the art souq

THE ART SOUQ

Rhys Himsworth

Byrad Yyelland

Johan Granberg

PB 1

1. Introduction 2. Literature Review

3. Methodology

4. Discussion of Results

4.1 Needs Assessment for Qatar 4.2 Global Trends and Perspectives

4.2.1 Art Economics: The American Model

4.2.1.1 City of Pioneers 4.2.1.2 Cooperation and Collaboration 4.2.1.3 Art For Sale 4.2.1.4 Detroit 4.2.1.5 Philadelphia 4.2.1.6 Art Economics: Conclusion

4.2.2 The Identity of New Cities 4.2.2.1 Beijing- The Factory of Art 4.2.2.2 Singapore- The City as Art Hub 4.2.2.3 Hong Kong- Post Colonial Identity 4.2.3 The Regional Context 4.2.4 Crafting Networks and Communities

4.2.4.1 Introduction 4.2.4.2 Bali- Craft as a Way of Life 4.2.4.3 A Family of Artists 4.2.4.4 Knowledge Transferal- A School of Bamboo, Creating a School of Bamboo 4.2.4.5 Pietresanta- How Does a Network Emerge? 4.2.4.6 Transmissions in Networks 4.2.4.7 A Network in Stone, The Network of Stone 4.2.4.8 Concentration 4.2.4.9 Artists and Artisans 4.2.4.10 Architecture and Art 4.2.4.11 Leveraging Skills and Knowledge - Knowledge of Crafts 4.2.4.12 Crafting Networks and Communities - Conclusion

Contents

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4.2.5 Space and Place

4.2.5.1 Naoshima - Big Plan, Slow Move 4.2.5.2 The Maze Inn- Small Plan, Slow Growth 4.2.5.3 The Banff Center- Big Plan, Slow Move, Big Results 4.2.5.4 Communal Spaces- Cali, Columbia 4.2.5.5 Space Vs Place - Conclusion

4.2.6 Global Trends and Perspectives- Conclusion 5. Architectural Strategies

5.1 The Site Plan 5.2 Courtyards 5.3 The Studio- A Mess in Progress, Size and Flux 5.4 Manufacturing Communal, Public and Private Spaces 5.5 Production Units 5.6 Soft Structures

6. Business Plan

6.1 Mission Statement 6.2 Executive Summary 6.3 Aims 6.4 Objectives 6.5 Timescale, Activity Plan and Financial Forecasts 6.6 Program Plan 6.7 Assessment of Context and Market 6.8 Management and Organizational Structure 6.9 Governance 6.10 SWOT Analysis 7. Conclusion

8. Bibliography

9. Nomenclatures

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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

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1.1 Background of Project

Throughout the history of art the romantic image of the artist’s studio has had many iterations; Rembrandt’s workshop, Pollack’s Long Island barn, and Warhol’s factory are prime examples. Perhaps the most romantic examples are found in the images of Brancusi’s studio that have been collated and published as a book, Francis Bacon’s trash heap of a studio that was painstakingly preserved and exhibited at his museum in Ireland, the photographs of Rothko looking at paintings in his old fire house studio where he created a chapel and slit his wrists, and of course, Monet’s studio designed specifically for his waterlilies.

Since the rise of conceptual art in the 1970s, many have heralded the era of the post studio artist, a time when artists created work in their heads rather than in physical studios and were therefore not reliant on location or physical space to exist. This made proximity to process and materials increasingly irrelevant, at least, during the conceptual stages of art creation. It was during this period the artist John Baldesarri taught a course on ‘post studio art’ at Cal Arts. Students in this course were encouraged to abandon traditional modes of art production in favor of a practice that demanded a greater degree of flexibility toward materials and processes.

In an age of globalization and altermodernity,1 when artists have become increasingly mobile, this school of thought has gained further momentum. The studio has become the laptop in a coffee shop or even an app on a smart phone, and we have seen an increasing number of artists who circle the globe realizing projects in their heads and having these produced at the numerous Biennials and Kuhnstalles that have sprung up in major new cities. 1 Baurriaud, The Altermodern.

2 Hoffmann, The Studio, 2012.

Left: Francis Bacon and Mark Rothko in their studios.

Chapter 1 Introduction

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This raises the question as to whether a studio is still relevant to contemporary artists. This research attempts to answer that question as it relates to the state of Qatar. Our research has taken us from the foundries of Beijing to a favela in Rio de Janeiro, with stop-offs at the marble quarries of Pietrasanta and the artist squats in Berlin along the way. We have found that, counter to what some may believe, the studio is in fact as important a factor in contemporary artistic production as it has ever been. This is particularly apparent in a time when so many of us work in a global diaspora. Across the world we have found the studio is vital to the development of any artistic community and we therefore assert it is vital to Qatar’s vision to be seen as a cultural hub within the Arab Gulf and within the world at large.

The function of the studio is typically considered to be the space in which art is made and perhaps even conceived, however the function of the studio goes beyond these practical considerations. As Jens Hoffman states, “the studio is in many ways the birthplace of art, but it would be wrong to believe that it’s only function is to be a site for the creation of artworks.” 2

Our research has shown the studio is more than simply a space that functions on a practical level. It also serves as a social space, a space for dialogue, incubation, contemplation, or even, as a recent survey by Hossein Armirsadeghi states, a “Sanctuary.” 3

3 Armirsadeghi, Sanctuary.

Right: The studio of Constentin Brancusi.

Background Project

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The archetypal design of the studio tends to have two historical models. As noted by Daniel Buren in his 1971 essay ’The function of the studio,’ the European model features natural lighting, is fairly large with a balcony to create distance between the viewer and the artworks, and the décor is somewhat more decadent than their later American counterparts. This type of studio brings to mind a somewhat romantic notion of the modern artist as tortured, solitary and deeply contemplative. The ground floor space was well suited to sculpting because the floor was supported by the ground immediately beneath it and large doors provided easy access for large materials. Painters would be located on the upper floors to take advantage of natural light. The industrial loft of the North American model, on the other hand, with its tall ceilings, fluorescent lighting and larger spaces, brings to mind images of a Warholian approach to art making, in which a production line is created, or the philosophy of Minimalism that utilized the materials and production methods of industry.

Given this history of the studio in the 20th century and its various iterations, the current research investigates what a studio suitable for the 21st century will look like and how can this studio be realized in Qatar. Qatar is currently in the midst of an incredible transformation. The country’s population has surged, growing from a population of just 70,000 in the late 1960s to more than 2 million 4 today. In recent years, Qatar has become an international travel hub, with the national airline connecting to more than 100 destinations worldwide, and an expansion of the Doha International Airport with a planned capacity of 50 million annual travelers. Doha has grown from a small pearl fishing community to an international event center in less than a half century. In recent years the city has played host to the Doha Tribeca Film Festival, the Doha Debates (televised by BBC World News), the WISE (World Innovation Summit for Education), Asian Games in 2006, and the upcoming FIFA world cup in football 2022, among others, all of which have prompted an influx of international visitors. In response, the nation’s leaders have announced plans to invest between $40 billion and $45 billion 5 to develop a tourism industry that can capitalize on Doha’s new role as a hub of international events.

While Qatar’s population has grown exponentially and Doha’s international profile has risen at astonishing rates over recent decades, the growth of domestic industries beyond the oil and natural gas industries has been minimal. The majority of goods and a significant portion of services, from produce to clothing and from machinery to architectural design, are imported.6, 7 In other words, Qatar buys rather than produces. Given Qatar’s small land base and population, relatively new development of an industrial sector and the available resources, this import/export ratio makes sense; however, a lopsided relationship between imported and domestic production can eventually turn into a matter of national sustainability. As a consumer rather than maker, Qatar is heavily dependent on other parts of the world for much of its day-to-day existence. The need to encourage, develop, and invest in domestic industries that will diversify the Qatar economy, allowing for greater long term economic stability and sustainability, has been recognized in Qatar.8 This recognition is evident in the numerous conferences and initiatives launched in recent years designed to provide support in this arena including the 2009 World Innovation Summit for Education, the 2010 Qatar International Business Women’s Forum, and Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned’s initiatives to support and preserve Qatari cultural industries.

4 Ministry of Development Planning Statistics, “Population Structure.”

5 “Qatar to Invest $45bn in Tourism beyond World Cup.”

6 “OEC.”

7 “Economy of Qatar.”

8 Ministry of Development and Planning Statistics, “Qatar Economic Outlook 2013-2014.”

Left: Jackson Pollock in his long island barn studio.

Background Project

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9 “articles/Qatar Revealed as the World’s Biggest Contemporary Art Buyer.”

10 Florida, The Rise of the Creative Class, Revisited, 2014.

The arts and culture industries are an excellent entry point for the development of a strong domestic economic sector in Qatar. In fact, Qatar has most recently moved into a dominant position in the international art world. In 2012 the country was identified as the top purchasing powerhouse in the contemporary art market,9 positioning Doha as a leader in the art arena. The interest in contemporary art in Qatar is evident not only in purchasing power exercised in the marketplace, but in the slate of recent and upcoming museum exhibitions, including solo shows by contemporary art world super stars like Takashi Murakami and Cai Gui Qiang. In addition, the Qatar Museum Authority and the Ministry of Culture play a very active role in supporting and developing cultural institutions, as evidenced by the flurry of museums and cultural centers that have either opened their doors in the last decade, or will be opening in the next, from The Visual Art Center to the proposed Orientalist Museum, with many more museums planned for in the coming years.

While the heightened interest in the art and culture sector is evident in the economic support provided by the Qatari government, as well as the active role Qatar is playing in the art market, the nation’s purchasing power has largely focused on acquisitions of work made by artists outside of Qatar. However, there is also clearly an interest in developing art production in Qatar and in exhibiting national and regional artists. This interest has been demonstrated through establishment of the Museum of Islamic Art in 2006 and the Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art in 2010.

Qatar’s support for art is impressive and has established the underpinnings of an exciting and vibrant national art scene. This research and the Lead Primary Investigator’s personal experience as a professional artist and Director of the Virginia Commonwealth Qatar (VCUQatar) Painting and Printmaking program have shown that in order to support the development of art production in Qatar, and to support in particular the development not only of art consumers but a national sector of art creators, it is vital that contemporary art from the region be fostered, nourished, and given a platform in which to exhibit. Thus, regional artists need institutional support to develop ideas, skills, and concepts. They need access to arenas of learning that will give them the opportunity to study the cutting edge technology and tools that have made a tremendous impact on the art world in recent years. Regional artists also need an environment within which they can develop and master the skills necessary to utilize these tools. They need the space in which to conduct creative experiments, to interact with, learn from, and discuss with artists from the region and beyond through programs such as international and national artist residency programs. Furthermore, the development of this sector could have effects that stretch well beyond the artist’s studio to the economic future of Doha, or even Qatar itself.

Nations around the world are now examining the creative economy as a driving force behind economic growth and social stabilization and sustainability. The creative economy has been written about extensively, particularly in connection with urban revitalization in towns and cities across the United States and Europe, and increasingly, in cities from Rio de Janeiro to Beijing. While the concept of the creative economy includes workers and industries that might not immediately come to mind when thinking about creativity--such as neuroscientists and electrical engineering -- much of the focus of research has been on the development economic sectors that fit the more traditional definition of ‘creative’, such as architects, artists, and designers.


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According to Richard Florida,10 high tech companies go where the creative people are, not the other way around. This is good news for Qatar. Florida’s theory recognizes Qatar is in a moment that is full of potential. The development of the arts and culture sector, with so many museums and other cultural organizations emerging in the last decade or about to come online soon, means that the country is laying the groundwork for creating a climate that is ripe with the kinds of cultural options creative people find most attractive. Extending and expanding this support and creating an infrastructure that will attract and retain creative people will contribute even further to Doha’s profile in the creative sector. Through understanding and defining the artist’s studio for the 21st century in a Qatar context we hope to provide a foundation on which a sustainable creative sector can flourish in this region.

Background Project

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1.2 Objectives of This Study

This research builds on the wide plethora of expertise that makes up the community of virginia Commonweath University Qatar (VCUQ), involving art, design and the liberal arts and sciences. The research team consists of Rhys Himsworth, Director of Painting and Printmaking, Dr. Byrad Yyelland, a sociologist and Director of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dr. Johan Granberg of Interior Design, an architect with a portfolio of work from five continents, as well as Interior Design alumni, Rana Rwaished. The project is also supplemented with additional support from private consultants.

Our research has been focused in 4 main phases; field studies in an international context, the collection of data from local stakeholders, the design of a studio complex, and a business plan for the complex’s implementation. The buisness plan was so developed with the view to presenting the findings to interested parties within Qatar. In just over 12 months, over 150 interviews and focus groups have been conducted and approximately 100 site visits in 22 field studies have been completed across 13 countries including China, Japan, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Columbia, the United States and Canada, as well as visits to the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Qatar itself.

What links this collection of locations, with their own very different cultural and political contexts, is the importance of the act of making within the artist’s practice and the proximity to materials and expertise that is required for contemporary artists working in a wide range of materials. In Beijing we met with a number of young emerging American artists who had settled there in order to realize their practice in particular materials. Many of these artists were working with sculpture, glass or ceramics and had found that the costs of having foundries and fully equipped studios were simply too prohibitive to emerging artists in the United States. They had settled in China, not only because the cost of setting up a studio was much more affordable but also because of the knowledge and skill sets that could be accessed through the many small industrial fabrication shops within Beijing. Similarly, in Pietrasanta, Italy we found one of the oldest artist communities and art production centers in the world, well known for when Michelangelo had frequented there for its marble quarries. What was interesting about this location was that, whilst Pietrasanta had begun as a location reliant on a particular material, it used this material as a catalyst to generate a new reasoning behind its continuous success. To put this another way, having access to high quality marble-skilled craftsmen, in turn gave the region the reputation as having the best stone carvers in the world. What followed was the importing of stones from throughout the world, from Swedish granite to Spanish slate. Subsequently, artists eventually came to visit Pietrasanta not simply for marble, but for work in a plethora of materials obtained throughout the world and to access the many foundries and ceramics studios throughout the small town.


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In Portland and Philadelphia we found a number of artist-run studio complexes and galleries such as the Crane Building, Disjecta and Yale Union, to name but a few. These were non-government funded enterprises, started-up by artists with little resources but a great deal of ambition. When asked about the success of these towns in developing artist communities, many of our informants commented on the pioneering culture of the city, or the city’s industrial heritage, again referring to the ability to get things made in these towns easily and accessibly. Many artists also commented on the lack of any kind of art market in these locations and the lack of a substantive collector base. A predominant theme in this research is that artists do not gravitate to where they can sell work, or even exhibit it, they move to where they can produce their work.

One of the objectives of the research has been to seek and understand the nature of artists’ studio spaces in these various locations, examine models of how artists communities function, and to ask broader questions as to why some cities are more successful at attracting and retaining artists than others. We draw upon these field studies so that elements from each can be examined and understood in relation to the cultural context of Qatar and in so doing, inform a proposal for an artist studio complex in Qatar. We combine these international findings with data collected in the local region where we have conducted over 40 focus groups with local Qatari artists, artists of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region based in Qatar, western expat artists based in Qatar, faculty and students from the Doha, Qatar and Richmond, Virginia campuses of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and the many curators, gallery directors and art professionals that make up Qatar’s fine art community in order to produce a viable set of outcomes for an artist studio complex based in Doha, Qatar.

This research has shown us is that in order for artists in Qatar to thrive in the coming years, Qatar must somehow provide facilities and infrastructure that will allow artists to sustain their practice and further, to develop and maintain dialogues with other practicing artists. These dialogues must be extraneous to the sort of dialogues experienced within the confines of an art college or university. Artists need time for their practices to mature, an incubation period during which dialogue with other artists can take place, and physical space to conduct research. This project therefore aims to not only proposes the physical structure for artists, but goes further and proposes strategies for developing a thriving and interactive artist community.

Objectives of This Study

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1.3 Project Aims

As stated, the project has four main areas that are sub-divided into various tasks. These include individual and institutional data collection and analysis, model data collection and analysis, design research and development, and business plan research and development.

Directors Yyelland and Himsworth carried out extensive individual and institutional data collection and analysis within Qatar. Institutions that have participated in this data collection include the following-

• Mathaf- Arab Museum of Modern Art

• Qatar Museums Authority - public art program

• Matafia (Fire Station Studio Project)

• Al Wakra studio project

• Katara Cultural Village

• Katara Art Center

• The Fine Art Society

• Msheireb Art Center

• Anima Gallery

• Al-Markhiya Gallery

Data collection took the form of individual interviews and focus groups with staff at these institutions and, in many cases, site visits to those institutions. Dr Byrad Yyelland developed a market research-based methodology aimed at determining the needs of stakeholder institutions, a survey of existing facilities and the identification of themes within the data collected.

Individual data collection took the form of focus groups with individuals from the following social groups-

• Qatari artists

• MENA region artists based in Qatar

• Western ex-pat artists based in Qatar

• VCU Faculty

• VCU students


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Model Data Collection took the form of visiting 22 international field studies with a combined total of over 100 site visits and interviews. The international sites included the following-

• Beijing, China

• Portland, Oregon, USA

• Denver, Colorado, USA

• Rome, Itlay

• Pietresanta, Italy

• Berlin, Germany

• Bali, Jogjakarta

• Naoshima, Japan

• Rio De Jinero, Brazil

• Cali, Columbia

• Bogota, Columbia

Having gathered data from these international sites and from local stakeholders, the research and development team has utilized the traditional ‘souq’ as a model for the design of the complex. We throughout this data collection we investigated issues such as the provision of natural lighting, pedestrian and vehicle access systems, flexible design structures, and a didactic design methodology that enables and fosters the leveraging of skills and knowledge amongst artists, artisans and other members of the studio complex community. At the conclusion of the data collection and analysis, a set visual plan for the artist studio complex has been produced that includes architectural renderings.

We approached the issue of leveraging skills and knowledge by researching tools and equipment associated with the facilities required to run such a complex, as well as the skills required to staff those facilities. Some of this research was informed by the data collected at international field studies in terms of identifying tried and tested methodologies, the design of various types of studios, policies and procedures and methods of best practice. Additional information was gathered through identifying local expertise within VCUQatar regarding best practices for running such facilities.

Research and development of the business plan took the form of consultation with outside parties including business plan experts and quantity surveyors, as well as experts within VCUQatar. This research culminated in developement of a 10-year business plan that details estimated costs for a nine-phase building program as well as program operation. It also includes research into equipment costs and specifications, staffing requirements, programming and management structure.

• Havana, Cuba

• Miami, Florida, USA

• Philadelphia, USA

• Detroit, USA

• The Banff Centre, Ontario, Canada

• Sharjah, UAE

• Dubai, UAE

• Abu Dhabi, UAE

• Singapore

• Hong Kong

Project Aims

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CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

Chapter 4 Discussion of Results

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In this section we highlight key points in the literature relevant to the rationale and objectives of this research. This review focuses upon three theoretical themes: the role of an artist community in facilitating a strong economy, the interrelationships between humans and objects in the act of making, and the cultural traditions of Qatar. Selected literature relevant to these themes is articulated below.

Chapter 2 Literature Review

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Studies on the nature of the artist studio fall into two predominant themes: first, categories comprising of philosophical essays around the studio, and second, surveys or interviews with leading artists regarding their relationship to the studio. The latter tend to be ‘coffee table’ style publications comprising of informal interviews and large format photographs that conform to romantic ideas of the artist studio rather than surveys underpinned by a sociological methodology. The book ‘Sanctuary’ is one such example. It provides interviews and photographs of leading British artists that give an insight into their daily routines and studio lifestyle; however, this book provides no substantive research-based data such as surveys of studio sizes, resources, or facilities nor does it provide a theoretically-informed analytical argument for the importance of the studio. It does provide some information into the types of materials used by contemporary artists; however, artists are chosen for notoriety and, therefore, any information sourced is not scientific in its methodology.

Daniel Buren, in his 1971 Essay, The Function of the Studio,11 makes the case for the studio as being of primary importance to the artist’s practice because the stage at which art is produced in the studio that is more important than any other stage of art ‘life’, including the progression through dealer to gallery to museum. Buren continues to discuss the studio as if describing it in a seemingly objective fashion to those who have perhaps never experienced what a studio is, how it functions, or its architectural style, by delineating the studio into two distinct incarnations, the European and American models.

1. The European type is modeled upon the Parisian studio of the turn of the century. This type is usually rather large and is characterized primarily by its high ceilings (a minimum of 4 meters). Sometimes there is a balcony to increase the distance between viewer and work. The door allows large work to enter and to exit. Sculptors’ studios are on the ground floor, painters on the top floor. In the latter the lighting is natural, usually diffused by windows orientated toward the north so as to receive the most even and subdued illumination.

2. The American type is of more recent origin. This type is rarely built according to specification, but located as it is in reclaimed lofts, is generally much larger than its European counterpart, not necessarily higher, but longer and wider. Wall and floor space are abundant. Natural illumination plays a negligible role, since the studio is light by electricity both night and day if necessary.12

Both sets of characteristics, approaches and styles have informed the research within this project and indeed, the design that follows. This research is also informed by other international approaches, with particular emphasis on the Qatari architectural vernacular.11 Buren, Daniel, “The Function of the

Studio.”

12 Buren, The Function of The Studio, 83.

2.1The Artist’s Studio

The Artists Studio

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Richard Florida’s theory of the creative class 13 is among the most widely known works to pinpoint the impact of the creative community on urban areas and on the economies of cities and towns. Of particular relevance to the proposed research is Florida’s analysis that it is not businesses but rather, creative communities that determine contemporary economic growth and sustainability. Florida links community growth and sustainability with the presence of a critical mass of creative people, showing the ways in which their impact on the local economy has a multiplier effect. He argues, “Cities need a people climate even more than they need a business climate. This means supporting creativity across the board... and building community that is attractive to creative people, not just to high-tech companies.”14

In order to know the type of areas that may attract creative people one must understand what they want. According to Florida, creative people are drawn to physical places they can find interesting and where they can enjoy meaningful experiences. They are also down to area and where they can enjoy interpersonal relationships, or in other words, a community that embraces the unique characteristic of the creative life style. Such a community would allow diversity, tolerance, relatively weak social ties and “quasi-anonymity.”15 The theory of the creative class is based on the premise that through development of such creative communities, cities, states, and even nations can drive their economies forward.

