, Doha, Qatar. The project, announced by Qatar Museums (QM) and designed by the artist and architect Annabelle Selldorf, marks a pivotal moment in Richter’s career, translating his iconic Strip paintings into a physical space. The pavilion’s opening coincides with the inaugural Rubaiya Qatar quadrennial, a major international art event set to run through April 2027.
The Vision Behind the Pavilion
Richter’s concept for the pavilion originated during a 2013 trip to Doha, two years into his development of the Strip paintings. My trip to Doha in 2013 came two years into developing my Strip paintings, and the city’s architecture and history sparked an idea for a pavilion that could unite the thematic threads of that body of work,
he said according to Designboom. The structure, described by QM Chair Sheikha Al Mayassa as a three-dimensional experience of Richter’s work in different variations,
reflects his lifelong exploration of perception and representation.
The pavilion’s design draws directly from Richter’s 2011 artist’s book Patterns, which documented his process of dissecting and reassembling his 1990 painting Abstract Painting (724-4). By dividing the image into 8,192 strips and mirroring them, Richter created repeating geometric patterns that now adorn the building’s six exterior walls. Inside, three large-scale Strip paintings, a freestanding Strip Tower sculpture, and two floor-to-ceiling mirrors create an immersive interplay of light, reflection, and spatial illusion.
Design and Architectural Details
Annabelle Selldorf, known for projects like the Frick Collection renovation, emphasized the pavilion’s dual role as a sculpture as well as work of architecture.
The building’s irregular six-sided form, wrapped in decorative tiles inspired by Richter’s Patterns, echoes the mathematical precision of Islamic art. The more you experience the exterior and the interior, the more it will become apparent that it is a continuity of the endlessness represented in the Strip paintings,
she explained to The Art Newspaper.
Inside, the pavilion’s narrow walls house two mirrors from Richter’s 1980s series, which reflect both the artworks and visitors, creating a continuous conversation with themselves and with the works of art,
as Selldorf noted. The central Strip Tower, a sculptural translation of Richter’s painting process, stands between three massive Strip paintings. Each horizontal band of these works measures just 0.08 millimeters wide, pushing the limits of human vision.
Cultural Significance and Future Plans
The pavilion’s unveiling underscores Qatar’s ambition to solidify its position as a global cultural hub. Sheikha Al Mayassa described it as “an uncommon honour to assist Gerhard Richter in realising his vision for this project — a major addition to his endlessly probing and fascinating body of work — as well as a privilege to contribute to Doha’s extraordinary ensemble of contemporary architecture,” according to artlyst.com. QM has also acquired other major Richter works, though specific details remain undisclosed.
While the quadrennial runs through April 2027, Richter’s pavilion will remain a permanent fixture, joining Qatar’s growing collection of public art. Doha is the right place and the only place for my Pavilion,
Richter stated to FAD Magazine, emphasizing the city’s unique role in his artistic journey.
For visitors, the pavilion offers a rare opportunity to engage with Richter’s work in a space that transcends traditional gallery boundaries. As the artist noted, The Pavilion’s exterior features decorative tiles based on the Patterns that first led me to the Strips. Inside, Strip paintings hang alongside Mirrors, and the Strip Tower is installed centrally within.
This fusion of architecture and art ensures the pavilion will be a landmark in both Doha’s cultural landscape and Richter’s oeuvre.
