“This research blog was made possible by UREP grant 15 ‐ 107 ‐ 6 ‐ 008 from the Qatar national research fund (a member of Qatar foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the author(s).”

This research discusses the changing presence, role and context of public art in Doha. The purpose of this research is to investigate these practices, both from a historical and cultural overview, and to study the different forms and media of Public Art, as well as the typologies of urban and public spaces in which the art is installed. An important aspect of public art is the impact it has on the community, and in some cases, the community is a participant in the creation or execution of the artwork. This research will examine the process of implementing site-specific artworks, looking at questions of scale, history, social meaning and formal aesthetics.

The goals of this research are to prepare young architecture students to be active in the emerging contemporary urban and community cultures of Qatar. As designers, they need to understand the practices of integrating public works into urban and architectural designs, as well as the processes of involving artists in the project development. In order to achieve this, the students must gain a culture in contemporary art, and have an understanding of Public Art in its contemporary form.  They should also be sensitive to the discussions and debates that arise out of these civic initiatives in the shared and open spaces of the city and to the role of contemporary art not only as a decorative element, but as an activator and catalyst for community involvement and popular exchange.

The methodologies undertaken will combine theoretical research on the understanding of public art and its role and placement in public space, as well as historical research on the evolution of art in the public spaces of the emerging metropolis of Doha. Empirical research will be undertaken to document the contemporary public art projects in Doha, based on both materials and documentation, interviews and research in relation to the authorities (in particular the Qatar Museums Authority who are implementing public art projects in Doha) – as well as site and context analysis of the urban or architectural spaces within which the art is situated. Surveys and interviews will also be carried out in different segments of the contemporary Qatari society, including all nationalities and social groups, to measure and qualify the impacts and affects on the population. Social media (twitter, facebook) will be used to gather data and input from the public. An evaluation of how the public space is modified, and whether it is enhanced, more frequented, if any design improvements have been carried out to accommodate the work, etc, will also be important considerations and will be included in the space surveys.