Florida’s theory has been widely recognized but it is not without controversy. Critics attack his methodology 16 and his theoretical argument.17 For example, Ashlin Rich argues that Florida fails “to prove causality. Which came first: the creative people, the creative jobs, or economic growth?”18 Florida’s theory has also been criticized for not including “place identity (notably, class and industrial legacy), city size and proximity.” 19 Third, community growth has been linked with strong social ties, rather than weak.20 Despite these criticisms, Florida’s work has set the foundation for urban planning and renewal across North America and Europe.21 It is arguable that the extensive use of this model around the world is a strong indicator of its efficacy. For example, the size and impact of the creative sector to larger economies is considerable. In the United Kingdom creative industries make up 6.2% of the country’s economy, yet their growth rate is double that of other economic sectors. A 2007 report on the non-profit and cultural sector in the United States offers a similar picture, with this sector of the economy growing quickly, representing millions of jobs, and generating nearly $30 billion in revenue to U.S. local, state, and federal governments annually.

Markusen and Schrock developed the theory of “cultural consumption” and its impacts on local economies.22 This theory posits that steering local residents’ dollars toward locally produced cultural products and activities rather than external expenditures such as imported goods and services or travel to other locales will result in significant economic benefit to the local region. This is not to say that creative economies are developed without some degree of financial and infrastructure support. The creative arts require investment and funding, as do other economic ventures, although the characteristics of this support may


14 Ibid.

15 Hoyman and Faricy, “It Takes a Village A Test of the Creative Class, Social Capital, and Human Capital Theories.”

16 Ibid.

17 Kratke S, “‘Creative Cities’ and the Rise of the Dealer Class.”

18 Rich, “From Coal to Cool.”

19 “Waitt, G., & Gibson, C. (2009). Creative Small Cities: Rethinking the Creative Economy in Place. Urban Studies, 46, 1223–1246.”

20 Kirkby-Geddes, “Social Capital and Community Group Participation.”

21 Kratke S, “‘Creative Cities’ and the Rise of the Dealer Class.”

22 Markusen and Schrock, “The Artistic Dividend.”

2.2Art Economics


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vary from more traditional corporate activities. Many artists are independent of corporate structures and are often self-employed. Markusen’s 2010 study of Los Angeles as a “super artist city” delineates the key types of support that contribute to success in an artist’s career:

Initial and ongoing artistic development, financial and career planning, training in the business of art, access to art-making equipment and workspace, strategies for understanding and reaching audiences, networking and mentoring structures, and information about artistic work and learning opportunities in the region and beyond.23

In the same report, Markusen notes that supporting the development of workspace, as well as training programs and other learning opportunities, are among the most important things that a city, town, or region can do to develop the arts sector. What happens within this important workspace is examined in the following section.

The project proposed of the conclusion of this report would allow for development of such workspaces through architectural and business plans for an artist studio complex. Situated within the Qatari cultural sector and artist community, this complex is designed to provide, as much as possible, the types of support identified by Markusen and Schrock. Well aware that a Qatar model would differ from other contexts, this research has attempted to define what and how these support functions would be and what would constitute a successful approach.

23 Markusen, Ann, Los Angeles: America’s Artist Super City.

Art Economics

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Sociologist Richard Sennett notes similarities in attitudes toward labor in such dissimilar fields as biology, carpentry, art, and design.24 The work of a biologist conducting experiments, a carpenter building a house, and an artist working on a composition are very different in many aspects. However, all of these activities have one thing in common—labor in itself is the vehicle for the cognitive process. In other words, the physical act of labor is an expression of thought. As such, this research adopts the stance that creating art is a productive activity not unlike producing objects of craft. In other words, the production of art and the production of crafts are both processes of making. Conceptualizing the production of art and craftwork in this way enables one to understand the complexity of an art community in reference to knowledge being passed on, retained and developed. Passing knowledge from one person to another means that the creation of art is both an individual and a social activity. Thus, art creation, or making, is simultaneously physical, mental, individual and social. Taking this furthur, we argure that the social interaction of art making does not stop at the level of artist and artisan. This premise is suported by the work of sociologist and philosopher Bruno Latour, who argues that interactions such as this form a network comprised of humans but also non-humans such as the materials used by the artist, the environment within which the art is made, and the final product itself.25

Latour argues that the difference between living bodies and inert objects are, if not non-existent, at least unimportant. Interactions amongst the various ‘members’ of the network follow similar principles regardless of whether these interactions are between human and human, human and non-human, or non-human and non-human. Humans and non-humans only differ in what role they are given (made) in the network in which they are active. An artist may sit on a bench but a hammer also sits on a bench. An artist paints on a canvas but in the painting process the brush and paint also paint the canvas and the canvas acts to collect and hold the paint applied to it. A hammer can act as a tool to build in one type of interaction and as a weapon to kill in another type of interaction. Therefore, Latour refers to each of these components of an interaction with the same term actant, a term that “does not limit itself to human individual actors but extends the word actor - or actant- to non-human, non individual entities.”26

Latour calls his theoretical framework Actant Network Theory (ANT) and from this theoretical standpoint he asserts that actants (human and non-humans) form “statements.”27 A statement is, in Latour’s terminology; “anything that is thrown, sent, or delegated by an enunciator”28

and it can take the form of “words, objects, apparatus or institutions.”29 The term statement therefore refers not to linguistics, but to the gradient that carries us from words to things and from things to words.30 Latour argues that the form of statement used by the sender is of little or no importance, what counts is the urgency by which a statement is sent. What is at stake is how statements are sent in the system because statements propel social acts. ANT is useful in the current research because it provides a theoretical framework to study the linkages and relationships within networks such as the artist’s studio complex.31

2.3Learning Through Creating Communities

24 Sennett, The Craftsman.

25 Latour, Sociology of Monsters.

26 “Latour-Clarifications.pdf,” 2.


28 Latour, Sociology of Monsters, 106.

29 Ibid.


31 Latour, Reassembling the Social.


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The acceptance of both humans and non-humans into the same category (actant) has been criticized in ANT and in other social constructionist theories.32 With its micro-level focus on interaction, ANT is also criticized for ignoring broad scope social influences.33 This is a typical critique for all micro-level theories if one is operating from the standpoint of a more macro-level theory base, but does not detract from the analytical benefits of social constructivism in general and ANT in particular. Indeed, even detractors recognize the intrinsic strength of this framework in focusing on “the artifacts and varieties of technical knowledge in question and at the social actors whose activities affect their development.”34 This analytical strength is shared across social constructivist theories, as seen in symbolic interactionism, one of the predominant schools of sociological thought. Like ANT, symbolic interactionism initiates methodology and analysis from the standpoint that humans and non-humans, including our past, our self, ideas, perspectives, emotions and even thoughts, are objects. From this perspective,

Anything can become a social object for the human actor. Whatever we use is a social object to us in a given situation. Our use defined it, and almost always the use has arisen socially. ‘It’ changes as our use for it changes. This view alters the nature of the world humans act in.35

Thus, theoretical analyses of human/non-human interactions are known and respected within the social sciences. Within the context of this research, ANT is a useful and appropriate theoretical framework for the micro-level focus of the study.

Dr. Johan Granberg 36 argues there is great similarity in how Latour’s ANT views the phenomenon of knowledge in a network and the concept of meme introduced by the biologist Richard Dawkins. Similarity between genetic knowledge and learned knowledge led Dawkins to formulate a cultural theory based on the evolutionary model. Dawkins advocates a gene-centered view in which the surviving genes dictate the rules of replication and not the bodies that ‘carry’ these genes. In his book, “The Selfish Gene,” Dawkins introduces the meme as a cultural unit, something that functions at a cultural level the way the gene functions at the genetic level.

Examples of memes are tunes, ideas, catch phrases, clothes fashions, and ways of making pots or of building arches. Just as genes propagate themselves in the gene pool leaping from body to body via sperms or egg, so memes propagate themselves in the meme pool by leaping from brain to brain via a process that in broad sense can be called imitation.37

Dawkins describes his meme as an outside-the-body sequence of information that has the capacity to evolve. It could be a word, a tool or a concept. Like its genetic counterpart, the meme enjoys the ability to copy itself in perpetuity. Also like the gene, a meme survives in society if it has what it takes to survive and if the society will defend it.

32 Winner, “Upon Opening the Black Box and Finding It Empty.”

33 Ibid.

34 Ibid.

35 Charon, Symbolic Interactionism.

36 Granberg, “Design as System of Knowledge,” 47.

37 Dawkins, The Selfish Gene, 194.

Learning Through Creating Communities

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The old gene-selected evolution, by making brains, provided the soup in which the first meme arose. Once self-copying memes had arisen their own, much faster evolution took off… Imitation in the broad sense is how memes can replicate. But just as not all genes that can replicate do so successfully, so some memes are more successful in the meme-pool than others… in general they must be the same discussed for replicators…: longevity, fecundity, and copying-fidelity.38

Supported by Dawkin’s conceptualization of the meme, ANT provides a framework for understanding what constitutes knowledge in an artist community and how this knowledge is sustained and transferred within the same community. As such, ANT provides theoretical underpinning for the current research enabling an understanding of knowledge as “fundamentally different from other professional fields or industries linked together the artist society.The ANT gives us a framework within which the knowledge of an emerging art society is seen both as corporeal and mental, both as incorporated and excorporated.”39

The artist studio complex proposed as the culmination of this research is tentatively entitled the Art Souq. Informed by the aforementioned theoretical works, the Art Souq is seen as a network that enables the transmission of ideas, materials, people and knowledge. This network also includes the physical movement of vehicles. This emphasis on movement, or flow, must be incorporated into the studio complex design at all levels, from social and intellectual to pedestrian and vehicular. However, the traditional mode of traffic flow is not a viable option for the proposed Art Souq because it has been found to be counterproductive to community development. Bruce Appeleyard and Lindsey Cox write, “On streets engineered for fast-moving cars… the noise, exhaust fumes, and threat of injury force pedestrians and bicyclists to retreat. The result is a loss of opportunities for neighborhood residents to build stronger and safer communities.”40 One way to address these problems is with the cul de sac model found in North American cities. Another option is the woonerf process utilized in the Netherlands. The woonerf is a model that permits traffic of both pedestrian and motor vehicles to overlap.

Historically streets were used as a social space all over the world, but people were pushed out of the way as a result of the rise of motorized traffic. In order to restore a safe environment the woonerf concept was (re)introduced in the Netherlands in the late 1960’s.41

Other names for the woonerf are “Living Streets” or “Complete Streets.” The woonerf concept has also proven to be successful in many European cities, by reclaiming the streets as public spaces for people’s use.42 This model of safely intermingling vehicular and human traffic matches the historical model seen in action in Souq Wakif and we therefore believe this model is well suited for the artist community we propose for development in Qatar.

Conclusion: One theoretical area of focus in this project is the phenomena of how knowledge is gained and sustained within an artist community. ANT provides a useful framework to understand these interactions.

38 Ibid.


40 Appleyard and Cox, “At Home in the Zone: Creating Livable Streets in the U.S.”,” 30–35.

41 “Welcome to the Woonerfgoed Network.”

42 Appleyard and Cox, “At Home in the Zone: Creating Livable Streets in the U.S.,” 30–35.


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43 Kay and Zandi, Architectural Heritage of the Gulf, 4.

44 “1996 Mercedes-Benz F 200 Imagination Concept,” 12.

45 Kay and Zandi, Architectural Heri-tage of the Gulf, 5.

46 Ibid.

47 Jaidah and Bourennane, The History of Qatari Architecture from 1800 to 1950, 11.


This research has sought to learn from the historical architectural vernacular of the Gulf itself and is informed by examination and analysis in this area. Shirley Kay and Dariush Zandi state, “in a region where summer temperatures soar above 45 C and humidity causes clothes to cling to the wearer, over thousands of years, ingenious forms of architecture were evolved, enabling people to live in as much comfort as could possibly be achieved.”43 It is evident that, historically, gulf towns and cities were designed so they provided shade in the public and semipublic areas. “The Gulf’s architectural forms have to some extent been limited by two important factors, those of climate and availability of building material. The principal feature of Arabian residential architecture has always been to the measurement taken to protect the inhabitants from the heat of the Gulf summer.”44 Outdoor spaces such as roads and courtyards were covered with shades. “…they [roads] could be roofed over with beams and a palm-frond covering, especially in the more heavily used lanes of the souq”45 So the movement was always in shade. Likewise the courtyards were offering shade in the form of large trees.”46

Furthermore, there has been a tradition of slow and successive growth of Qatari architecture as Ibrahim Jaidah and Malika Bourennane state in “The History of Qatari Architecture”; “The Arab house is never completed…the house, thereby reflecting the history, accumulated growth and family structure of a number of generations.”47 Kay and Zandi also emphasize this method of slow and successive growth in the traditional gulf developments, “In the past Gulf towns were not designed in advance; they grew as the population increased. No one sat down with a pencil and ruler and drew up straight lines for roads or circles for roundabouts. The town plans of today were not known and not needed when Gulf towns were first built.”48

2.4Learning From Qatar

Learning Through Creating Communities

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Historically, courtyards and courtyard houses have been a successful structural principle in organizing spaces within a city or a larger architectural object. “There is evidence that houses with courtyards existed in Iran around 8000 years ago.”49 Furthermore, this building format was predominant in the Gulf region. “The courtyard house was the most widespread house form in the traditional Arab and Islamic cities.”50 There is a series of factors that make courtyards appropriate for this region: climatically, socially and in terms of religion. Jaidah and Bourennane describe the benefits of the widespread use of open courtyards relevant to the environment of Qatar, “The open air interior courtyard performs an important function as a modifier of climate in hot and arid areas. It allows for outdoor activities with protection from wind and sun, and also serves as an air-well into which the cool, night air can sink.”51 This claim is supported by Raydan, Ratti, and Steemers, who compared freestanding solitaire forms (as they call pavilions) with the courtyard layout and found that, “The courtyard configuration type shows better response through the calculated environmental variable (surface to volume shadow density, daylight distribution, sky view factor)… in the context of hot-arid climates.”52 Further support can be traced back to the courtyard house developed for the Prophet, as expressed by M. Anwarul Islam and Nawal H. Al-Sanafi, “The typical Arab mosque which evolved from the Prophet’s building is likely to have influenced the development of low-rise courtyard houses over succeeding centuries.”53

2.5Courtyards

49 Gholamhhossein Memarian and Frank Brown, “The Shared Character-istics of Iranian and Arab Courtyard Houses,” 21.

50 Reem Zako, “The Power of the Veil: Gender Inequality in the Domestic Setting of Traditional Courtyard Houses,” 65.


52 Dana Raydan, Carlo Ratti, and Koen Steemers, “Courtyards: A Bioclimatic Form?,” 144.

53 M. Anwarul Islam and Nawal H. Al-Sanafi, “The Traditional Courtyard Houses of Kuwait and the Influence of Islam,” 83.


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In addition to ANT, the theoretical underpinnings of this research are informed by the work of organizational management expert Peter Senge. Senge has found that no organization operates in a vacuum, each is “bound by invisible fabrics of interrelated actions, which often take years to fully play out their effects on each other.”54 He argues that understanding and working with this systemic relationship is the key to success for organization leaders. Senge explains that the most successful and sustainable organizations develop the ability to adapt to changes within their internal environment but also to changes that emerge within the external environment because external changes, such as fluctuations in economy or politics, can have a profound impact on the viability and operation of an organization. According to Senge, organizations must develop the ability to learn how to identify these changes, determine how best to adapt to capitalize on the changes or at least minimize risk to the organization, and maintain an inherent flexibility in the organization to enable adaptive changes as needed. Senge refers to this entire process as a process of learning and defines the “learning organization,”55 as an organization “that is continually expanding its capacity to create its future.”56

Senge identifies five areas, or disciplines, that organizations must master in order to become a learning organization: personal mastery, mental models, building a shared vision, team learning and systems thinking. Personal mastery is particularly relevant to the art studio complex because this concept refers to more than just proficiency, it “goes beyond competence and skills…It means approaching one’s life as a creative work, living life from a creative as opposed to reactive viewpoint.”57 These are also the goals of the working artist. The congruence between a learning organization and art creation is found in Senge’s description of “an organization in which people at all levels are, collectively, continually enhancing their capacity to create things they really want to create.”58

Senge has found substantive evidence that learning organizations are successful and sustainable because they are intrinsically reflexive and adaptable to changing circumstances. Informed by that work and by our observations in the current research, we recommend the proposed studio complex be managed in a format that is consistent with the Sengian learning organization. This will optimize sustainability for the complex in the fast-paced 21st century Qatar environment. The studio complex must be allowed to monitor internal and external influences, identify opportunities and threats, develop viable plans for adapting to these influences and the time and flexibility to make the necessary adaptations.

Senge’s conceptualization of the learning organization supports the ANT analysis applied in this research. ANT reveals the knowledge bases and communicative role of actants within a network. By enabling the researcher to gain insights into what forms of knowledge are communicated and how these communication processes occur. Overlaying Senge’s conceptualization upon that of Latour’s clarifies that additional actants operate from outside the network and the most successful networks are both cognizant of the multiplicity of

2.6The Learning Organization

54 Senge, The Fifth Discipline.

55 Ibid.

56 Ibid.

57 Ibid.

58 O’Neil, “On Schools as Learning Organizations.”

The Learning Organization

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communication and influences, and remain flexible enough to adopt to changing needs with evolving technology and techniques. As has been discussed above, developing such a network/organization is best facilitated through slow, incremental and bottom-up growth that can develop natural feedback loops. A slow growing network would “learn” from internal and external actants but also from its own actions, as will be shown in our analyses of Naoshima and The Maze in Rio de Janeiro. For the proposed studio complex, a sequence of design phase, a construction phase, and an inhabitation phase, each including ongoing evaluation processes, would facilitate and foster the development of a true learning organization.


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The Learning Organization

28 29

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY

30 31

This project is comprised of four major research components. We used an ethnographic research design in the first two components consisting of data collection from local stakeholders and analysis of international models. We then developed an architectural proposal informed by these analyses, and conclude with a business plan for the proposed artist’s studio complex. Underpinning all of this is an emphasis on social responsibility.

The impetus for this research was that the LPI, a Doha based artist, was unable to locate adequate studio space in or near Doha for his artistic practice. This led to discussions with other artists in Qatar who subsequently confirmed they had experienced similar difficulties. It became apparent that studio space has been an ongoing problem in this area. As Director of the Painting and Printmaking program at VCUQatar, the LPI is aware that these challenges will become exacerbated as more and more graduates attempt to develop their careers as artists in this region. This information sparked the quest for a needs assessment of the studio requirements of artists within Qatar but more than that, examination of successful studio models in other areas of the world, and development of a proposal for an artist studio complex in Qatar that is informed by this extensive local and international research.

Chapter 3 Methodology

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With the LPI a member of the artistic community in Qatar, it made sense to the research team to capitalize on this insider knowledge. We adopted a qualitative ethnographic research design to accomplish this objective because ethnography is a “qualitative design in which the researcher describes and interprets the shared and learned patterns of values, behaviors, beliefs and language of a culture-sharing group.”59 The “culture-sharing group”60 for this study is the artist community, both within Qatar but also throughout international sites.

To investigate members of this group we chose a sampling strategy known as criterion sampling. “Criterion samples are made up of individuals who fit particular predetermined criteria.”61 We determined two criteria for samples of this study. The first criterion is membership in the “culture-sharing group”62 of artists and other stakeholders of the art world in Qatar and in our international sites. The second criteria is membership in an organization that had already expressed interest in collaboration with VCUQatar, or creating artist residency programs, or whose mission would support the creation of artists residency programs. Additional stakeholders include members of the arts and education community in Qatar who would benefit from the development of an artist studio complex.

The LPI, PI and RA1 carried out ethnographic data collection within Qatar and throughout the international field studies. Primarily the LPI and PI conducted focus groups and interviews with informants within Qatar. The LPI, PI and RA1 collectively analyzed field study, focus group and interview data, and developed the final report. RA1 was also primarily responsible for developing the philosophy of the architectural design, the initial site plan, studio layout, studio sizes, production unit sizes, development of courtyards and traffic systems. An external consultant contributed design details within the first site, allocation of equipment in the production unit, and details related to air conditioning, electrical and plumbing. Other external consultants provided digital renderings of the architectural model.

Although we initially planned to use surveys to develop and administer a needs assessment survey, a strong theme to emerge from these initial focus groups and interviews was that significant components of our target population, Qatari and non-Qatari artists and individuals in related areas, preferred to meet in person and provide their thoughts in conversation. This is a change from the original plan but not problematic because methodological malleability is a core component of ethnographic research. As Thompson describes, ethnography is “exploratory, inductive and, at least for a time, open-ended. This open-endedness inevitably means that the contours of the inquiry are not clear in advance, but emerge over time.”63 Further, ethnography “can bring great benefits, such as flexibility of method, an openness to approaches of data collection.”64

3.1 Ethnographic Research Design

59 Creswell, Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design.

60 Ibid.

61 Hatch, Doing Qualitative Research in Education Settings.

62 Creswell, Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design.

63 Thomson, “Ethnography.”

64 Ibid.

Ethnographic Research Design

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We decided to continue with a three-pronged approach of personal observation, focus groups and individual interviews as our process to gather this information. This triangulation of data collection strategies “allows the researcher to pinpoint aspects of a phenomenon more accurately by approaching it from different vantage points using different methods.”65 Another intrinsic strength of triangulation is that it enables “different kinds of data from different sources to see whether they corroborate one another.”66 In this study, triangulating the data collection strategies of observation, focus groups and interviews enabled us to gather data that are both comprehensive and rich.

Field study research included observations of the sites, locating key informants at each site, and recording the physical layout of the sites on camera and through physical measurement. Field site observations also included observation of the surrounding community of each location and researching secondary data including public documents and publically accessible information on the Internet for each location. These data sources were also utilized to gather information regarding the larger city within which the field site and its surrounding location were situated. Finally, we reviewed these secondary data sources for additional economic, political and social information related to macro level geo-political location on the world stage. Regarding field studies that we were not able to visit for security reasons, we conducted research with secondary data sources as well as interviews at those locations through Skype and telephone.

“Because interviews can be such an effective means of learning about the life-worlds of the ethnographic other, extended, open-ended interviews generally are the most instructive means of gathering ethnographic data.”67 The team used one semi-structured interview guide for individual interviews and a similar semi-structured interview guide for focus groups. Each was developed from areas of research interest and significance identified through prior personal observation and literature review, and each was implemented as a ‘living document,’ allowed to evolve over the course of the research process as needed.68 In the words of Paulson, “Ethnographic interviews are spontaneous ‘conversations with a purpose’ that occur in the field and are often initiated by participants who choose to enlighten the researcher about the meaning of a particular cultural practice.”69

Probing questions were used to dig deeper for more detailed explanations and seek clarification from informants, and in all cases, the interview process was approached from the standpoint of “Emergent design flexibility – Openness to adapting inquiry as understanding deepens and/or situations to change; the researcher avoids getting locked into rigid designs that eliminate responsiveness and pursues new paths of discovery as they emerge.” 70

We recorded data through field notes and audio recordings of the interviews, photographs of locations, and in some cases, when informants requested or agreed to a request from one of us, photographs with informants. As an exempted project, this project did not require signed informed consent forms from informants; however, Virginia Commonwealth University does require participants receive an “information sheet”71 that offers a brief explanation of the study. All informants were given a full verbal explanation, were encouraged to ask questions,

65 Sommer, By Robert Sommer - A Practical Guide to Behavioral Research.

66 Walsh, “Doing Ethnography.”

67 Prus, “Studying Human Knowing and Acting: The Interactionist Quest for Authenticity.”

68 Ibid.

69 Paulson, “The Use of Ethnography and Narrative Interviews in a Study of ‘Cultures of Dance.’”

70 Patton and Patton, Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods.

71 Virginia Commonwealth University Office of Research, “VCU Initial Sub-missions.”


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and were provided with an information sheet. Participants were also offered full confidentiality and anonymity although no one expressed any concern about either. We were not surprised at this reaction due to the benign topic of the research. Those participants who have been quoted directly in this report have given their written consent to do so.

The LPI leveraged his connections across the arts community in Qatar, including individual artists and representatives of a wide variety of arts organizations, in order to recruit participation in this research. The LPI and RA1 also leveraged their international connections to secure participation in locations outside Qatar. This enabled the research team to conduct research on model art centers and arts districts in the United States, Europe, and also locations in Asia and in the Arab Gulf.

Ethnographic Research Design

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3.2 Architectural Proposal

RA1, an accomplished architect and interior designer, used a combination of the aforementioned needs assessment and field study data, and data gathered through the literature review as well as his personal experience, to inform the design of an artist studio complex for Qatar. A graduate of the VCUQatar Interior Design program assisted RA1. This individual graduated in 2011 with Magna Cum Laude Latin honors from VCUQatar and had previously worked as RA1’s design assistant for two years. Her role in this project has been to assist RA1 in cataloguing, archiving, graphic design and model making. Her knowledge of the region and the Arabic language made her the optimal choice for these tasks. RA1 was also primarily responsible for developing the philosophy of the architectural design, the initial site plan, studio layout, studio sizes, production unit sizes, development of courtyards and traffic systems. An external consultant contributed design details within the first site, allocation of equipment in the production unit, and details related to air conditioning, electrics and plumbing. Other external consultants provided digital renderings of the architectural model.

As was mentioned above, social responsibility is one of the focal areas of this research. The architectural plan and daily operation of the proposed studio complex are designed to facilitate and enable physical safety and education of the workers involved in development of the project. We propose to align this work in three main areas.

a. An architectural design that will provide shade for the construction workers while they build the complex.

We propose a design that features construction of a large roof before building anything underneath. This will provide a source of shade for the workers building the remainder of the studio complex.

b. Knowledge transfer from artisan to laborer and in so doing provide an educational opportunity for laborers while simultaneously providing informed future artisans for the complex and for Qatar as a whole.

As mentioned above, one of the issues unique to Doha is the lack of a creative infrastructure, such as a core of craftsmen, a community of suppliers, ready to provide tools, equipment, and materials for the making of art. In fact, the situation in Qatar is quite different from many

3.2.1Social Responsibility


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72 The Foundation, Pages 12-15, Issue 27, March 2011.

other countries in that much of the labor, both skilled and unskilled, is imported from other countries, particularly from India, Pakistan, and Southeast Asia. As a result, the developer will need to enlist skilled construction workers from abroad in order to complete construction of the project.

Interestingly, many of today’s builders are highly skilled in using a wide variety of specialized equipment-- including an assortment of equipment that is part of the contemporary toolbox of skills possessed by contemporary artists. For example, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) routers and plasma cutters play important roles in both construction and contemporary sculpture. With a cohort of skilled professionals in Doha to build the artist complex, the research team proposes to structure work/training programs that will occur throughout the duration of the construction process to leverage and expand the knowledge base of these workers. Skilled workers would subsequently remain in the creative community as part of the artist studio complex beyond the building phase of the project and would share their knowledge by teaching artists and students.

This program, which is part of the business plan describedat the conclusion of this report, takes as its model a successful program at the Qatar Foundation’s Sheikha Haya bint Nasser Factory. This program utilizes a teaching model, in which expert seamstresses share their knowledge of tailoring and their skills with the specialized equipment of garment making with women from Southeast Asia who now work to create finished, tailored products, from suits to seat covers for the Qatar Airlines fleet.72

We propose that workers who construct the various production units, (the woodshop, metal shop, et cetera) be mentored by the artisans who are experts with those materials and the machinery within these resource shops. This will enable the workers to learn viable new areas of expertise, thereby enhancing their employment opportunities in the future within the studio complex, within Qatar as a nation and beyond Qatar.

c. High quality housing for all of the individuals who work in supportive roles

We propose that all workers associated with the studio complex be provided with high quality housing adjacent or nearby to the complex.

Architectural Proposal

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3.3 Business Plan

Relevant data from each of the components outlined above were compiled by the LPI who used this data to provide a 10 year business plan for the proposed studio complex. This business plan is informed by business plans from other similar and successful organizations. Costs include development of a usable site and construction of the center, equipment, cost plans for maintenance and staffing of the facility. Expected costs are projected over 10 years. This plan is presented in detail later in the report.


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CHAPTER 4 DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

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4.1 Needs Assessment for Qatar

42 43

The results of this research have been gathered in two distinct but complementary phases. First, a needs assessment of local stakeholders was initiated to determine the needs and challenges of artists based in Qatar. Second, international field studies were conducted in sites that include Qatar, the Gulf region and other sites of relevance across the world. The findings of these international field studies have been studied with the needs assessment of local stakeholders and the regional culture of Qatar very much in mind.

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“This project has been one of my dreams for my country”

- Yousef Ahmed, pioneering qatari artist


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4.1 Needs Assessment for Qatar

This section provides the data gathered in the needs assessment component of the research project. As was mentioned in the Methodology section, findings from our initial focus groups showed us that our target population of stakeholders in Qatar, especially the artists, would not respond as hoped to email inquires to conduct a survey. For this reason we gathered needs assessment data through focus groups and individual interviews. Focus group data are presented below. More detailed analyses of these findings are presented in the following sections.

This research is informed by extensive qualitative data from within Qatar. The details of the needs assessment are laid out below, beginning with the perspectives of the stakeholders as a group, then Qatar-based artists only, and finally, Qatari artists as a unique group.

This assessment of artist studio needs in Qatar is informed by ethnographic and narrative data collected through processes described by Holloway and Todre, “Through intensive fieldwork – participant observation and interviews – of key informants who are experts on the social setting and have rich knowledge of it. Also through visual data.”73 We utilized a triangulation of participant observation, semi-structured interviews and focus groups to gain information from 54 participants who represented the Qatar fine art community including artists and those who represent artists such as curators, gallerists and museum professionals.

Of our 54 participants, 12 were gallerists and/or museum curators in Doha and 42 were artists. In terms of how the group of 42 artists was broken down, they have a range of experiences from students to recent graduates, emerging artists, through to established artists. Of the 42 artists interviewed 12 were Qatari, 9 were from the MENA region, 11 were European or North American ex-patriots, and 10 were faculty at VCUQatar. All artists interviewed were based in Qatar. The community of artists in Qatar is indeed larger than the numbers we interviewed, however our intention was not to gather quantitative data of artists’ needs but rather, to collective qualitative data from key informants in artist communities.

The gallerist/curator data is powerful in providing a view that spans across the perspectives of individual artists and many of these curators worked with numerous Qatari and MENA artists that we were not able to interview personally and so extended the breadth of our research. Gallerists and museum curators can provide insights based upon lengthy and comprehensive experience with many artists, with many artistic practices, and with the general public. This group includes personnel from the Qatar Museums Authority as well as all major museums and galleries based in Doha. In addition to the aforementioned informants, the

73 Holloway and Todres, “The Status of Method.”

Needs Assessment for Qatar

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LPI is also an “expert”74 member of the art community in Qatar, through his role as Director of Painting and Printmaking at VCU Qatar, and has provided insider knowledge to supplement the other data. In total, we collected qualitative data from 54 informants within Qatar.

The stakeholders agree there are insufficient studio spaces currently available for artists in Qatar. One informant shared that it is the younger artists who are most likely to need studio spaces because the established artists have already dealt with this issue to some extent and created their own studio environments. With very few exceptions, artists in Qatar currently work in their homes, usually in an empty bedroom in their villa. This can be convenient but can also constrain the nature and process of art production. One significant factor is size; stakeholders refer to the challenges in trying to create large pieces of work in a small room. Studio spaces of sufficient size would enable artists to develop the types of work they wish to develop and need to develop in order to further their artistic exploration and careers. Working in the home also keeps the artist separated from the larger art community. Interaction in the art community is important because it enables artists to see what is happening in the local and extended art scene, develop new ideas and gain both inspiration and motivation.

Stakeholders are aware that studio space is a problem for established artists but this is even more crucial for emerging artists. New artists need spaces to work and develop their skills and knowledge, but they also need opportunities to observe and learn from more mature artists. Stakeholders agree that mentorship is crucial for emerging artists and that established artists can play a pivotal role as mentors. They suggest there are ways to encourage this to happen, but it should be left to occur spontaneously rather than as a fixed directive. Established artists from the area or those visiting Qatar could be asked to conduct workshops, but this is the extent of formalization recommended for mentorship.

Stakeholders also agree that artists need artistic freedom. Artists need to respect local laws and culture, of course, but should also be allowed to create the work they want to create. Stakeholders suggest a “common sense” approach to handling this potentially contentious issue. For example, artists doing anatomical pieces can work on this in their studios but not display the work in public areas and recognize that such work might not be put on public display in a gallery. There is also a strong consensus that Qatari and expat artists should have more interaction with one another because right now these two groups operate predominantly in isolation from one another. Stakeholders recognize a definitive need to develop a sense of community for artists in Qatar and contrary to what one might have anticipated they are eager to collaborate with artists from different socio-economic groups. Many informants actually saw the issue of different cultural groups accessing a complex as positive. This was true of both Qatari artists and ex-pat artists, and all informants welcome the opportunity to collaborate with one another as well as welcoming international artists.

In addition to studio space, stakeholders identified a strong need for access to resources to support artistic activity. One gallerist explained that artists who work with metal or sculpture are currently having work fabricated in Pietrasanta, Italy and Beijing, China because those resources are not available in Qatar. Supportive resources identified in this research include wood shops, metal shops, digital fabrication laboratories, a kiln for ceramics

74 Ibid.


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and glass, and others. The following section provides greater detail about the needs identi-fied by Qatar-based artists. Following that, needs identified by Qatari artists, specifically, are culled from the overall stakeholder data and presented.


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4.11 Qatar-based Artists

A total of 42 Qatar-based artists provided data for this research. Almost one-half (48 %) of this group were painters, the others work in a variety of disciplines including photography, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking and video.

Focus groups with Qatari and expat artists in Qatar reveal a profound need for studio space. All of the focus group and interview participants said they want studio space in Qatar. Most focus group participants said they have set up a room in their homes to use as a studio, usually a bedroom. Relying on home space has a dramatic impact on the type and size of work created. These artists are aware that working in the home can restrict the size and type of art produced and therefore narrowly restrict the artist’s practice. Home-based artists are unable to create work that is too large for their bedroom-studios, unable to work with heavy sculptures or machinery such as welding equipment that could be dangerous in the home, and unable to work with certain solvents, paints or glues because the homes are not designed to ventilate toxic fumes. This has caused some artists to avoid doing the kind of work they would want to do, forcing them instead to restrict their practices to the kinds of work they feel they can do within these circumstances.

Working in the home can be convenient but also leaves the artist vulnerable to interferences due to responsibilities in the home, and therefore breaks the train of thought and production of work. Some artists, including the students at VCUQatar, indicate an interest in sharing studio space to work collaboratively but they also want the opportunity to work alone. They ask for larger studios that can be broken down using partitions so they can interact, share ideas, and not feel isolated whilst at the same time maintain a degree of privacy. Others say they would prefer to work alone most of the time, in a private studio, but all indicate a strong interest in seeing what each other is doing, interacting with one another, learning from one another, and collaborating with one another should the opportunity arise. It is clear from this research that artists in Qatar prefer a studio complex that includes individual studios but also the opportunity for collaborative work in larger studios and/or communal spaces where artists can create together.

We asked focus group participants which size of studio they would find ideal for their current practice. The predominant choice is evenly split between a medium size studio of 10m x 10m, and a small studio of 5 x 10m with a minority of artists opting for large and extra large studios of 15 x 10m and 20 x 10m. Students often proposed an extra large studio shared by 5 artists, particularly in those initial years after graduation. When culling out the data from Qatari artists exclusively, 10m x 10m is the top choice, although one Qatari artist who works with large pieces identified the need for artists like himself to have studio spaces of 20m x 10m. We would anticipate these figures to change over time and would expect more artists to favor larger studio spaces as their careers progress and mature.


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The largest studios were recommended by artists with established careers or who worked with heavy and large sculptural materials, or installation artists. Most of the participants we interviewed in the focus groups were painters who do not require or even want studios larger than 10m x 10m; however, a common theme expressed by informants in this study is a desire for flexible studio sizes. This does not mean that artists would be able to expand or reduce the size of their studio spaces at will, but rather, the studio complex as a whole would be able to modify studio sizes to provide larger spaces for those artists who wish to work with larger projects and/or in groups and revert these large studios into smaller studios at the completion of such projects to provide smaller spaces for incoming artists who prefer smaller studio spaces. Flexible studio spaces would enable the studio complex to accommodate changing artistic needs over time and thereby remain optimally viable to artists, thus enhancing long-term sustainability for the studio complex.

All of the artists agree that studios should be “raw and open spaces that invite mess.”75 Artists need to feel comfortable in putting nails or screws in the walls and floors, spilling paints and in general, working with their art without fear of hurting the studio. A pristine studio would not work. They would like the studios to include bathrooms, sinks and kitchenettes so they can store food in small fridges and prepare small meals. Good ventilation to protect studios from air and noise pollution are a must, as is natural lighting but also the ability to modify lighting within the studio with movable spotlights and the ability to adjust the natural lighting. The artists also want storage space for their work. Heat must be controlled, of course, but humidity must also be controlled to protect the work.

As mentioned above, some artists work with larger pieces and some with smaller, and there are numerous media, including painting, sculpture, photography, and so forth. Different studio sizes are necessary to accommodate the disparate needs of the various artists and this is another reason why a studio complex that is able to change studio sizes is optimal for sustainability of the studio complex. It enables the complex to better accommodate the needs future artists.Structural flexibility of this sort is particularly important when we consider the rapid pace of technological change and the impact these changes can have on artistic creativity and production.

When asked to describe their current practice and the challenges they faced, aside from studio space itself, all of our participants talked about the frustration of not being able to find supplies locally and have access to production facilities. From traditional processes such as cutting wood for canvas stretchers through to digital printing, welding, casting and 3D printing, all participants strongly identified the need for production facilities in addition to any studios. They stated that without the provision of production facilities any studio provision would only meet their needs to a partial extent.

When asked to identify the types of resources they would want accessible within the studio complex, focus group and interview participants provided an extensive list. Not all informants provided responses but those that did were able to identify the predominant production units they would want in a studio complex. The results are presented below in Table 1: Predominant choices for production unit support.

75 Doha-based artist. Interview by au-thors. Audio recording. Doha, Qatar October 14, 2013.


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Production Unit Number of Responses Percentage of Artist Informants

Wood shop 33 100 Metal shop 29 88Photo/video 26 79Dig fab lab 25 76Printmaking 24 73Foundry 23 70Ceramics 22 67n 182

Table 1 Predominant choices for production unit support

The data are clear that a wood shop is the number one choice for production unit support preferred by Qatar-based artists in this study. One hundred percent of these informants recommended the studio complex include a wood shop to support the work of artists within the complex. The second most predominant choice is the metal shop, recommended by ap-proximately 88 % of the Qatar-based artists. The photography/video studio is the third most predominant with 79 % recommendations, followed closely by the digital fabrication labora-tory with recommendations from 76 % of this group of informants. The next most predomi-nant choices are printmaking and foundry, with recommendations from 73 % and 70 % of the artists, respectively. A ceramics studio is the least predominant recommendation, suggested by 67 % of the Qatar-based artists who participated in this research.

The predominance of choices delineated above is is supported by participant responses to questions of priority. When asked to identify three facilities they would prioritize if they had to, including facilities such as cafeteria and gallery, a significant majority of our interviewees stated they would prioritize a woodshop, digital fabrication lab and a metal shop.

Almost 80 % of this group recommended a gallery space be included in the studio complex. They said this is important for both sharing their work with the surrounding community and promoting sales. The same number asked for a communal eating environment such as a cafeteria within the studio complex. One artist recommended a 5 star restaurant rather than a typical cafeteria and suggested the restaurant and gallery should be attached to draw more members of the public to the gallery space. Some artists suggest the gallery is also a way to remain connected with the public and prevent conceptual isolation.

Due to the transitory nature of working life in Qatar and almost no formal organizations for professional artists, it is difficult to quantify the specific number of professional artists working in a given medium. One informant told us that throughout his experience as a long time professional artist in Qatar, he has ascertained that approximately 70 % of the profes-sional artists in Qatar are painters, another 15 % are ceramicists, 10 % are photographers and 5 % are sculptors. Artists based in Qatar for a significant amount of time were also asked this question and gave similar answers, however it is important to note that when asked about


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the type of practices that made up the art community some interviewees included practices normally thought outside of art, such as graphic design. Some participants would not include practices such as photography in their list of practising artists but would recognize that there were many practising photographers in Qatar. We were unable to find definitive data that would tell us how many professional artists use photography as their primary form of artistic expression.

These numbers should be viewed as an indication of the kind of work being made but not a definitive conclusion. The pace of change should also be taken into account, particularly with emerging practices such as video, performance and new-media.

Of the artists who participated in this research, not everyone opted to provide a prioritization of their list of recommended production units. Overall, those who did provide this information expressed preference for a wood shop, metal shop and digital fabrication lab as the top three priorities. These findings are consistent with the proportions of artistic practices outlined above. It should also be mentioned that when we listed potential facilities many participants expressed concern about the pace and scale in which a complex would grow if all these facilities were installed at once. Given the complexity of these facilities and negative experiences expressed regarding other construction projects in Qatar, many participants expressed a concern about a complex growing too fast, both from a facilities management perspective and a social perspective.

All of the Qatar-based artists interviewed in this study said they would welcome the opportunity to interact with artists from other parts of the world, different social and cultural backgrounds and from other artistic genres. Ex-patriot artists are in synch with Qatari artists in recommending cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary interactions as a regular component of life within the studio complex environment. Qatar-based artists in this study say these interactions are vital in establishing a mutually beneficial sharing of knowledge and opportunities for artistic collaboration.

Qatar-based artists agree that the studio complex must be reserved for serious practitioners. They would prefer to see this complex reserved for full-time artists but they recognize that very few artists are able to produce without having to supplement their income with some form of employment. The artists strongly recommend the studio offer a residency program to help in this regard. They suggest this program could invite some well-known artists for short periods of time but all other residencies should be allocated to applicants who submit portfolios of their work and interview for the opportunity. There is strong agreement that applicants should face a juried process and qualify for entry. The interviews would help decision-makers within the complex ensure they are curating an appropriate mix of social groups within Qatar as well as having international artists. Everyone wants to see a wide array of artistic practices from around the world actively producing within the studio complex. They also want to ensure studios are made available to both Qatari and ex-pat artists, VCUQatar faculty, and VCUQatar alumnae.

Everyone recognizes the need to provide space for emerging artists as well as established artists. Emerging artists can expand their skill sets and mature as artists through


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observation of and interaction with more established artists. However, some artists are wary of being forced into a mentorship role because they fear this would interfere with their own work. The artists consistently state they prefer any mentorship activities to be allowed to flourish organically and informally.

Regarding the level of public interaction with the complex, our focus groups produced some strong reactions and diametrically opposed opinions. Many artists, particularly those who consider themselves professional artists instead of aspiring artists, wish for a studio complex to be private and off limits to the public. They see the complex as a serious place of work as a place that should not be compromised by members of the public who may see the complex as providing leisure or recreational activity. Other artists, particularly those interested in seeing their work in more commercial terms, would like to see the complex open to the public so they can engage with members of the public and promote their work in a commercial context. Many gallerists and curators also favor a more public profile with the view of engaging and building up a larger audience for contemporary art. Over all, participants who favored a private studio complex were in a comfortable majority.

Artists based in Qatar are willing to pay for their studio space. A popular suggestion is the monthly rental fee, although there is no consistency to the amount they would be willing to pay. Suggested rental fees range from 700 QAR per month to 2800 QAR per month, depending on the quality of the studio and the salary of the artist at that time. As for location, some ex-pat artists expressed a desire to appropriate old and empty buildings within Doha. Qatari artists and expat artists who have lived in Qatar for a long time said they would favor a purpose-built complex. They see this as the best way to ensure the physical structure is conducive to the work of active artists. As was mentioned above, the artists are emphatic and in agreement that whether new or old, the studio spaces must be sufficiently raw to allow the artist to construct the interior as they see fit in order to produce their work.


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4.12 Qatari Artists

A few Qatari artists had previously rented studio spaces outside the home but they found the prices were too expensive. All of the Qatari artists we talked with are now producing work in their homes. They indicate a level of convenience to this, but working at home also means they often find themselves drawn out of the studio for home-related responsibilities. These interferences break the chain of thought and hinder artistic production. One Qatari artist said his best work has always been created outside the home because that is where he can focus solely on artistic production.

One Qatari artist expressed concern that Qatari artists feel they have missed their opportunity to reach their potential because they have not had access to a studio complex such as the one proposed in this research, and Qatari artists interviewed in this research have been consistently supportive of the proposed idea for a studio complex. Another Qatari artist said the proposed format is very similar to that of the booming museum culture in Qatar and Qatar’s appreciation for the focused community, or city, concept as in Education City, Doha City, and so on. This artist said a small City of Art, or Art City, would be similar to what is already found in Paris and would be significantly beneficial to artists from Qatar and beyond but working in Qatar. The proposed Art Souq would fit as such a module.

Qatari artists tend to prefer the same studio sizes as their expat colleagues with most opting for studios around 10 x10m. These artists agree that studio décor should be like that of a warehouse, basic and raw, to encourage and facilitate artists in taking a conceptual ownership of the space and modifying the interior to suit their artistic needs. They would like to see bathrooms, sinks, walls they can nail into, hangers, small kitchenettes, and a small space where they can install a bed or couch for those times when they work through the night. Good ventilation to protect studios from air and noise pollution are a must, as is natural lighting but also the ability to modify lighting within the studio. They also want space to store their works. There are also individual needs based upon the genre of the artist. For example, ceramicists need large kilns.

As for the larger complex, Qatari artists agree a communal cafeteria is vital. This gives complex residents a place to eat and relax that is outside their studio yet close enough to be within walking distance so they do not have to physically leave the compound. One artist recommended the cafeteria be attached to a gallery and include a 5 star restaurant to draw members of the public.

All Qatari artists we spoke to are willing to pay an application fee or small rental fee and in fact, they agree that some sort of fee is important to encourage commitment amongst studio residents. Some participants stated that whilst they did not mind paying for a studio they said some Qatari artists would expect a studio to be provided by a public body with no


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studio fee for Qatari artists. These artists agree that the studio should be for active artists only, no one should be allowed to hold a space unless they are actively using it for their artistic practice.

All of the Qatari artists said they would welcome the opportunity to interact with artists from other parts of the world and from other artistic genres. They see these interactions as establishing the groundwork for mutually beneficial transfer of knowledge and for artistic collaboration. However, there is a feeling amongst some of the Qatari artists that residency within the studio complex should be curated to ensure local artists are not eventually pushed out and replaced by an influx of artists from other countries. Some also feel that there should be a minimum quota of studios reserved for Qatari artists. The artists agree that studio residents should have to apply and provide a portfolio in order to be accepted into the complex.

Qatari artists recommend the studio complex be reserved for serious practitioners only. They would prefer to see this complex reserved for full-time artists but they recognize that some artists cannot afford to make work without some sort of supplemental income. The idea of artist residencies is strongly supported, as is the idea of an in-house gallery to help promote the work produced by artists working in the studio complex. A salary for full-time artists would be ideal but would require extensive funding. The artists also see a gallery as crucial to keep them connected with the public.

They also recommend that non-Qatari artists be interspersed alongside Qatari artists to offset any tensions that may arise among artists who have competed with one another for many years within the small art community of Qatar. To our surprise, both Qatari and expat artists said there was little tension between different communities and they actively welcomed the opportunity to collaborate and integrate with one another. However, Qatari artists did raise the issue of tensions within communities and mentioned that within the Qatari artists community there are some rivalries and tensions. One way to address this and ensure participation from important segments of the Qatar art community is to allocate studio spaces on a predetermined basis. This allocation plan would ideally include both established and emerging artists. One example of such allocation might include a designated number of studios made available to Qatari artists, others made available to VCUQatar faculty, others to VCUQatar alumnae, a fifth group made available to expat artists permanently living in Qatar and a final block of studios open to international artists who come to Qatar specifically to join the artist studio complex. This could be made possible through scholarships and other forms of funding for artists who are accepted on the basis of their portfolios for temporary residencies at the complex. Everyone agrees there should be no censorship of artistic work but that incoming artists must also be culturally sensitive and respectful.

Established Qatari artists recognize the importance of providing studio space for emerging artists. They support designating studio spaces to graduates of VCUQatar and other emerging artists, to provide them with an environment in which they can observe, learn from and work with more established artists while they incubate and develop their own artistic skills and styles. They recommend this mentorship be allowed to occur informally and


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spontaneously rather than implementing policies that attempt to mandate mentorship of newer artists.

The Qatari artists we interviewed fully support both female and male artists within the studio complex. They see no problems with the two genders working in the same environment.

Qatari artists like the possibility of a physical environment that provides an open view so the public can see them and their work during prearranged public visiting times, but the artists also want the ability to ensure privacy as they work. They do not want to be on display at all times, not even to each other, but they like the opportunity to see each other’s work on occasion and interact with one another.

Another suggestion is for the studio administration to occasionally invite international artists. Once here, these artists can put on workshops for the artists in the complex and perhaps some public workshops, too. Some of the Qatari artists also recommend providing studio space to craft makers. They welcome the opportunity to work alongside and learn from serious craft makers, just they as welcome the idea of working alongside and learning from other artists.


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Conclusion

Qatari artists, ex-pat artists, art students, gallerists and museum curators in the Qatar art community are considered stakeholders for the purposes of this research. These stakeholders have identified a series of substantive needs for artists in Qatar and although each stakeholder comes from a different perspective, there is substantive consistency in the findings. They recognize a need for studio space and in fact, The Qatar Museums Authority is currently working on two projects to help address this need. The current research, however, has indicated need for a third alternative, based on size of studios required and the growing community of artists within Qatar, especially as one particular group, VCU alumnae, will grow considerably in the future.

This needs assessment has identified the need for studio spaces in Qatar, the physical layout and potential sizes of these spaces and the types of supportive resources that should be readily accessible to artists within the studio complex. This assessment has also identified a need to include both emerging and established artists and facilitation of spontaneous and informal mentorship. Stakeholders have identified a need for private spaces to work but also a need to access to one another and occasional access to the public. Informants recommended a gallery space and communal eating area, such as cafeteria. Informants also recommended that only serious practitioners be allowed into the studio complex and that application should be both juried and curated to ensure a sufficient degree of ability amongst studio residents and to enable allocation to the various groups comprising the Qatar art community.

As residents of Qatar, we began this research with a degree of understanding of life in Qatar. Informed by our personal experiences and observations of the local area and review of literature about Qatar, we enter this research from a standpoint of social responsibility. This responsibility covers development of: (a) a physical working space for artists in Qatar, (b) a learning space for emerging artists to incubate and develop their skills, and (c) a place where artists can learn from and mentor one another. Our sense of responsibility also extends beyond the artist to include the general public. An additional area of social responsibility guiding this research is responsibility toward the people who will physically build the complex, operate the machinery within the complex and maintain that machinery, and the safety and well-being of residents within the complex. This latter aspect of social responsibility focuses on quality of life and is evident in two main categories. First, we are cognizant of the extreme weather in Qatar and are therefore utilizing an architectural design that will provide shade for the construction workers while they build the complex. Second, we propose a construction process and plan for daily working within the studio complex that will facilitate transfer of knowledge from artisan to laborer and in so doing provide an educational opportunity for laborers while simultaneously providing informed future artisans for the complex and for Qatar as a whole.


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Based on the interviews and focus groups with our local stakeholders we have identified 5 key themes that are key to a successful studio complex built for Qatar. These themes are:

1. Proximity to resources

Artists stated that not only is availability of production facilities crucial, but these facilities need to be located within the complex so that artists can access them easily and quickly.

2. Private and communal spaces

The group of interviewees was split along the lines of privacy versus interaction with the public, with most participants requiring privacy with no public interaction but a significant minority wanting some form of public interaction. We therefore propose a solution that can meet the needs of these diametrically opposed viewpoints.

3. Slow and natural growth

Many participants expressed concern about the pace and scale of some projects being built in Qatar, particularly within the fine arts, and suggested a slow, step-by-step program should be implemented for a studio complex.

4. Spaces with flexibility and simplicity

Data concerning types of practice was not conclusive and many participants expressed that whilst painting dominated, other practices would flourish if only there were the facilities for them to do so. Therefore, predicting the nature of art practices in the next 5-10 years becomes difficult and we conclude that a flexible complex design is required.

5. Autonomy

All artists expressed the need for autonomy, both in terms of artistic freedom but also in practical terms of being able to appropriate their studio spaces as they saw fit.


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4.2 Global Trends and Perspectives

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The second part of our research has sought to identify successful artists communities in a global context and conduct field studies at those sites. This has been done with the intention of adapting successful strategies to the context of Qatar. Some of these sites have been se-lected based on their ability to attract artists to their community, such as Portland and Phil-adelphia in the United States, some because they display some of the cultural and political characteristics of Qatar, whilst also supporting a strong art community, such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Sharjah. Others have been selected because they address some of the organi-zational models identified in our needs assessment, such as Banff, Canada, whilst some field studies such as Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Naoshima in Japan relate to very specific themes identified within our needs assessment. All of these field studies have been assessed with the intention of addressing and building upon the five key themes identified within the needs assessment.

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4.2.1 ART ECONOMICS: THE AMERICAN MODEL


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This project has been motivated by the need to identify and understand factors that contrib-ute to the success of artist studio complexes in a variety of geographical, political and cul-tural locations around the world, and synthesize this information to establish what is most applicable for a studio complex in Qatar. The United States is home to many internationally recognized and successful urban artistic communities and is therefore a significant member of the field study locations.

Ever since Jane Jacobs, in her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities,76 painted Green-wich Village bohemian art life as a model for healthy micro economics, the idea to use art as economical and identity generators for run down places has become a staple of local gov-ernment policy. Governmetn support has proven useful in giving artists access to affordable studios which in turn creates a multiplier effect whereby design studios, boutiques, cafes, restaurants and bars soon open and in the process create economic regeneration. The need for Qatar to create economic regeneration is not one that comes to mind readily and yet Qa-tar is committed to creating a knowledge-based society through its 2030 vision and moving towards being less reliant on the petro chemical industries. Preliminary research for this proj-ect revealed that the American models of artistic communities, so closely associated with economic regeneration, could hold some important lessons for an art community in Qatar.

America, characterized by an economy and culture synonymous with the rise of the indus-trialized world, the production line, and the dominance of manufactured consumer goods, has been fertile ground for the post industrial contemporary art model in which abandoned warehouses and dockyards provide cheap studio space for artists. In other words, artist communities in America tend to develop as artists migrate to specific locations and move into abandoned buildings to create their work. Industries already located in these industrial sectors provide resources for contemporary art fabrication. The American model is therefore predominantly bottom-up, with little access to state-sponsored grants or local authority support. In order to understand the factors that make a successful studio complex in America we also had to understand the driving forces behind this migration of artists to specific loca-tions.

This research took us to the American cities of Portland, Oregon; Denver, Colorado; Phila-delphia, Pennsylvania; Miami, Florida and Detroit, Michigan. Cities that seem to have been more successful encouraging, incubating and attracting artists than some of their American counterparts. Our primary interest here has not been the obvious art conurbations of New York and Los Angeles which one might expect to attract artists. Instead we have looked at cities that are tucked away in difficult to reach areas of the country; cities that might not have the obvious attraction for young and aspiring artists such as New York and Los Angeles, but despite this have been very successful in attracting artists. The focus of this phase of the research has been: why are certain cities successful at building artists communities?

76 Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities.

Chapter 4 Global Trends and Perspectives

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4.2.1.1 Portland: City of Pioneers

Why do artists migrate to certain places? Portland, Oregon is a city of little less than 600,000 inhabitants with a vibrant art scene. Despite it’s small size, Portland features a large number of outlets for contemporary art. Portland also features a young and up-and-coming art crowd. Informants described the emergent contemporary art scene in Portland as in a state of “critical ascendance.”77 Our primary research foci in Portland were, what are the driving forces that attract artists and art-related institutions to Portland and what enables them to succeed in this location?

Portland is home to the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Craft, and numerous ground level, non-commercial institutions that do not fit within the commercial gallery model. The proliferation of organizations such as Yale Union and Disjecta might suggest an active state presence in contemporary art through government strategic plans, grant funding for cultural institutions, tax relief for creative businesses, and so forth. However, this is not the perception of individuals working within the Portland art community. There was consensus amongst our informants that state involvement rarely went beyond verbal support and acknowledgement in the media that the creative practices are good for the local economy. Informants reported that although the Warhol Foundation had marked Portland as an area for future investment, no funding had arrived. They also reported that if and when such funding does arrive it would be as a result of the city’s success rather than driving that success.

Portland has become the home of large corporate headquarters including Intel and Nike, leading us to investigate the perceived relationship between private philanthropy and the strength of the art market that could support the breadth and depth of creative enterprises and spaces for showing contemporary art. In order to understand factors that result in success or failure for a studio complex in a given location we wanted to learn the nature of the relationship between the practice of art and the marketing of art. Interestingly, Portland has no substantive collector base. “There simply is none,”78 was the answer from many of our informants. The theme to emerge most predominantly in Portland was that artists were not choosing Portland because of a thriving art market.

When asked about Portland’s success, many informants (artists, gallery directors, art school professors, critics and studio owners) commented at length about issues surrounding quality of life, the second theme to emerge predominantly in Portland. Informants referred to low rental costs and good public transport, both of which are important to many artists and those in other creative professions. Portland’s reputation as a bicycle-friendly city is highly attractive to people looking to save on fuel bills and be socially conscious in their daily living. Portland’s status as a ‘food city’ is another key component of the quality of life theme for this location. Informants said the access to high quality vegetarian and vegan produce that is grown and sourced locally plays a large part in defining Portland and continuing to attract creative young people. 77 Portland-based artist. Interview by

authors. Portland, US. February 2013.

78 Ibid.

The American Model

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A third theme to emerge during the research of Portland, and was consistent across many locations in this study, is that rather than seeking an economic infrastructure within which artists could sell their work, they are attracted to an environment and resources that enables them to make their work.

Field research at the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Craft department at Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) revealed that this is an art school that takes a do-it-yourself (DIY) philosophy a little bit further than most schools. We conducted an interview in a home-made communal kitchen that sat in the middle of a large warehouse that had become a rabbit warren of activity with various mezzanines, partitions, alcoves and even a digital print lab made out of an old American dining cart. The organic growth of the space is impressive, but even more impressive is the inviting and warm atmosphere. Faculty in the department spoke about the access to large affordable studio space for young artists, but also the pioneering spirit of the city, which they defined as a holdover from the days of Portland’s growth during a time of industrialization, when many young Americans had headed out west in search for the American dream. The faculty also spoke of Portland’s DIY culture and respect for the act of making, it perhaps being no coincidence that Portland’s Museum of Craft is the first of such in America’s history.

Below: Grad studios at PNCA.


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This claim was given further credibility when we visited a nearby fabrication shop, ‘ADX’, which proudly refers to itself as “building a community of thinkers and makers,” as can be seen on their sign in the image below. ADX operates under a cooperative model within which practices as diverse as boat building and bicycle repair occur alongside sculpture and graphic design within a large communal warehouse space. Artists rent space and are given access to a wood shop as well as digital fabrication technology that include computer numerically controlled (CNC) routers and laser cutters. Artists can use this equipment themselves or barter with other practitioners in trading their expertise. For example, a sculptor can negotiate borrowing the welding equipment of the bike mechanic or commission the mechanic to assist in fabrication of a sculpture. Similarly, an artist engaged in social practice can utilize the carpentry skills of a boat builder who rents space in the center. Alternatively, the center accepts commissions or rental of equipment from artists outside of the center who may have a studio space elsewhere but require access to particular technologies for the completion of a project.

The priority of being able to make one’s work over selling it or even exhibiting it, whilst being surprising, is a predominant trend that we found throughout the American cities we visited. In areas where informants identified a connection to the art market, they also criticized the quality of art, thereby indicating a negative correlation in the perceived relationship between making and selling art.

Conclusions: We identified one primary theme and two secondary themes during our investigation of the art scene in Portland:

Primary Theme

Portland draws young and emerging artists despite having no strong art market.

Secondary Themes

Portland draws artists to this location by offering two things:

a. a lifestyle that artists enjoy; and

b. the opportunity to produce art on their own terms.

Right: The ADX fabrication studio. Inside the studios there are a range of production facilities accessible to artists.

The American Model

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The concept “quality of life” is somewhat precarious because definitions of what is and is not an optimal quality of life are unique to different individuals and groups. However, it is significant to this research to clarify that art has by nature an independent quality. Freedom of lifestyle is valued highly by artists. Portland features a variety of sub-cultures that are appreciated by an emerging generation of artists, including an independent rock music culture, a DIY culture that encourages and facilitates young artists acting independently and autonomously, a culture of ‘bike friendliness’ and a culture of good food. The attractions of these cultural components is evident in a phrase we heard many times from artists and other stakeholders in Portland, that it’s “where young people moved to retire.”79 All of the above is consistent with Florida’s argument that creative people, the members of the creative class,80 are drawn to environments that emphasize quality of life factors such as good music, good night life, and physical activities including bicycle riding, walking and jogging.

79 Ibid.


Below: View of grad studios at PNCA.


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4.2.1.2 Denver: Cooperation and Collaboration

Denver, Colorado is located on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and has a population similar to that of Portland, slightly more than 600,000.81 Like Portland, Denver enjoys a strong crafts culture in studios and galleries alongside a strong contemporary art culture. Denver also features an art scene that is similar in size to Portland except it is more mature and a little more settled. Another difference between these two locations is that Denver has a stronger collector base. We visited two of the six art districts in Denver: Art District on Santa Fe, and the Rhino Art District, to investigate the factors drawing artists to Denver and the perceived relationship between art making and art selling.

In Denver, as in Portland, there is a strong culture of collaboration. Many of our informants talked about the importance of collaboration with other artists in forming cooperatives to share locations, resources and costs. For example, we interviewed many ceramicists for whom the necessary equipment is very expensive. Artists using this medium can benefit from economies of scale when collaborating on the purchase of equipment and facilities. Informants also talked about the importance of “making” and access to resources to get things made, as well as quality of life, the pace of the city, its proximity to outdoor pursuits and in particular a strong tradition in skiing, as factors that drew them to the city.

81 Promotions, “US Census Bureau 2010 Census.”

Right: The Artists on Santa Fe cooperative where many ceramicists work together and share facilities such as kilns.

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One of the most significant differences between the scenes in Portland and Denver is that the Denver artists we interviewed tended to be older and had lived in Denver for up to 30 years, in contrast to the far younger artist population in Portland. It is possible that this generational difference has contributed to Portland’s reputation as an emerging art scene. A second major difference is that Denver features a strong and economically viable market for art and craft. This is a stark contrast to the almost complete absence of an art market in Portland.

Conclusion: There are strong similarities amongst Denver and Portland. Despite the somewhat stronger art market in Denver, few of our informants referred to this as motivating them to produce work in Denver. Also similar to Portland, the decision to migrate to this location was driven predominantly by two factors. First, there is the expectation of a desired quality of life. Not surprisingly, Denver’s close proximity to the world class skiing in the Rocky Mountains emerged in comments about quality of life. The second but equally predominant theme to emerge, is that artists migrated to Denver because they believed this is where they can produce the art they want to produce. For example, a strong tradition of ceramics and the availability of cooperative ceramic studios serve to attract ceramicists to Denver.

Above Right : Studio space inside Rhino art district.

Above Left: Plinth Gallery and studio which is part of the Rhino art district.


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The Art Souq

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4.2.1.3 Miami: Art for Sale

Miami is somewhat smaller than Portland and Denver with a population of just over 400,00082 inhabitants; however, Miami’s metropolitan area, which includes Miami and nearby communities, is home to approximately 5.5 million.83 With renowned art fair franchise Art Basel and well-known art fairs Pulse, Scope, and The Mimi, this city has a strong presence on the international art fair calendar. Like Denver, Miami enjoys a strong art market due to an active collector base. Miami is also home to many commercial art galleries. In the Wynwood art district alone, there are more than 40 galleries. This feature of Miami enabled us to dig deeper into the perceived relationship between art production and art marketing by focusing on the question, how does the local art scene benefit from this close proximity to an art market? As was the case throughout the field studies, informants in Miami included practicing artists, gallerists, art critics, museum curators and art college professors.

82 Ibid.

83 “Miami Metropolitan Area.”

Above: Entrance to the Wynwood art district, which has over 40 galleries.

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The Wynwood art district in Miami is comprised of numerous studio complexes and numerous other creative enterprises. It was readily apparent that the galleries were predominantly commercial galleries reliant on the art market. This is similar to Denver but in contrast to the model we had witnessed in Portland. Miami’s art scene has certainly grown rapidly in the last decade and not surprisingly, many of our informants related this growth with the arrival of Art Basel in 2003, but there was a strong indication of concern at how this rapid growth has been fueled by the market and reduced or prevented space for critical dialogue. Some of the informants in Miami were skeptical about the way in which the fine arts had developed in their city. Miami informants expressed concern about a lack of critical dialogue in the arts, a lack of arts criticism, and a distortion of values that came with increased art sales.

Above & Below: Examples of the many galleries that make up the Wynwood District.


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There is certainly evidence of slow, natural growth outside of the commercial gallery sector. The Bakerhouse artist studio complex is a project that began more than 30 years ago, well before the emergence of the Wynwood Art District and the arrival of Art Basel. The many studios of Bakerhouse are also home to a gallery, ceramics studio, sculpture yard and a photographic studio and darkroom. This complex features a prolific output by the artists and a strong connection to the community by offering courses and workshops to local pre-university students. Like many artist complexes situated in appropriated industrial buildings, certain architectural features of the Bakerhouse impact upon the type of artistic work undertaken. This large industrial space has been partitioned to create smaller spaces, but the individual studios remained connected overhead because the wall partitions do not reach the tall ceilings. As a result, noise, dust, odors and air-born chemicals spread from one studio to another. It is therefore difficult for artists to use solvent based materials or those materials not associated with mainstream artistic practice, which none-the-less, curious artists have always sought to adopt into their practice. We observed that the combination of these practical factors and the appeal of profitable marketability combine to create a powerful influence on the nature and quality of work produced. The art we found at Bakerhouse has a strong commercial nature, aimed at the entry level of the market, somewhat conservative in content, and from the standpoint of experienced professional artists, somewhat derivative and lacking in originality and quality. Our observations confirmed concerns expressed by informants that Miami’s art scene was “shiny but somewhat hollow.”84 This is a lesson we feel should inform any proposed project for Doha.

Conclusion: In the case of Miami, proximity to a strong art market appears to have a negative correlation with the quality of art production by steering artists toward creation of work that is perceived as more marketable. Second, the physical architecture of the studio complex can have an inhibiting factor on the types of work produced. This impact is especially pronounced when artists work in physical structures not originally designed as at studios. 84 Miami artist. Interview by authors.

Miami, US. June 2013.

Below: The Bakerhouse artist’s studio complex in Miami which has grown over 30 years.

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4.2.1.4 Detroit

If the influence of the art market is heavily felt in Miami, the same cannot be said for Detroit. The city of Michigan, which had come to prominence through the auto industry, is now in critical economic decline and this decline has been well documented. In July 2013 Detroit filed for bankruptcy 85 and rumors spread about the city’s art collection being sold off to satisfy its debtors.

In Detroit we visited neighborhoods where there had been a number of houses available for the purchase price of only $500. Some artists purchased these ‘$500 houses’ to use as dwellings, studios, or art installations. As one artist put it,

“I bought a house for $500 as a live-work unit and then when I upgraded to a $1,000 house a couple of years later, I used the $500 house to create a series of permanent installations and project spaces.”86

As suggested by the artists we interviewed, such spaces function less as a typical art district or studio complex and more of a set of sculptural installations that use the physical structure of the house as an appropriated object.

85 “Detroit Files for Bankruptcy Protection.”

86 Detroit-based artist. Interview by authors. Portland, US. June 2013.

Above: An example the interior and exterior of a ‘$500 House’.


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The prospect of being able to purchase a house for $500 has obvious appeal to artists in need of affordable studio space and living accommodation. Whilst these prices had grabbed the headlines, many artists we interviewed in Detroit also expressed concern about how the economy was so deflated that it was very difficult and indeed, economically impractical, to permanently relocate to Detroit. Artists had been attracted by the low rents caused by economic decline but this decline meant that finding any kind of employment to support their practice was exceedingly difficult. Fabrication shops, like the ones we saw in Portland, provided a service to artists but they were also reliant on wealthier patronage for economic viability. Artists need access to CNC routers and laser cutters as do architects and designers, but the market for these kinds of clients is small in Detroit. Therefore, art fabrication, as well as financial support, is a significant challenge to artists in this city.

Some of the artists expressed a perception of an emerging art scene in Detroit as a result of the cheap real estate, and they find this growing art scene as a draw to the city. However, many also said the Detroit art scene is still at an embryonic stage and they questioned whether they will be able to afford to remain long enough to see the art scene reach maturity and economic viability. Many had moved from New York and were considering whether they should move back, the economic challenges of Detroit beginning to outweigh its affordable studio and living situation. Thus, although the art market is certainly not the catalyst behind the success of a city in attracting artists, economic factors cannot be dismissed completely.

Conclusion: Detroit has shown that whilst artists are not attracted to where an art market exists, artists still need to sustain their practice and this has been difficult in Detroit. The simultaneously positive and negative impact of the conomy n detroit shows us that economic factors cannot be ruled out entirely in the successful development of an art community.

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4.2.1.5 Philadelphia

With a distance to New York City of only 150 km, Philadelphia is home for approximately 1.5 million people.87 One might expect that the close proximity to the larger and more established art scene and art market of New York would overshadow any such activities in Philadelphia and draw all relevant talent from the city. However, Philadelphia hosts a surprisingly strong and vibrant local art scene. Philadelphia has a strong sense of community and numerous grass roots initiatives. In addition to our focus on the nature and impact of the art market to art production and how this relates to the success of art studio complexes, we also investigated perceptions regarding the impact of proximity to New York.

One successful studio complex in Philadelphia is the Crane building, a complex comprised of a gallery, print studio, the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center, many artist studios and the InLiquid Artist’s Collective. InLiquid provides a web portal for local artists to display their portfolios online and is one of numerous artist collectives in the city. Originally established by an artist, InLiquid is typical of so many initiatives we visited in Philadelphia, in which an artist identifies a need for his or her own practice and that of others, and decides to establish some sort of environment to meet that need, be it a print shop, a gallery, studios, or a way to promote their work. This is not guided by a market incentive but rather, because there is a need and like Portland, a DIY pioneering spirit.

87 “Philadelphia Population 2014 - World Population Review.”

Left: Outside the Crane Building, home to a number of creative organizations and art studios.


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Similarly, Globe Dye works is a project born out of a labor of love. Artists with strong construction skills had acquired an industrial space in need of renovation and spent years slowly redeveloping it into a multi-studio complex. The studios are large, simple in design, with their industrial heritage still present, and provide space for artists and other creative enterprises. We viewed the studios of sculptors and painters but also jewelry designers, letterpress printers, and even coffee brewers all working in the same building. We were shown communal areas of the complex used for social events where artists had permanent installations that appropriated the fabric of the building. We also witnessed some of the spaces still under construction, which is interesting in that the project is almost 20 years old. It appears that slow growth has been key to the center’s success, allowing it time to discover its identity, time for the community to play a part in that development, and time for everyone involved to learn from mistakes along the way and prevent further mistakes as the community continues to develop and engage with new opportunities. Like Portland, the hand of the state was not an instigator in any of these projects, but perhaps realizing the quality of life issues that are important to the creative classes, the local authorities have begun to install bike paths that connect this center to other creative districts, thereby helping the infrastructure and sustainability of these artistic communities.

When conducting interviews in Philadelphia, quality of life was to again feature prominently in the reasoning behind many of the explanations provided for settling there. Philadelphia is con-siderably cheaper than nearby cities like New York, features a strong sense of community and a strong microbrewery and pub scene that fits hand-in-hand with the social aspects of exhibition openings. This is similar to the strong culture of food in Portland. Philadelphia was also similar to Portland in that many informants linked a strong art community with a healthy music scene. In addition, some informants attributed Philadelphia’s success to the fact it is a college town, providing home to several art schools that attract students who then choose to remain in the city. Hence, like Portland, the art community in Philadelphia is predominantly young.

Above Left: Permanent Sculpture installation in one of the project spaces at Globe Dye Works.

Above Right: Architectural appropriation in one of Globe Dye Works social spaces.

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The emphasis on production over marketability further likens Philadelphia to Portland. Access to large and affordable studio spaces play a significant role in Philadelphia’s success, as does the pioneering nature of the many grass roots initiatives that help promote the practice of artists. However, it is the access to production facilities that emerges as the predominant driving force underlying the art scene in Philadelphia, like Portland, so attractive to many artists.

We were impressed by the photographic printing facilities at the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center and in the way in which members could access the facilities for little financial cost. The Arts Center has large and medium format ink jet printers, as well as scanners for prints and large format film. These forms of technology are often too expensive for new, emerging artists, which means the center provides a valuable set of resources to photographic artists in addition to providing a space for critical dialogue of their work. The printmaking studios in the Crane building are equally impressive. Again, such facilities would be too costly for most artists to have in their own private studios but artists can access these facilities by paying a minimum fee within the studio complex. Like the Photo Arts Center and the Inliquid Arts collective, this initiative is not driven by the market but instead, came about because a number of artists decided they could achieve more for themselves and their community by working together in a spirit of cooperation.

Above Left: Printmaking studios at Crane Building.

Above Right: Large format ink jet printers at Philadelphia Photo Arts Center.


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Right: The Nexfab fabrication studio has access to woodworking tools as well as the latest digital fabrication technology.

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Like Portland, it is evident that many of these initiatives serve as a bridge between the arts and industry. We visited the digital fabrication studio NexFab, where artists can access woodshop equipment along with the latest digital fabrication technology in a large-scale industrial-style environment suitable for contemporary art production. This studio serves the needs of local artists and, as was the case in Portland, our informants expressed admiration for artists and the way their projects pushed what was possible with these technologies and thus made this studio exciting, if not challenging. The studio also serves a large community of architects and designers and this relationship is an exemplar of how the needs of architects and artists can complement and enrich one another. These findings are consistent with Markusen’s argument that when cities provide funding and other resources for the local arts community they simultaneously support other sectors of the local economical and cultural environment.88

Conclusion: If Denver and Miami share similarities in relation to a strong art market, Philadelphia possesses many characteristics we found in Portland. Whilst there is an art market in Philadelphia, it is considered by many we interviewed to be rather weak. Philadelphia, like Portland, has a strong industrial heritage and DIY culture that has manifested in numerous and on-going grass roots initiatives throughout the city. The art scene of Philadelphia has found a way to draw energy from the proximity to New York without losing its identity. Once again, quality of life and the ability to produce artwork are the predominant factors drawing artists to Philadelphia. The lower costs of production and living enable artist to produce in Philadelphia and yet still have easy access to the larger conurbations such as New York.

88 Markusen and Schrock, “The Artistic Dividend.”


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4.2.1.6 Art Economics: The American Model- Conclusion

Field research in these five American cities has revealed that in contrast to what one might assume, the existence of a market for artists’ work is not the driving force behind a successful community of artists. In cases like Miami we found that a strong market is actually detrimental to the development of the arts, causing a market orientation in the type of art created and lack of substantive critical dialogue. On the other hand, economic factors cannot be completely discounted. Detroit, while providing affordable access to studios, has proven too difficult for artists to maintain their practice. Philadelphia and Portland, however, have struck a healthy balance in providing affordable studio space, a good quality of life, and enough economic opportunities so that artists are able to sustain their practices. Artists are able to accomplish this without overbearing pressure from either the hand of the art market or the state, and what they are accomplishing is admirable.

As Richard Florida has articulated so clearly, the migration of artists into art communities brings increased economic participation from sheer population growth, but also, growth in the cultural aspects of a city.89 In addition, as artists bring a need for cutting edge technologies these technologies are also available to other sectors of the local economy. All of this increases the possibility of further migration into the city as other artists come in but also other economic sectors because the city develops a reputation as a place where people want to be. And this brings further economic growth. Our findings are consistent with Florida’s theory and support the rationale underlying the cultural consumption theory of Markusen and Schrock90 who argue the wisdom of municipal support for creative communities.

The cultures of the United States and the Arab Gulf are substantively different and throughout our research we questioned which aspects, if any, of the American models would transfer to the Qatar context. Aside from the practical circumstances of not having an industrial history to provide large warehouses for later reclamation by artists, interviews with local informants have consistently supported our observations that Qatar’s society is far more stratified than that of the United States, with virtually no migration across the classes. Informants explained that the current legal structure within Qatar does not allow the many artists without Qatari citizenship to open their own small artistic practices. Thus, the stratified society presents impermeable barriers in front of young and emerging local artists attempting to open small businesses such as print shops and fabrication studios. In addition, Qatar’s culture of patronage means that many grass roots initiatives that happen in Qatar occur usually through those who have been financially successful in another area, such as business, and are then able to invest this success into an arts center or gallery. If artists are to initiate such enterprises in Qatar they typically need strong patronage if they are to be successful and this raises the possibility of having to, or choosing to, acquiesce to the vision of their patron rather than personal vision.

On the other hand, issues surrounding quality of life can play a significant role in the future development of art production in Qatar. Good transportation networks, including access to bike lanes and public transportation links, have been cited as important by many of our


90 Markusen and Schrock, “The Artis-tic Dividend.”


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international informants, and are all projects currently being planned in Doha. Dialogue with other sectors has also featured strongly in the findings. Whilst proximity and collaboration with a culture of youth-oriented music, vegan food cafés and micro breweries may not be possible in Qatar, or even culturally appropriate, there are other lifestyle aspects that are already being stimulated. The ability to have dialogue with other professions such as filmmakers, architects, designers and craftspeople is something that is visible in Doha through initiatives such as the Doha Film Institute. If initiatives like this continue to be encouraged they could provide the quality of life features necessary to encourage young artists to stay in Qatar rather than migrating to other cities across the region and beyond.

What our research did show consistently, and what is congruent with life in Qatar, is the importance of access to tools, equipment, space and facilities that will facilitate the act of making art. The field research in America has consistently shown that far from moving to where artists can sell or even exhibit their work, they go to where they can make it. Large studios that are industrial in their design and nature may allow artists the freedom for a plurality of practices and approaches to flourish. Simple studio designs can mean artists do not feel inhibited with what they can do in their studios. Where collective policies and regulations are developed in studio complexes, they should be done so in a format that allows for the maximum amount of freedom for artists to appropriate and personally design their studios to their needs and to do so themselves, as opposed to having this done by outside agencies.

Artists need access to studio space but they also need access to facilities and equipment used in contemporary art making. The rise of digital fabrication in the last ten years means many artists also require training in new skills to enable them to use CNC routers, laser and plasma cutters, water jet cutters and so forth. Digital printing, similar to digital fabrication, is often a technology that benefits from economies of scale and collective use. Ink jet printers must be used regularly in order to ensure the ink nozzles remain clean and that ink is utilized before its expiration. Woodworking and metal working are required in an environment that is similar to industrial production but in a manner more sympathetic to the very particular needs of artists, the fabrication standards of artists being such that attention to fine detail is imperative. Proximity to these facilities is also paramount. Artists do not simply send designs electronically to such studios, or leave them with some blueprints and collect the work in later weeks, they often prefer to have a studio within or nearby these facilities and work closely with the artisans making the work. This process is analogous to that of a team and is collaborative rather than client-based, and the ability to go back and forth between the workshop and studio to continue to make adjustments, live with the work, and make modifications is of upmost importance, requiring close proximity between studio and workshop.

Qatar, having gone through huge economic development in recent years, may look to its neighbors in the Gulf for direction as it develops the arts. Neighboring Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE have, for the last 15 years, gone through an accelerated economic development similar to that which Qatar is currently engaged in and have both chosen to invest heavily in the arts. Dubai is home to many commercial galleries and the presence of Art Dubai and Art Abu Dhabi demonstrate there is a healthy art market in these centers. It would therefore be tempting to adopt the Gulf model and perhaps carve out a section of this market in Doha; however, our

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North American field studies have shown us that a viable art market is not always the most successful route to creating a thriving cultural community. Economics can accelerate the speed of development for an artistic community, as was found in Miami in recent years, but if long term, sustainable growth and critical acclaim is what is envisioned, then our field studies indicate that creating a strong art market is not the most appropriate way forward. Peruse the pages of Middle Eastern contemporary art magazines and it is apparent that a great deal of art is sold in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, however you need to look at Beirut and Cairo to see where most artists are residing and making their work. All three of these examples share something in common with Philadelphia and Portland in that the art market is not as present in these areas as it is in other cities and yet, still, these centers attract and incubate artists. As one our interviewees stated, artists don’t go to where they can sell their work, they go to where they can make it.


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4.2.2 THE IDENTITY OF NEW CITIES

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Findings from the American field studies must be be viewed in the context of a wider global perspective. This global approach enables one to understand if these findings are indeed universal and if there are additional themes that may be applied to the socio-economic context of Qatar. For example, there are areas where western style democracy, bottom-up economics and liberal social values do not exist as they do in North America. We refer specifically to Beijing, Singapore and Hong Kong. To talk about these cities as new seems to ignore their rich and far reaching histories; nevertheless, these are cities that have been working hard to forge new identities in the light of economic liberalization or post-colonial rule and therefore share some similarities with Doha. Field studies in these cities found strong and vibrant art communities where, unlike their American counterparts, the hand of the state was rumored to be heavily involved.


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4.2.2.1 Beijing- The Factory of Art

Beijing’s 798 District became infamous in international art circles as a “factory of art”91 beginng in the late 1980s, and is now a thriving community of artists’ studios. Perhaps most telling as to how this center has expanded beyond its founders’ intentions was the fact that it was listed as a tourist attraction on the visitor material provided at our hotel. Our field study had taken place a few years after the Olympics and the remnants of a city that was augmenting its entire image towards the attention that would fall on it due to that event, was still apparent in the visitor materials provided by the hotel. They seemed to emphasize sport, history, culture and art as the ingredients that make up a well-rounded and confident conurbation. Perhaps most revealing about the extent to which this community had become mainstream was the fact that any cab driver immediately knew the location of 798 as if we had asked to be taken to any other major tourist attraction. This was not the reaction we had expected for a location normally thought to exist on the fringes of society.

Upon arriving at the 798 District it was apparent that the “micro economics”92 that Jane Jacobs had made synonymous with North American cities had become accelerated in this location. Far from finding hundreds of artists’ studios we found a huge gallery district filled with blue chip western art dealers such as ‘Pace’, contemporary art institutions such as Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) and even the quintessential certification stamps of gentrification - an array of boutiques and coffee shops. Tourists flocked to 798, taking photographs next to famous landmarks, hanging out in the bars and coffee shops and venturing into the galleries and museums, inevitably to catch the latest installation but also to peruse the museum design store and book shops to pick up unusual bohemian gifts. This was art as lifestyle and recreation with the overall ambiance feeling more like a park of leisure than the place of work it once was.

91 Beijing artist. Interview by authors. Beijjing, China. February 2013.

92 Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities.

Above: Example of galleries inside 798 district.

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During our visit we met with representatives of UCCA, and ‘Pace’ Beijing, as well as artists working in the area. A closer inspection of the history of the area revealed that it had begun as a community of studios in the late 1980s in a former East German weapons factory. Faculty from the nearby Central Academy of Beijing had obtained permission to use the factory as a studio complex. This enterprise grew during the 1990s with more artists setting up studios as well as some small, independent, artist-run spaces. Collectors began to move in and commer-cial galleries began to set up, taking advantage of the close proximity to artists as well as the industrial architecture that fitted the post white cube display model so popular with contem-porary galleries.

At some point there seemed to have been a tipping point where what had begun as a number of artists and their studios became a gallery scene and leisure park. In his book ‘Reflections on the factory of art’ Huang Rui comments that there were “six galleries at the end of 2003, a number that trebles by the end of the first year, and grows six times by the end of the second. Today more than 150 galleries jostle in an area of only 50,000 square meters.”93 This rapid expansion sheds light on three issues in relation to the building of a complex in Doha: the cost of real estate and how this can price artists out of the market, the relationship of the private studio practice to the wider public, and the proximity of artists to venues willing to show their work.

It had become apparent that the cost of renting a space in 798 had made it prohibitive for emerging artists to find studio space. A few ‘blue chip’ artists still had studios in the area but the majority of artists could not compete with resources that the likes of Pace gallery can afford for real estate rental. Any art community needs to ask itself whether sustaining its community for the benefit of artists becomes its main objective, or is art playing a role in the

93 Rui, Reflections on Factory of Art- Beijing 798, 14.


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gentrification of an area, where the emergence of boutiques and coffee shops become synony-mous with the creation of the micro economies Jane Jacobs speaks of and therefore not a sign of failure but indeed, success. If the aim of any center or area is the retention of artists then we would suggest any complex that focuses too heavily on recreational activities will not be successful.

Focus groups conducted in Doha had shown that the issue of public versus private could at times be divisive. The need for artists to have privacy was coupled by the need to educate the public about contemporary art and this meant favoring a degree of public access to an artists’ studio complex by some focus group participants, but fierce condemnation of this approach by others. District 798 demonstrated what could happen when this was left to spiral with artists being forced out to other areas of the city. Following this was the relationship of the complex to the gallery. Many focus group participants had expressed the need for the complex to have a gallery, but again 798 demonstrated what happens when this becomes the focus, with leisure activities not always sitting comfortably within a place of work and production.

To find where artists were working in Beijing we had to venture further out into the city where we found a number of independent studio complexes and residency programs. We interviewed a number of Chinese artists but also a number of American artists who had relocated to Bei-jing. The American artists fell into a particular demographic. They were young, having recently graduated from MFA programs, and mostly worked in materials that tended to be large, sometimes expensive, and often involved production facilities. Many of these artists were sculptors, ceramicists or those working in hot glass. These types of process were prohibitive to most young artists, the costs as result of scale and equipment required for such practices made it difficult to set up studios in the US, where as by coming to Beijing the artists were able to establish a studio and sustain their practice.


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Our selection of Beijing as a model field study was not only based on the fact that art had been used to fathom a new identity in light of the Olympics, although this was indeed important, but also, as a non-western political model it perhaps had some characteristics which may be applied to Qatar. Given China’s political ideology and history it seemed unlikely that 798 had de-veloped without involvement of the state; however, contrary to our assumptions, that turned out not to be the case. According to those we interviewed, yes, the state had shown support for 798, but only after it had already become a success and the government saw its potential for attracting tourists in light of the forthcoming Olympics. 798’s evolution and development throughout the 1990s was a purely ground level movement initiated entirely by artists. This illustrated that, even in a highly regulated economy and rigid socio political structure, the importance for organic, ground level initiatives was visible, as was the importance of slow growth. It was only when the galleries later moved in that the area’s growth began to spiral and radically alter from the vision of its founders.

In Beijing we found a universal theme that would become evident throughout our internation-al field studies - the importance of proximity to production resources and materials. The artists here, as in the United States, benefited from cheaper studio space but also the proximity to multiple sources of industrial fabrication. China, being the world’s factory, provided artists di-rect access to a great number of fabrication studios where they could have works cast, sculpt-ed, molded or fabricated to suit their particular needs. The ability to work directly with the fabricators rather than sending plans to a factory gave artists the control they wanted in their work and the ability to articulate their very particular ideas about the form their work should take. Artists here made conscious efforts for their studios to be as close to these production shops as possible, therefore not only was this a matter of cost but also of proximity.

Above Left: An example of a studio at ‘Shangri-La Studio Complex’.

Above Right: Aluminum casting plant located nearby.


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4.2.2.2 Singapore- The City as an Art Hub

If the overt hand of the state could not be found in Beijing we did find it in Singapore. Singapore has shaken off its colonial past and has recently become a confident and extremely wealthy na-tion, with its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita being amongst the highest in the world. It is a small nation with a multicultural population and one that recognizes the importance of art in forging a national identity. There are strong similarities amongst Singapore and Doha.

The Singapore Biennial was held at the time of our visit, enabling us to note frequent references to Singapore as an art ‘hub’ in the Biennial literature. A wall text in the exhibition even showed a map of the region with Singapore at its center, with lines that linked it with the artists in the show from the wider South East Asia region. This image seemed to suggest Singapore as a central hub for the region in which art was made, but also where artists were attracted to, an ambition not unlike that of Qatar.

During our stay in Singapore we visited numerous institutions and projects and consistently found that the state had indeed played a role. We visited Gillman Barracks, a site that was previously a British army barracks but had been converted into a series of high-end commercial galleries along with a high-end restaurant and an institute for contemporary art linked to a local university. Solo shows by international artists such as ‘Gilbert and George’ could be viewed and we counted between 20-30 galleries located within this area. Even considering Singapore’s high GDP, the number of galleries was surprisingly high, and when we were there it seemed like we were the only visitors. Upon interviewing gallery directors in the area we learned that it had been the desire of the local authorities to attract international galleries that would bring international art to Singapore. They did not talk specifically about the incentives given, but suggested the state had instigated this particular project.

Left: Outside the Singapore Biennial.


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This trend continued with the artists studio complexes we visited. Both the Aliwal Art Center and The Goodman Art Center were managed by The Old Parliament House, which in turn was funded through Singapore’s National Arts Council (NAC). Goodman Art Center had just over 100 studios along with facilities that included a woodshop, ceramics studio, coffee shop and even a high-end restaurant that overlooked a communal courtyard garden that bridged the public space of the ground floor to the private space of the artists’ studios on the upper floors.

Studio spaces at Goodman tended to be small and did not have the kind of ventilation suitable for solvent-based materials such as oil paint, instead relying on open windows and doors for fresh air. The terms of use for the building meant it was difficult to make alterations to the inside of the studios and this frustrated the artists we interviewed. Many of the western mod-els of artist studio complexes had appropriated existing buildings into studios but those were typically industrial buildings. This was also true in 798, which had previously been a weapons factory. Goodman, however, had previously been a school and this had proved less than opti-mal for an artist’s studio complex. Therefore, in considering the possibility of a studio complex for Doha the type of space and its possible functions become crucial, particularly if an existing space is to be appropriated.


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Other institutions examined in the Singapore field studies included Objectifs Center for Photography and Film and the Subway Station Art Center. Employees of these institutions and galleries as well as artists themselves and the curators of the Biennale, cited the NAC as a major catalyst in all of these enterprises. Art centers could still be a grassroots initiative and were often instigated by artists, but the NAC was there to provide financial support for these institutions. It is significant to note that there is currently no arts council in Doha and whilst this may change, any artist studio complex should consider ways in which it can provide the kind of support networks that artists need along with studio space and facilities.

Right: Singapore is proud of its multi-cultural identity. Here we see an image of a Mosque located in an area of the town known as Arab Street.

Below: Gallery at Gillman Barracks.


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4.2.2.3 Hong Kong- Post Colonial Identity

Our research in Hong Kong took us to the Fotanian Studios where approximately 100 studios nestled in a series of industrial buildings. Given Hong Kong’s high priced real estate, studios in this location are very small. There were print shops and locally we could find evidence of wood shops and metal fabricators, but little in the way of sculptural practices, particularly those requiring large spaces.

We also examined the Jockey Club arts center which was a repurposed building of sorts, not industrial, but almost a high rise apartment block similar in some ways to Goodman with its many floors and smaller spaces. Here we found print shops, ceramics studios, photo studios, and other similar small businesses. These did not include the output associated with larger practices such as painting and sculpture, but smaller types of media that could exist within these smaller spaces. Issues that emerged in the Doha focus groups also arose in this site visit. The issue of the amateur versus the professional had been discussed in focus groups with most of our participants feeling that, depending on how an artists’ studio complex is administered, there could be a danger the complex becomes a place for hobbyists rather than a place for serious production, or worse still a theme park for art. The Jockey Club displayed many of these characteristics. The quality of work was highly questionable and was in contrast to the ambition and seriousness of intent that we witnessed in the artists studios of Beijing.

Above: Examples of studios at Fotanian studio complex, Hong Kong.


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One key factor in Hong Kong is the degree of state involvement. Hong Kong informants described the art scene in that area as heavily influenced by government policy. On the one hand, state involvement can bring funding and revenue for struggling artists but on the other hand, as was explained to us by artists in Hong Kong, strong governmental influence can also severely constrain artistic expression. This means the careers of some artists are also severely constrained. Hong Kong informants were adamant that although they are not aware of publicly stated policies that explicitly restrict artistic activities it is “common knowledge that artists who push too far into controversial areas will be negatively sanctioned.”94

94 Hong Kong artist. Interview by authors. Hong Kong.

Above: Examples of studios and businesses at the Jockey Club Creative Arts Center.


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Conclusion: In conclusion, field studies conducted in those cities attempting to articulate a new identity for themselves through art continued to reveal tow themes that appreared universtal: (1) the importance of making work versus selling it, and (2) the importance of proximity to production resoruces. The field studies also showed that the type of space utilized for studios can impact the quality of the work produced. A fourth theme emerged in that the importance of non-spatial factors such as financial support has profound impact on nature and extent to which the flourish. Significantly, these field studies were beginning to coalesce with issues raised in our focus groups in Qatar, providing significant consistency regarding the role of public interaction versus privacy and amateur artists versus professionals.


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4.2.3 THE REGIONAL CONTEXT


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The Gulf is not just reconfiguring itself, it is reconfiguring the world.95

Rem Koolhaas, Architect

The Gulf region shares many similarities with those eastern city-states and emerging economic centers, discussed in previous sections, that are seeking to create their identity through the arts. Qatar and its neighbour the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are new countries, formed in the 1970s. Both developed from a colonial past and both have found economic prosperity in recent times leading to rapid economic expansion, with huge investments in education and the cul-tural sectors. Our research in the UAE took us to the three emirates of Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi to identify models in a context that is culturally closer to Qatar than many of our other field studies.

It seems no 21st century emerging city is complete without its biennial art exhibition, and it is easy to be cynical when assessing Sharjah’s attempts to put itself on an international art map with the use of this often overplayed method of cultural promotion and soft diplomacy. How-ever, we found a great deal of substance to the activities being lead by the organizers of this bi-ennial, The Sharjah Art Foundation. The biennial itself is not as new as one might think, having a history of over two decades, and was therefore established some time before the many bien-nials and art fairs that have emerged since. In similarity to some of our other site studies, slow growth had been a feature in the development of this organization and there was a deliberate decision to allow the mission of the organization to evolve at its own pace rather then pushing it on a pre-determined schedule. The biennial had grown out of a grassroots movement, being first local and then spreading out to regional and international artists, originating as an open submission forum before developing into a curated show with guest curators invited each year and a thematic narrative running throughout each exhibition. The Foundation itself had only been formalized in 2009, some 16 years after the first biennial, and there was a sense from talking to the staff there that it is still navigating its way and determining its role in relation to its many different audiences.

The Sharjah Art Foundation is responsible for a multitude of enterprises including the ‘March meetings’ residencies, production grants, commissions, exhibitions, research, publications, a growing collection and the biennial itself. In terms of its funding structure, the Sharjah Art Foundation is somewhat of a hybrid, government funded but at the same time acting as an autonomous agent. In that respect it is similar to a European or Canadian model whereby arts councils and other ‘Quangos’ (Quasi-autonomous non-government organization) or ‘NGO’s (Non Government Organization) receive government funding and may even answer to elected officials, but are considered social enterprises rather than state institutions. This is in contrast to Qatar where there is currently a very strong state sector and a few private enterprises run as commercial projects or subsidized through private patronage. The idea of a foundation with autonomy to create its own curatorial vision, yet with the support possible through state fund-ing, seemed appealing given the challenges we face in Qatar and the future direction of the country set out by the Qatar National Vision 2030. Qatar’s 2030 vision sets the bar high but at the time of this research there is little in the way of facilities and resources for artists.

95 Koolhas, Last Chance, 7.


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At the time of our visit to Sharjah, the Foundation had just opened several new art spaces. Modernist white cubes sat alongside refurbished traditional Arabic architecture within the city’s heritage sector in a juxtaposition that was surprisingly successful, and despite the obvious curatorial intervention, did not seem forced. Neighboring the Foundation was the Emirates Fine Art Society, The Sharjah Museum and a number of artists’ studios. Whilst the studios were small and at times felt as if they were on public display, it was easy to see how a sense of community could develop between artists. Studios were organized around a central courtyard with trees and seating areas which could serve as both recreational space and room for larger collaborative projects, whilst the proximity to the Foundation allowed the artists to take advantage of the many educational programs and support programs available to them. In addition, events organized by the Foundation fostered a sense of community and established a forum for dialogue.

Above: Galleries at Sharjah foundation.

The Regional Context

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In Abu Dhabi we visited a studio complex named The Art Hub located in the industrial area of Abu Dhabi. The owner, Mr. Al Yefei, had been working in real estate for four years when he first conceptualized the Art Hub, and at the time of this research it had been open for one year. He explained that the goal of the Art Hub is to facilitate growth in the Abu Dhabi art movement. Al Yefei hired companies to conduct extensive research in three areas: regional, international and historical, focusing on what is happening, where, and in what ways. His comprehensive research design identified themes that inform and underscore the Art Hub today.

Above: Examples of commercial galleries in Dubai’s old industrial area.


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His research had shown that artists create their best works when living and working together in a community. To facilitate this, Al Yefei built 10 furnished apartments with studios as part of the studio complex. These are for artists in residence to live and work in one place. The Art Hub had generated small areas for workshops so artists had access to resources and technicians such as woodworking, canvas stretching, and so forth. The studio complex also includes a small cafeteria and communal eating area and is close to other restaurants and a gym for better living for the artists.

During the first year of operation the Art Hub had hosted more than 60 artists-in-residence. Studios for artists-in-residence were inside of their living space, or apartment. All spaces tended to be fairly small. Local artists also rented studio spaces, however these did not have accommodation attached.

Al Yefei had chosen the industrial area for this complex because he was able to get a large enough building to house the needs of this particular project. However, in our interviews it was interesting that he did not recommend the same for Doha. He recognized that for social rea-sons the industrial area of Doha may not be the most appropriate setting for a similar project.

During the development phase of this research it became apparent that a number of other projects with similar objectives were being developed within Doha under the umbrella of the Qatar Museum’s Authority (QMA). As a friend and collaborator of the QMA we met regularly to

Above: Examples of studios at the Art Hub.

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share the anecdotal evidence of our research and to get an insight into how these Doha-based projects were developing. These projects include the ‘Fire Station’ and ‘Al Wakra’.

The ‘Al Wakra’ project is located just outside of Doha in a historical fishing village. The architec-tural vernacular is in the style of traditional Gulf villages and the buildings have been restored and preserved in a sensitive manner. The plans for Al-Wakra are still in their infancy and are discussed later in the text as part of the business plan.

The Fire Station studio complex will see 24 studios housed in an ex-modernist building that pre-viously existed as a fire station. It is expected that these studios will be available to internation-al artists as well as local artists and will also include additional facilities such as a gallery, art supply store and possibly, a foundry. At the time of writing, the Fire Station had not been com-pleted, however, the initial discussions we had had with representatives of the project seemed to suggest they had identified many attributes needed for a working complex that aligned with the findings of our research. First, the approach was to create a simple, industrial-style set of studios. This was exactly what emerged as a predominant theme in our focus groups, where there was an overwhelming feeling that the complex should not be too precious and overly designed. The Fire Station also featured a range of studio sizes and this again was consistent with our research in that artists from different practice backgrounds identified different size preferences for studios.

Where our research differed and at the same time complemented the work being done at the Fire Station was on the issue surrounding quantity of studios. The Fire Station was made up of 24 studios, with a number of these for international artists that would be brought into Doha for residencies. The remainder would be allocated to local artists based in Doha. In contrast, our research had indicated that the number of artists requiring immediate studio space in Doha has already outstripped what the Fire Station would be able to offer and therefore, whilst the Fire Station aligned with our own research in terms of its philosophy, there would also be the need for additional studio space, and more specifically, studio spaces of the kind proposed in this research.


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4.2.4 CRAFTING NETWORKS AND COMMUNITIES

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4.2.4.1 Introduction

The initial proposal for this research articulated the lack of infrastructure for art production in Qatar. The nature and extent of this condition has been further reinforced by stakeholders who identified a strong need for access to resources that could support artistic activity. We have attempted to examine this phenomenon in a context not limited to just a deficiency of fabrication for individual artists. We have tried to unearth how fabrication and production can be seen intrinsically in the construction of art communities. In order to investigate this we conducted a series of field studies of successful art environments around the world. This included communities specifically selected for their relationship to craft, art, artisans and artists. Bali, Indonesia and Pietrasanta, Italy as exemplars of such communities. We observed and interviewed wood and stone carvers in Indonesia and Italy; visited schools made of bamboo; talked with contemporary artists in Asia, America and Europe; followed in the footpath of Michelangelo, Henry Moore and Joan Miro; navigated the organized chaos of aluminum plants in China; and much more. Throughout these ethnographic explorations we have tried to understand the artist as a craftsman in a network of other craftsmen. An overriding objective in all of these field studies has been to understand how can we, if we see the artist as a craftsman in a network of other craftsmen, create a sustainable art community in Qatar? One site provided a particularly strong historical relationship among art and craft and for that reason has drawn artists from around the world—Bali, Indonesia.


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4.2.4.2 Bali - Craft as a way of life

Bali, Indonesia, has been recognized internationally as a vivid, creative community. As early as the 1920s, Bali, then a part of the Dutch colonial sphere, generated interest from the international art community. For example, Mexican painter, ethnologist and art historian Miguel Covarrubias visited the island in 1930 and the actor, Charlie Chaplin, and author Noël Coward in 1932. Covarrubias expressed his impression of Bali as: “Everybody in Bali seems to be an artist” 96 in his book Island of Bali.97

Similarly, Coward‘s poem Bali shared his reactions:

…It appears that each Balinese native

From the womb to the tomb is creative,

From sunrise till long after sundown,

Without getting nervy or rundown,

They sculpt and they paint and they practise their songs,

They run through their dances and bang on their gongs,…98

As a locus for creativity, Bali has attracted and still is attracting an expatriate community of artists. German musician and surrealist painter Walter Spies (1927-39) and Dutch painters Rudolf Bonnet (1929-57) and Arie Smit (1956 -) are a but a few of the artists captured by the Balinese milieu.

Today Bali benefits from a predominantly a tourist economy. In 2010, Bali, with a population of a little short of four million,99 had over seven million tourists 100 and the craft industry is expansive. This is evident in the myriad souvenir shops and galleries advertising “art on sale.” However, outside the chaotic urban sprawl of Denpasar, Kuta’s Australianized beach culture and Seminyak’s trendy boutique, spas and resorts, there still exists the artistic Bali of old. A visit to the excellent collection of Balinese art in the Neka Art Museum in the small town of Ubud gives a clear overview of how the Balinese art scene has developed and continues to develop. Two Balinese sites with particularly strong relevance to this research are the Ketut Muja studio and the Green School.

A prevailing focus of this research has been to understand the connections among artists and artisans within creative communities and how these relationships help in making each community sustainable. Recall that this research is theoretically informed by Richard Sennett, who posits a similarity in the attitude toward labor in such dissimilar fields as biology, carpentry, art and design.101 Informed by Sennett’s theoretical argument, craft is conceptualized within this research as a vehicle for the cognitive process on par with art and other labor-related activities, or in other words, other processes of making. This definition includes traditional handicrafts but also incorporates the wide array of new forms of craft making such as laser cutting, welding, stonecutting, aluminum casting, film making, CNC milling, and so forth. Using this wider definition of craft, this research has examined the nature and process of

96 Covarrubias, Island of Bali -- With an Album of Photographs by Rose Covarrubias.

97 Ibid.

98 Barley, Island of Demons, 250.

99 “Indonesia (Urban City Population): Provinces & Cities - Statistics & Maps on City Population.”

100 “Update Statistik Wisman3eng.xls - Int-Progress-2006-2010-Nat.pdf.”

101 Sennett, The Craftsman, 19.

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making as it relates to artistic creation and the role played by the infrastructure of production in helping individual artists and craftsmen execute their ideas.

In the contemporary Western locus, the process of making and the process of ideation can be understood as somewhat separate from each other. Similarly, making and using are typically separate processes; a product (or idea) is used only after it is produced. However, in Bali the idea of craft is ubiquitous in life as well as in art. Art and traditional crafts are synergistically linked to each other. Handcrafts are still intrinsic in the Balinese culture. This is visible in traditional crafts; for example, traditional woodcarving and crafting of shadow puppets are still vivid art forms. Moreover, as Ni Nyoman Sani, the female Balinese artist and director of the female art collective Seniwati Art Space, states, the daily life of a Balinese is full of handcraft. The Hindu practice of preparing the canang sari (small offering baskets) three times a day can be seen as a process of craft in itself. Sani also points out that children in the rural areas of Bali continue learning to make as a part of their upbringing. From the perspective of this research, the Balinese cultural imperative to make crafts fosters a milieu in which the physical formation of something, its material and the artist are intrinsically linked.


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4.2.4.3 A Family of Artists

One of our most rewarding moments during the research in Bali was the visit to Ketut Muja studio in Singapadu, just a 20-minute drive south of Ubud. This studio houses the work of a family collective of artists. The founder, Ketut Muja, is a sculptor, woodcarver and authority of the Balinese art scene. His sculptures have been exhibited all over the world. This studio complex also houses the studios of Ketut Muja’s two sons, Wayan Jana, a sculptor and woodcarver, and Ketut Sugantika, a painter and sculptor, as well as his daughter-in-law (the previously mentioned Ni Nyoman Sani, a painter).

Ketut Muja is an autodidact, someone who is self-taught, who began his practice as a traditional wood carver. Muja sees a definite split between the practice of an artist and that of an artisan, but he does not see a conflict between the two. Rather, he describes his art practice as an elevated form of craftwork. He explained that creating art enables him to dig deeper into his creative practice. This is almost the same sentiment Walter Gropius expressed in the Bauhaus manifesto from 1919.

Right: Gallery space at Ketut Muja’s Studio.


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Architects, sculptors, painters – we all must return to craftsmanship! For there is no

such thing as “art by profession.” There is no essential difference between the artist

and the artisan. The artist is an exalted artisan. Merciful heaven, in rare moments of

illumination beyond man’s will, may allow art to blossom from the work of his hand,

but the foundations of proficiency are indispensable to every artist. This is the original

source of creative design.102

Expat artists who select to have their practices in Bali may therefore have been attracted to the rich craft culture of the island. An interview with curator and collector Dr. Oei Hong Djien revealed his theory as to why the Balinese art scene is more traditional than the art scene of, for example, neighboring Yogyakarta. According to Dr. Djien, extensive expat travel to Bali has been influential in preserving traditional craft and artistic work because tourists and other expat workers seek out and pay for traditional pieces. This phenomenon of craft as a draw for tourists and expats is not exclusive to Bali. A similar statement resonated within other artist/artisan communities investigated throughout this research.

It could be suggested that our research in Bali leads us to a conclusion about the importance of traditional craft in art practice. However our conclusion from studying Bali is not that a studio complex for Qatar should prioritize the support of traditional crafts over contemporary processes, but rather, that Bali serves to illustrate the synergistic relationship of art practice with craft. A studio complex in Qatar should therefore find a way to incorporate this relationship into a model appropriate for a contemporary art practice in this region.

A local example, and indeed vision, could be found on the 30 December 2010 at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art’s opening exhibition, Told / Untold / Retold - 23 Stories of Journeys Through Time and Place. This exhibition showcased a vision for Arab contemporary art and served as a signpost to where contemporary art produced in Qatar could be with the right infrastructure. It also highlighted, with clarity, the wider palette of technologies that contemporary artist are exploring. This exhibition is therefore a good example to illuminate the needs of regional Arab artists in respect to manufacturing processes. The exhibition catalogue presents examples of production technology that include laser cut steel in the work of Monir Fatmi, glass casting by Younes Rahmoun, and rapid form prototyping in the installation of Khalil Rabah. It was evident to viewers of the Told / Untold / Retold exhibition that such productions required industrial scale studio facilities. This is not uncommon for many contemporary artists, the romanticized notion of the studio holds little currency. Instead, they favor the scale, accessibility and resources that come with industry and the materials and processes that reflect the post-industrial age. This is their contemporary craft.

In general, contemporary production processes have become increasingly sophisticated and complex. This is also true for a large component of artwork. In many cases, the artist has become an instigator and part of a larger production team. The artist as individual craftsman is less and less true. A predominant finding in this research is that artists are attracted to areas where they can be close to the resources they need, or in other words, proximity to production 102 “Manifesto | Bauhaus Online.”


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facilities. Through the field studies in Portland, Philadelphia, Denver, Beijing and Pietrasanta we found artists who had gravitated, on a permanent or a temporary basis, to areas where they could easily access good industrial production facilities and skilled individuals (welders, mechanics, carpenters, electricians, and so forth) who can run these facilities and provide the products they need. In this sense their needs were very similar to the Arab artists exhibiting in Told / Untold / Retold. This theme also emerged strongly in responses from local Qatari and expat artists. They expressed a strong desire to be close to production facilities such as woodshops, metal shops, fab labs and ceramic studios. Within these scenarios skilled laborers become an integral part of the network for art production.

Above: Here we see examples of large scale fabrication required for the production of artworks by contemporary Middle Eastern artists in the Mathaf exhibition ‘Told, Untold, Retold’. We see complex glass casting, water jet cut steel, rapid form prototyping and large format photographic printing.


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Expat artists in Beijing expressed attraction to this site as ‘the world’s workshop.’ Jeff Miller is an American artist who has maintained a practice in China for many years. After the interview in his studio in Shangri-La, located in Bei Gao, he took us out to the nearby aluminum plant whose workers collaborate with him in his artistic process. The plant is literally just around the corner from his studio. Jeff talked with passion about how unique the Chinese situation is. Relatively low production costs enable direct access to industrial processes - access he found restricted in the US. Jeff explained that the relatively small scale of industry in China allows a deeper collaboration between artist and industry. As his creative process has developed, the laborers, or in other words artisans, at the plant have become attuned with his work and have developed a stronger understanding of the types of materials and products he needs to manifest his artistic vision. As an artist, one develops a strong connection to a network of other craftsmen and facilities. This theme was prevalent throughout the research.

On the other hand, there are successful artists around the world who do not have studios within close proximity to industry or production units. It is possible that the need for a proximity and easy access to the production facilities is more important for emerging artists in the beginning of their careers becasue such access can help emerging artists develop skills, techniques and use of technologies. More established artists might have already developed these skills and/or methods of distance collaboration.

This research found that artists who use an industrial network are loyal to this network once the initial relationship has been established. We found evidence of this dating back to antiquity in Pietrasanta (see below) and more currently in the comments of two established artists who spoke in Qatar. Artist Damien Hirst still collaborates with the same German metal shop to make his vitrines. Hirst started this collaboration when the artist was a fellow of the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst Dienst, DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program 1993-4 . Richard Serra expressed the same attitude toward his artisans in his presentation to faculty and students at VCUQatar in April 2014. Serra has stayed faithful to the same steel manufacturer throughout his career. Therefore, in terms of how we think about a studio complex for Qatar, it becomes

Above Left: American artist Jeff Miller took us to the aluminum plant in Beijing where he had work done.

Above Right: American artist Jeff Miller’s studio in Shangri-La, Bei Gao, Beijing.


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possible to see production facilities as both catalysts for artistic production and retainers of artists who either permanently locate their practice in Qatar or who return back to Qatar again and again. This is an important lesson both in terms of the young, aspiring Qatari artists we wish to retain and the international artists in residence whom we may wish to return to Qatar.

Conclusion: We have understood art from its aspects of craftsmanship and network of production. This network of production is seen as bigger than just the artist’s own studio. We have found that some of the knowledge accumulation and the dialogue between artists occur within production facilities. In working with an artist, the artisan develops skills, which other artists can benefit from later. Likewise, tools and machines are developed as an outcome arising from the needs of the artist. Furthermore, we have found a correlation between what facilities the artists can easily access and the quality of the work produced. This is a relationship of proximity to facilities. We have found that many artists prefer a close proximity between their studios and workshops. The proposal at the conclusion of this report therefore incorporates a series of production units including a woodshop, metal shop and fab labs.


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4.2.4.4 Knowledge Transferal – A School of Bamboo Creating a School of Bamboo

Building on the conceptualization of artist as craftsman as purported by Ketut Muja, Richard Sennett and Walter Gropius, and aiming our analytic lens from the standpoint of understanding the artist as one element within a network, it is important to examine how these Artist/Artisan Networks are established and maintained. We begin this examination by shifting our analytic gaze just slightly from where we began, from Ketut Muja’s studio in Singapadu to the Green School in the village of Sibang Kaja, still on the beautiful island of Bali. Key features of the Green School include the natural beauty of its campus, open-air classrooms, innovative pedagogy and comprehensive use of bamboo. This research is most concerned with the last feature, the use of bamboo as an architectural element. Specifically, we have been interested in ascertaining how knowledge is transferred and maintained within this Network of Bamboo.

So, why Bamboo? Bamboo is the future. It is the most beautiful, versatile, tallest

and strongest material that we could possibly choose. The rainforest is almost gone,

plywood is mostly made from the rainforest and cement has a carbon load that is not

going to help the future. That leaves bamboo and if children plant bamboo today in

eight years they will have timber ready to go and they will get timber every year for

the rest of their life to build anything they need. (John Hardy “Why Bamboo.”) 103

Above: Bamboo Structure at the Green School, Sibang Kaja, Bali.

103 Hardy, Why Banboo?


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The evidence of Bali’s strong crafts tradition is readily apparent in the Green School. The Green School is an educational facility (pre-Kindergarten through grade 12) founded by John and Cynthia Hardy and opened in 2008. The campus is harmoniously located within the surrounding Balinese landscape. Applying Balinese craftsmanship in new and exciting ways, the school buildings are constructed primarily of bamboo. Expanding our analytic gaze beyond the confines of the school structure we turn next to examine the craft- and design-based cultural milieu within which the Green School is situated. Close examination of this artistic environment unveils a vibrant network of craft making made sustainable by the continuous transfer of craft making skills and knowledge from one generation to the next. Recall Latour’s ANT, another of the theoretical foundations of this research.

For Latour, people interacting with one another create networks of interaction. All participants within these networks, human and non-human, actively engage with one another and are therefore referred to as actants. Actants initiate activity within the network by communicating through statements.

By statement, we mean anything that is thrown, sent, or delegated by an enunciator. The meaning of the statement can thus vary along the way. Sometimes it refers to a word, sometimes to an object, sometimes to an apparatus and sometimes to an institution… The word ‘statement’ therefore refers not to linguistics, but to the gradient that carries us from words to things and from things to words.104

The view that enunciators (humans and non-humans) transmit with a gradient between words and things—signs and objects—circumnavigates questions of intention. A transmission might be intentded or unintended, thereby allowing the ANT conceptualization of statement to encompasses all information transmitted between two or more entities. From this theoretical standpoint, the knowledge of how to produce art is maintained within the Artist/Artisan Network as:

• Artist/artisan knowledge of the network; and• Knowledge inherent in the objects, material, tools and facilities of the network.

ANT provides the analytic tool appropriate for identifying and understanding actants as knowledge transmitters within the Network of Bamboo.

In the Green School Network of Bamboo we find architects and artisans, facilities for curing and storing the bamboo, bamboo growing, tools and vehicles to transport and manipulate bamboo. Each of these actants plays an active role in the network and can be understood as a bearer of knowledge. PT Bambu 105 is a design-build company that was formed during the construction of the Green School. Company members developed strategies, techniques, and technologies for crafting bamboo. In ANT terms, the company can be seen as a container of knowledge. PT Bambu serves to extend this knowledge from design to execution of architecture and objects of bamboo, and in so doing the making of the Green School itself becomes an accumulation and transmission, or enunciation, of knowledge (information). Architectural transmission of knowledge is not limited to the Green School. As the historian


105 This was a design-built company formed to build the Green School.


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Francois Icher said about the cathedrals of Europe, “The cathedrals were also permanent artistic and cultural centers because of the presence of artisans and artists who took part in its expansion…they become sites where innovative practices and techniques were developed and where tools and equipment … were first utilized.”106 Thus, the construction site becomes a knowledge generator. The Green School generates a very specific knowledge regarding the manipulation and uses of bamboo. Other sites generate others types of knowledge.

Architectural structures continue to generate some forms of knowledge after construction is completed 107 but other forms may be lost as the workers who embody specific skills move on to the next project. Cathedral construction in Europe sometimes lasted hundreds of years but the contemporary building process is much quicker, followed by a dismantling of equipment and relocation of skilled workers. In Qatar, most of this construction is handled by international companies that import laborers from other countries for the duration of the project and send them home once the project is completed. Consequently, a substantial body of knowledge and skills developed and transmitted during the construction process disappears from Qatar. A more sustainable model is seen in the Green School, in which the Network of Bamboo remains intact and knowledge is sustained for future use. The benefit of retaining this knowledge is seen in the Green Village, a community of private homes in the Ayung River valley adjacent to the Green School that was developed through the knowledge generated in the Green School.

The Green Village was made possible through techniques and technologies developed during construction of the Green School and retained within the network that included local craftsmen. Retaining this knowledge allowed local workers to construct an array of bamboo furniture for marketing. In this sense, the Green School Network of Bamboo provided a sustainable knowledge base that enabled the development of crafts in Green Village and construction of the village, itself. This could have important ramifications for Qatar. We have seen that the introduction of production facilities could attract and retain artists and thus create a sustainable artists community, and we have seen the importance of trained artisans in the running of those production facilities. However, the question remains, how do we train those artisans? In the Green School we have seen an example of a didactic, or teaching, architecture that informs the craft of art production. Given the need to educate and train skilled artisans, in a studio complex for Qatar, the answer could lay in the construction of the complex itself, as has been demonstrated in the Green School. If we take the examples of contemporary craft as those processes being utilized within Told / Untold / Retold, as a vision for what a contemporary Qatari craft could be, it may be possible to develop a didactic architectural vernacular that supports this vision. In a later discussion we will further examine how this process of sustainable knowledge transfer can apply to an artist community in Qatar.

106 Icher, Building the Great Cathedrals, 18.

107 Smith and Bugni, “Symbolic Interaction Theory and Architecture.”


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Conclusion: This research has shown there is great power in the sustainable transfer of knowledge from one process and/or network member (actant) to the next. From the theoretical standpoint of ANT it is apparent that the very construction of the Art Souq in Qatar will provide the framework of a knowledgeable network. Even if some laborers must be employed only on a short-term basis, retaining a core of well-trained laborers within the project throughout the duration of construction will keep the repository of knowledge full in Qatar and enable transmission/teaching of this knowledge to others who join the network at a later date.

Above: Bamboo furniture at the Green School, Sibang Kaja, Bali.


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4.2.4.5 Pietrasanta – How does a Network Emerge?

Working from the standpoint of ANT, one understands contemporary artists and the process of making art through understanding the networks they belong to. Art-related networks include other artists and artisans, tools, materials, studios, factories, shops, schools, institutions and so forth. It was therefore imperative that this research includes analytic scrutiny of one of the oldest artists’ communities in the world, Pietrasanta, Italy. Here we find a network featuring a different core ingredient, marble.

Walking around in the small Italian town of Pietrasanta one constantly hears the sounds of tools coming down hard on stone. Since the 15th century when Pope Leo X sent Michelangelo 108 to investigate the possibility of quarrying marble from Monte Altissima in the Apuan Alps, Pietrasanta has been an artistic center rivaling the nearby town of Carrera. The two Tuscan towns of Carrera and Pietrasanta still attract sculptors from across the world. In 1997, curator Francoise Yohalem wrote, “[t] here are more sculptors per square meter in this area of Tuscany than in any other place on earth.”109 It is possible that statistics have changed since 1997 but it is fair to say that Pietrasanta still hosts a vibrant community of artists. Famous artists who have been active in this region include Henry Moore, Cèsar, Emile Gilioli, Joan Mirò and Henri-Georges Adam. Among the many contemporary artists who have connections there, we find such names as Damien Hirst, Tony Cragg (whose works we saw under production during research of this site), Barry Flannagan, and Igor Mitoraj. During the field study of Pietrasanta we found sculptors from various locations around the world collaborating here with the local stone carvers and artisans in the mosaic studio or foundry.

108 Orlandi and Cancogni, Pietrasanta, la storia, i monumenti, gli artigiani, 24.

109 Yohalem, “Sculpting in Tuscany: A Guide.”


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Scrutiny of Pietrasanta was informed by one overriding objective, to gain insight into this historic network and hope to identify components that have enabled this network to sustain itself as an active artist/artisan community over these many centuries. We focused our analytic gaze at the transmissions between actants, including artists, artisans, the marble, the quarry, the production of architectural elements, the workshop, and any others we could identify. Pietrasanta’s long and successful history made this the ideal field site to focus on processes related to sustainability. Thus, to enable a sharper analytic focus we examined Pietrasanta through the dual lenses of technology and technique. We paid particular attention to how transmitted statements of technology and technique helped maintain and further the knowledge in this artistic community. These terms are applied as they are defined in the common English lexicon: technology, relates to manufactured objects whereas techniques relates to how these are put into use. A concert pianist would use a certain technique to use the technology, which is the piano.

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4.2.4.6 Transmissions in Network

What makes Pietrasanta particularly relevant to this research is the concentration of sculptors who come to this area to access the cornucopia of available materials. Pietrasanta marble is just one of many types of available stones. On a visit to one of the numerous stone depots, one can find granite and marble from all over the world. Furthermore, an artist in Pietrasanta is not limited to cutting stones. The Pietrasanta network includes mosaic studios and a plentitude of foundries as additional actants. Foundries serve a unique role in the network since the processes of cutting and casting differ profoundly in terms of techniques and technologies. The extent to which all of these network elelments are available in Pietrasanta is highly unique. However, what is of utmost relevance to this research is gaining an understanding of the historical growth of this network, understanding how it has evolved and how it is maintained. We begin this discussion with a look at the forces that have served to keep the Pietrasanta network intact and successful over time. This narrative is not to be confused with a historically accurate chronology of Pietrasanta. Rather, it is an attempt to discuss the nature and processes of actants within the network of Pietrasanta, or in other words, the Network of Marble.

Right: On a visit to Henraux, one of the many stone depots where one finds granite and marble from all over the world. Pietrasanta, Italy.


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4.2.4.7 A Network Set in Stone, the Network of Stone

We begin this narrative by focusing on a predominant actant of this network, the marble stone. Marble’s unique characteristics enable it to transmit very specific statements. Marble is a metamorphosed limestone that started to form millions of years ago on the bottom of the sea. It is not only the white color of marble that makes it suitable for artists, but marble is also soft and easy to cut. Furthermore, marble is isotropic, uniform in all orientations and thefore easy to form. These properties have made marble a favorite for artists and architects throughout history. Additionally, marble connotes extravagance and luxury, and Pietrasanta marble has Michelangelo’s name attached to it, which is an important statement as to the value of the brand. These qualities draw the technique and technology of stone carving close to the origin of the stone. In other words, artists come to Pietrasanta to gain access to this stone, and thus the town experiences a steady influx of artists and artisans.

We investigated why the artisans come to the stone and not the other way around, cutting the marble into blocks and shipping it to suitable locations. Two factors emerged as predominant reasons for this process. First, quarrying the stone requires a sophisticated knowledge and skill in terms of working with marble in order to avoid problems such as breakage, pieces cut into the wrong size and other problems. Second, marble is an extremely heavy stone and therefore difficult and costly to transport. Much of this weight, and therefore cost and degree of difficulty, is reduced if the stone is cut into the final sculptures and/or architectural details before shipping. Sawmills and paper mills in Scandinavia and North America are established close to forests for the same reason. The development of an artistic community around the quarries in Tuscany follows the same pattern of other quarry sites. For example, the Easter Island Moi quarries or the sculpture industry in Muntilan, Java use andesite stone from the nearby slopes of Mount Merapi. Quarrying the stone generates the first community of stone carvers and thus, a Network of Stone.

Stone carving is a subtractive method requiring the removal of material from a block to create the final form. Humans have known how to shape objects out of wood, bone and stone since prehistoric time. The earliest finding of tools made out of stone dates back as far as 2.6 million years ago,111 and we have found carved art objects that date at least 40,000 years back.112 This is a long time to develop specific tools (technology) and ways to use these tools (techniques) to develop making and knowledge. In the following section we discuss the mechanics by which knowledge of making is maintained and made sustainable in a community.

111 Semaw, S. et al., “2.6-Million-Year-Old Stone Tools and Associated Bones from OGS-6 and OGS-7, Gona, Afar, Ethiopia.”

112 Bailey, “Ice Age iLion Mani Is Worlds Earliest Figurative Sculpture.”


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4.2.4.8 Concentration

As with all handcrafts, stone carving is mostly an implicit, nonverbal, tacit knowledge. It is a knowledge that must be mimicked and practiced. Traditionally, it has been passed on from one generation to the next, from master to apprentice. ANT tells us that the efficacy of statements transmitted within a network is positively correlated with two factors: (1) proximity between transmitter and recipient and (2) the number of actants sending the same message. From the ANT perspective it is easy to see how the density of a community such as Pietrasanta, with “…more sculptors per square meter… than in any other place on earth,”113 creates a fertile environment for effective and sustainable transmission of this knowledge.

The principal of concentration can also be seen in other successful communities of carving, such as the previously mentioned Moi culture of the Easter Islands. Easter Island was not investigated as a field site in this research but is included in this analysis as an exemplar of a stone carving culture and as such, was examined through secondary data. This research has shown that the Moi culture appears to be based predominantly on stone carving and that this culture was at its peak when the large sculptures were created. However, since knowledge is transmitted directly from actant to actant within the network it can be lost if the transmission process is stopped. Such is the case when the master-and-apprentice actant chain is broken. Breaking this chain stops the transmission of knowledge and is one possible explanation for the fall of the Moi culture and the loss of knowledge related to the production of the giant heads on Easter Island sculptures.

Right: Stone carving, Muntilan, Java.

113 Yohalem, “Sculpting in Tuscany: A Guide.”


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Contrasting the loss of knowledge on Easter Island with the longstanding culture in Pietrasanta shows the importance of a strong and sustainable network of actants. It is highily likely that individual master-apprentice chains have been broken throughout Pietrasanta’s history but the community always retained a sufficient number of people with the necessary skills and knowledge to avoid information loss. A chain of single individuals or a single family would not be adequate for retaining the communal body of knowledge for an extended period of time because people die, leave or change professions. Additionally, as the community (network) grows in scale, it also can afford cooperative institutions such as associations, schools and museums that help maintain the breadth and depth of knowledge and thereby retain a high quality of craft making or art making. This is of particular relevance to an artists’ studio complex in Qatar. Given the transitory nature of much of the labor force, it becomes essential to put measures in place that will prevent any network of artisans from becoming broken and knowledge being lost.

Outside sources can be highly influential in facilitating a sustainable knowledge network. For example, the Indonesian government and UNESCO carried out a major restoration project between 1975 and 1982, mobilizing 600 artisans and costing a total of US $6,901,243.114 The Network of Stone in Muntilan benefitted from this huge undertaking.

The impact of scale on the strength and sustainability of a network is relevant beyond the artistic domain. Kevin Kelly refers to the law of plentitude in New Rules for the New Economy115 and asserts that the more users there are in a communication system, the more useful the system is. According to Kelly, 10,000 fax machines is a system but two fax machines is not. Similarly, a pair of artisans does not produce a sustainable network of knowledge equivalent to that produced by 10,000 artisans.

If we take Pietrasanta as a successful model in retaining a network of knowledge then it is important to map out this process. The abundance of material (marble) in Pietrasanta attracted the quarry (stonecutting) and subsequently facilitated the larger network, or community, of stonecutters. Thus, we see both scale and concentration. The brand that is created through visits by artists such as Michelangelo acts as a catalyst to attract other artists and thus there is greater demand and the community benefits from economies of scale, or as Kelly would put it, a more useful and sustainable communication system. In addition, our research uncovered other actants in Pietrasanta, including stone brought to this location from other areas in the world and skilled workers in parallel industries such as the foundry. This is an issue of critical importance. Some may say that Pietrasanta’s key to success is its proximity to the material of marble yet the marble is simply the catalyst for the network and not in itself a sustainer of the network as proved by the fact that Pietrasanta now imports stones from all over the world. Thus if a studio complex in Qatar is able to identify its own catalyst, as well as a methodology and program plan for retaining knowledge, a self-sustaining artist community may be developed.

114 “Cultural Heritage and Partnership; 1999 - 116321Eo.pdf,” 7.

115 Kelly, New Rules for the New Economy, 39–49.


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Below: Borobudur, 9th century Buddhist Temple, Magelang, Indonesia.


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4.2.4.9 Artists vs. Artisans

We turn now to the uneasy relationship of artists and artisans. Historically, this delineation did not exist until after the Renaissance 116 and when it initially emerged, this distinction between the two groups bore almost no relevance to how the community was maintained. The two practices were characterized by similar skill-sets to work with the stone; however, over time the two groups developed unique and disparate bodies of knowledge. This bifurcation produced consequences for the flow of transmissions within the overall Pietrasanta network. In actuality, the distinction between the two groups is not a dichotomy; it is modal. In other words, there is a continuum with pure artisans on one end and pure artists on the other, and many artistic individuals operating at different points across the continuum. There are artists who, although they produce sculptures, never personally touch the stone. Jeff Koons is one such example. On the other hand, there are artisans who operate in the realms of craft. For example, Ketut Muja, the Balinese sculptor and wood carver, describes his art practice as “an elevated craftsman,” a statement echoed in Walter Gropius’s call to artists to “return to craftsmanship”117 in the Bauhaus manifesto. Nevertheless, we have identified two thematic differences between the nature and process of craft (artisan) and art (artist), as found in the Pietrasanta network.

From the theoretical standpoint of ANT, the Pietrasanta network was initially established by statements transmitted by the marble. To put this another way, knowledge was anchored in the place, the locus. As local workers developed skills to work with the stone, a second knowledge base was established, that of the stonecutter. A third knowledge base developed during the Renaissance as artists came to Pietrasanta to work with the stone and the stonecutters. The stonecutter was bound to working directly with stone but the artist, the sculptor, was not. Rooted in the stone, the stonecutter’s technique was material- and technology-specific. This was also the sculptor’s network; however, artists were also attached to other networks and this has continued to expand over time. Today, a sculptor’s education puts the artist in contact with not only stonecutting but also with mold making, casting metalwork andmany other skill sets. Furthermore, the sculptor belongs to a network of artists and art institutions that may include painters, printmakers, poets, architects, treatises, magazines, books, libraries, art schools, museums, academies, collectors and galleries.

Our analysis has unearthed two predominant dichotomies within artist/artisan networks:

• Permanence versus mobility, and• Tradition versus innovation.

Permanence versus mobility: An artisan works with a physical material and is therefore more anchored than an artist becasue the altter may only enter the material/artisan network for a short period of time and then exit to engage in other projects. It is certainly possible that some artists may work out of one studio their entire lives but they have the option of more mobility because they can perform their artistic work beyond the parameters of, in this case, the quarry. We found that some artists had come to Pietrasanta only once in their career whereas the

116 Before the Renaissance there was no distinction between the artist and the master carver. It was first in the Renaissance and in Leon Battista Alberti’s work, De re aedificatoria, we find the distinction between artist and artisan. From the Renaissance onward we distinguish the sculptor, the artist, as a more intellectual creator from the stone carver, artisan, or craftsman, who performs a more manual labor.

117 “Manifesto | Bauhaus Online.”


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stonecutters worked there for the duration of their careers. In some cases, artists become regular visitors to the community. In terms of ANT, the quarry and stonecutter (artisan) are permanent and geographically fixed actants in the network but artists have the option of playing a more temporary and multiple role. We found similar tendencies in Beijing where some artists migrate seasonally, attracted by the city’s easy access to production resources.

Tradition versus innovation: This second dichotomy expresses how quality is measured in the two practices. The quality of craft is measured from the refinement of a technique, how well a technique is copied and understood, and how well the final object is executed after a plan or a model. In contrast, the quality of art is measured by how innovatively the technique is utilized, how uniquely the result is positioned in the world of art and perhaps how this work reflects an artistic vision that is ahead of the current times.

These two dichotomies are important for this research because they shed light on the mechanics underlying how knowledge is created and how it is sustained in an Artist/Artisan Network. Whereas artists are inherently creators of new technique and keen users of the latest technology, artisans are technique wardens and retainers of technology. A predominant theme in this research is that sustainable art communities include both innovative artists and artisans.

In relation to data uncovered in our needs assessment these findings provide tangible examples of how craft processes, whether they be traditional crafts or the latest digital technologies, can act as catalysts in attracting artists to a community. What they also show is that simply having access and proximity to production facilities is not enough in itself. Knowledge needs to be developed, nurtured and sustained within the community and this knowledge is not sustained by the artists alone. Instead, the role of the artisan is of critical importance. Whether they be a stonecutter, a computer technician, a welder, or a 3D printer operator, the contemporary artisan will prove crucial in any studio complex plan for Doha.

Bottom Right: Bronze casting in Pietrasanta foundry.


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4.2.4.10 Architecture and Art

The field studies enabled us to learn of the importance of the relationship of architecture to art production. This was clearly apparent in Pietrasanta. For example, in Henraux, one of the large stone cutting firms in the region, we found technology ranging from ancient hammers and chisels to the latest CNC technology with water jets and robots. This research found that marble has been used in architecture for the extension of the Two Holy Mosques, Saudi Arabia; Emirates Towers, Dubai; and Bank of China, Hong Kong.118 In addition, numerous artists have worked in Henraux over the years, including Henry Moore, Joan Miro 119 and Tony Cragg. Henraux thus operates in both of these networks, and the president of Henraux, Paolo Carli, told us that although the lion’s share of work was commissioned by the architectural industry, the work with artists has been essential for the development of artisan practice. This is because artists bring wild and innovative ideas that challenge the existing technology and techniques employed by artisans, and encourage them to develop others. Paolo Carli talked with passion about application of the knowledge generated through networking with artists and explained that this knowledge is often applied in architecture. This statement resonates with the application of artistic ideas in the building of the great cathedrals of Europe and with the growth of Muntilan’s stone-cutting community as of a result of its relationship with the restoration of Borobudur.

However, this is not the only connection between sculptors and architects. We have found linkage between architecture installations and artistic endeavors all over the world. This is also apparent in Qatar. Qatar has, as previously mentioned, an underdeveloped domestic construction industry. Most construction work is contracted out to international companies who come to Qatar, do the work and then leave. An ANT analysis would predict only minimal knowledge and materials remaining in Qatar as a result of this business practice and this research has found evidence to support that prediction. Indeed, the scarcity of materials

Above: CNC mill cutting into marble at Henraux, Pietrasanta, Italy.

Right: Architectural detail made in one of the stonecutting industries of Pietrasanta, Italy with sculptural work in the background.

118 Henraux Since 1821.

119 Ibid.


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and high-end carpentry and blacksmithing (often staples of the construction industry) were integral motivators to this research. LPI Rhys Himsworth experienced great personal difficulty in trying to execute the simplest installation for his exhibitions, “Entropy” at VCUQatar and “Standalone Tools” at the Katara Art Center. In the past, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art had to make all the frames for its shows in-house, and it was even difficult to find the required spray-paint required for completion of eL Seed’s and Qatar Museums Authority’s huge ‘calligrafitti” project on Salwa Road. These difficulties increase when it comes to new technology such as flatbed printers, CNC routers, water jets, laser cutters and rapid prototypers. Thus, we find direct overlap between the Network of Art and the Network of Architecture.

Conclusions: Pietrasanta’s Network of Stone and the Green School’s Network of Bamboo are fascinating examples of art art/craft networks and how art art/architecture networks. However, in order to apply the findings here in a Qatari context, one must tread carefully. Qatar currently has very little in the way of materials for either art or craft, nor is there a large craft making culture, upon which an Artist/Artisan Network can be developed.

The models seen in Pietrasanta and the Green School function best within those environments but there are lessons that can inform development of a successful artist community in Qatar. First, this research has shown that artists are attracted to materials they can use to create art, or in other words, the means of production. Pietrasanta’s strengths are that it attracts classically trained sculptors by its richness of options, the plentitude of studios, the multitude of materials, technollgy and techniques. By expanding the conceptualization of craftsmanship to entail contemporary and historic forms of production it becomes possible to create a network that will attract artists who will, in turn, expand the parameters of this network through introducing new ideas for using the available network components.

From our field studies in Pietrasanta and Bali we are not concluding that a studio complex in Doha should specialize in handcrafts that use stone or bamboo. However, we are proposing that if production facilities, technical expertise, and materials are selected appropriate to the needs of the local culture this could make for a successful complex. Our focus groups have shown the need to invest in the latest digital technologies such as CNC routers, laser cutters and 3D printers as well as industrial processes such as metal work and woodwork. They have also shown the desire to work with video, photography and printmaking as well as, perhaps, ceramics and possibly bronze casting. Based on our research, facilities of this nature require expert artisans to run them and any complex would need to be fully staffed in addition to having state of the art production facilities. This concentration of production could operate as a center for education and manufacturing of art and thus attract local as well as regional and international artists in the same way as Pietrasanta.


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4.2.4.11 Leveraging Skills and Knowledge – Knowledge of Crafts

We have established three predominant sources of knowledge operating within the Artist/Artisan Network. These sources are the material, the artist and the artisan. This is not to say these are the only sources; however, each of these actants within the network provides a unique component of knowledge to the other members of the network. Tools such as the chisel and the CNC mill provide knowledge that is utilized by artists and artisans as they work with the materials at hand. One interesting phenomenon we have encountered is an indirect knowledge transferal system connecting one artist to another artist through the artisans. By working hand in hand with an artist, the artisan develops skills and knowledge based on the artist’s techniques. These skills can then be put to use when working with other artists. This process was most evident at Marini Fonderia Artistca, a foundry in Pietrasanta. Interviews with informants revealed a process at that site in which incoming artists are assigned at least two artisans to work with. This process is a natural response to the desire of artist and artisans to collaborate, but also serves to maintain a stable, constant, community of scale. It ensures techniques and technologies do not get lost when artists leave, but rather, remain within the network to be added to the accumulation of knowledge and thereby available for use by future artists and artisans. Some artists return many times to work within these networks. The system of at least two artisans per artist guarantees that knowledge is maintained and sustained.

Below: Making casts at Marini Fonderia Artistca.


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It is evident that this transfer of knowledge can be utilized In an Artist/Artisan Network in Qatar. As mentioned above, one of the challenges unique to Qatar is the shortage of a creative infrastructure. Qatar lacks a core of artisans and a community of suppliers ready to provide tools, equipment and materials for the making of art, similar to what was discussed above about the construction industry. This is quite different from many other countries in that much of the labor in Qatar; both skilled and unskilled is imported, particularly from India, Pakistan, and Southeast Asia. Developers enlist skilled construction workers from abroad in order to complete construction projects but this labor force leaves Qatar after the work is done, taking their skills with them when they leave. This process causes a systematic depletion of the body of potential knowledge and reduces the possibility of others benefitting from this knowledge in the future. In other words, a significant body of knowledge continuing skills and information required by artists and artisans in Qatar cannot be fully optimized. This constitutes a missed opportunity, both economically and professionally. Our research presents potential remedy for this problem.

There is a substantial degree of similarity between construction and contemporary art production. The most predominant feature shared by these seemingly disparate activities is that today’s construction workers are highly skilled in using a wide variety of specialized equipment—including an assortment of equipment that is part of the contemporary set of skills possessed by contemporary artists. We have already discussed the use of CNC routers and plasma cutters we saw in Pietrasanta, both of which play important roles in both construction and contemporary sculpture.

A cohort of skilled professionals is needed to build the proposed studio complex. The research in Pietrasanta and Bali has shown that the body of knowledge and skills utilized throughout the construction process can be retained for the benefit of artists and artisans by keeping some of the skilled workers on the site after construction. For example, it could be possible to design and construct a complex in such a way that skills developed in the construction process could be transferred to the production of art. We have established from focus groups that artists require CNC routing, plasma cutting, metal work and so forth. Therefore, aspects of a complex could be built using these technologies. Staircases could be cut and welded with plasma cutters, mezzanines could be made using carpentry skills developed with the woodworking tools of the woodshop, CNC routers can fabricate doors and laser cutters can manufacture complex patterns used in wall cladding. Our research has shown the need for artisans within the complex and the construction industrie’s relationship to art provides evidence of how this network of artisans could be developed.

Skilled workers would remain in the creative community as part of the artist studio complex beyond the building phase of the project and would share their knowledge by assisting and collaborating with artists. The knowledge base would grow through interaction with local and incoming regional and international artists. Thus, a substantial body of the studio complex knowledge is sustained by the artisans. In order for this to be successful, we believe that there is need to create a permanent workforce of artisans. Consistency is a key factor in maintaining knowledge within the Artist/Artisan’s Network of the studio complex.


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In many aspects, the construction of the studio complex would mimic grand projects of old: a palace, a Great Mosque or cathedrals. These structures took a long time to build and this extended timeline permitted them to create that constant community of scale discussed earlier. It permitted for a continuous process that included integral feedback loops for knowledge transmission, or in other words, the network was given time to reflect and adjust. This research has found that networks given a longer time to form are more likely to sustain techniques and technology. This concept of slow growth is discussed in greater detail in a later section; however, it is relevant to the current discussion to emphasizethat a long production process enables stable and vibrant network development.

Qatar already benefits from a huge pool of skilled artisans from around the world. Just to give one example, we share a brief description of VCUQatar’s skilled tailor Abdul Cader.121 By the age of 15, Abdul Cader opened his own tailor shop in Sri Lanka. He created a first line of clothing based on his own measurements using scrap fabric thrown away from other shops. One of Cader’s clients was the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, The Tamil Tigers. Cader produced as many as 10-12 uniforms a day for the infamous guerilla army. With his city in ruins and a large family to support, Cader later came to Doha, Qatar, with, he said, nothing except the clothes he wore. Shortly after arriving in Doha Cader’s work ethic and skills enabled him to develop and manage a couple of tailoring shops before he took a job as security guard for Qatar Academy. And there the story of Abdul Cader, the tailor, could have ended, as it does with so many good artisans without diplomas and grades but Abdul came into contact with Sandra Wilkins, Chair of the VCUQatar Fashion Department and she became aware of his skills and knowledge. Cader was subsequentlyhired by VCUQatar and is now the in-house tailor for the VCUQatar Fashion Department. Abdul Cader is just one of the many skilled artisans we suspect could be found in Qatar and the Gulf region at this very moment.

Similar concerns regarding the supply of trained artisans were raised in some of our needs assessment interviews with local stakeholders. Representatives of the QMA spoke of the installation of Damien Hirst sculptures at the Sidra Research Hospital in Education City. and explained that it was typically for skilled technicians from the foundry that produced the works would need to be flown in from the UK to complete the installation. QMA had tried to send construction workers from Qatar to the foundry in the UK so that they could be trained in the skills needed for sculptural installation. The intention was that this knowledge would then be retained in the local workforce and could then be used in the installation of future projects. As it happened the initiative did not take place due to visa issues but the anecdote serves to confirm that local stakeholders are raising concerns consistant with the findings of this research, but also similar solutions in that they recognize the need for retaining skills within Qatar and that those skills can come through the population of migrant construction workers based in Qatar.

In the New York Times article, High Culture and Hard Labor, (dated 28, March 2014), the construction of the Louvre 122 and the Guggenheim’s expansion in Abu Dhabi was criticized for the condition of the workforce: “If liberal cultural and educational institutions are to operate with any integrity in that environment, they must insist on a change of the rules.”123 Construction of the studio complex could constitute such a change of the rules. Informed

121 Henraux Since 1821.

122 Ibid.

123 Ibid.


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by the current research, the studio complex workforce of artisans would be recognized as an actant featuring a substantive body of knowledge and skills. The studio complex would therefore become a new type of investment in knowledge: an investment that is aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030.

One objective of the studio complex proposal, as informed by our research, is to facilitate the establishment of a world class manufacturing facility in respect to both human and non-human knowledge resources. Qatar’s leaders have already articulated a clear agenda to develop knowledge in the region. Qatar Foundation (QF) addresses this as the objective expressed by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Emir, “The new world educational system recognizes that education is a universal right and hence enables students wherever they might be to have access to the means of innovation, creativity, acquisition of knowledge and expertise and, the practice of responsibility.”124 Qatar’s responsibilities on a regional level are manifested in the formation of the QF organization Reach Out To Asia (ROTA). ROTA’s mission is to:

Extend that assistance into Asia - where it’s strategic geographic location gives it a unique opportunity to support its neighboring countries as they overcome developmental difficulties. In addition, more than 60% of Qatar’s own expatriate community is of Asian origin, giving ROTA added insight and understanding of the needs and cultural norms of the Asian people.”125

The formation of an Artist/Artisan Network based on the leverage of knowledge for migrant workers is in perfect alignment with, and operates powerfully within, these guidelines.

Conclusions: in order to benefit from all phases of the creation of the network, we propose a framework within which the studio complex is understood as a perpetual construction site that, in addition to enabling and facilitating a thriving art practice in Qatar, serves as a powerfully interactive network with ever-expanding bodies of knowledge that are available to incoming members of the network. The design, the construction, the maintenance and the art production, each produce and communicate elements of this knowledge-building activity. This research has found that optimal results come from slow growth. This enables time for all network processes and the communication of knowledge to evolve and develop. Furthermore, this research has shown that although Qatar is currently lacking in infrastructure for art production, this gap can be partially addressed by looking more closely at the already existing talent pool of migrant workers. Considering the high numbers of migrant workers at any one time in Qatar it is highly likely Abdul Cader is not an isolated example, and that if one is able to gather information about the migrant worker pool it will be possible to find many other examples. It is not unreasonable to surmise that one will find skilled stone cutters in Qatar as drivers, skilled welders cleaning floors, trained computer programmers working as security guards, and so forth. Providing instruments and resources to unearth, map, and develop this huge resource of skills of knowledge already available in Qatar and in the MENA region will enable the proposed Artist/Artisan Network to achieve optimal results.

124 “Qatar Foundation | About.”

125 “About ROTA | Reach Out To Asia.”


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4.2.4.12 Crafting Networks and Communities- Conclusion

Through our field study research in Pietrasanta and Bali as well as our other site visits in North America, Europe and Asia we have made the following conclusions that build upon and further the need for production facilities that were identified by our local stakeholders:

• sustainable artist community that will grow and attract artists to Qatar

• The importance of the artisan within the network of the complex is crucial to the complex’s sustainability and cannot be underestimated

• The relationship of construction to the artistic process in field studies provides a model whereby artisans for a Doha based studio complex could be sourced through the same construction workers that have built the studio complex


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4.2.5 SPACE VERSUS PLACE

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The success of a project, whether an art project, construction project or another type of project, is strongly impacted by to the time allotted to the project. In today’s fast-paced world, where outcomes and successes of projects are measured in weeks or months rather than years or decades, time for project growth and development can be sacrificed to meet these faster schedules. Participants in our needs assessment expressed concern about the pace of change in Doha and its effect on outcomes in terms of production quality, sustainability, suitability and adaptability. With this is mind we searched for ways in which this issue could be addressed. Despite the fast-paced times we live in there are exceptions to the paradigm of speed. In this research we found two exemplars of the substantive benefit of slow growth: the Benesse Art Site Naoshima, in Japan, and The Maze Inn of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Albeit very different in character, both of these projects have been allowed to develop over time and this longer mat-uration period has resulted in a comprehensive accumulation of ideas and knowledge. These findings raise the research question, would slow growth benefit an artists’ community in Qatar?

Previous page: One of the many public artworks found while biking around Naoshima. Artist, Yayoi Kusama.


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4.2.5.1 Naoshima – Big Plan, Slow Move

“When I approached Naoshima by boat, I was struck with the feeling that the whole island could become a museum. I also felt the necessity of keeping the possibility of a dialogue between art and nature in every corner of the island.”126

Tadao Ando, Architect

We begin this discussion with the Naoshima project. What started in 1989 127 as an international camping site for children, “a place… where children from around the world could gather”128 on the island of Naoshima, has since grown into an extraordinary art environment known as the Benesse Art Site Naoshima. This art site was initiated with a clear intention to integrate art into the island’s geographic perspective that is neither the big city nor a piece of pristine nature (or park), but rather, a living community of small-scale rural Japan. Visitors immediately see that Benesse Art Site Naoshima shows a deep respect for and sensitivity to the environment within which it is located. So much so, in fact, that it can be difficult to distinguish the art, the architecture, and the local life from each other in some areas of the island. When bicycling along the island roads one may even wonder, are the perfect rows of grade four students sitting on Naoshima Junior High School football field part of an installation?

Right: The Public Bath in Naoshima. One component of the public art statement on the little island.

128 Akimoto, Remain in Naoshima, 219.


127 Kwon et al., Naoshima, 13.

Space versus Place

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Naoshima is a small Japanese island. The island footprint is just 14.22 km² and the population is a little less than four thousand people, and is situated in the Seto Inland Sea. It takes about one hour to bicycle around the island, and in doing so one is likely to repeatedly meet up with the same art tourists and travelers. This small island has become a popular art tourist site for national and international visitors.

In addition to location and format, a third key factor in the Naoshima project is its slow and steady process of development. The project was allowed to mature at a pace the architect, Tadao Ando, advocated in his 1992 speech,

The whole island will become a very beautiful space from the point of view of the landscape if we create a number of these kinds of projects, even if they are not in the same scale as the main building. And in two years, five years, 10 years… with the very passing of time, this project will be filled with vitality.129

Since the opening of the Ando-designed multi-purpose Benesse House hotel and museum, other museums (Lee Ufan Museum, Chichu Art Museum, and the Ando Museum) and an installation of art in nature have followed suit. Each of these structures shows environmental sensitivity in how they are tucked away in the landscape or are attached within existing architecture. In many places the art is so thoroughly immersed in the surrounding environment that one could walk past and not notice one is looking at art. As such, Miwon Kwon argues that Benesse Art Site Naoshima is the diametric opposite to the Guggenheim’s Bilbao project.130

Above left: The entrance to Lee Uffan Museum. Architect, Tadao Ando.

Above right: The entrance to Lee Uffan Museum harmoniously tucked away in the Japanese landscape. Architect, Tadao Ando.

129 Ibid., 230.

130 Kwon et al., Naoshima.


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Conclusions: The deliberate slow growth of Benesse Art Site Naoshima appears to have enabled an artistic maturation with spectacular results. From the ANT perspective, this unhurried growth has allowed time for the various actants to communicate with one another and in turn, use this communicated knowledge as a system of feedback loops to inform subsequent development. It is quite possible that pushing the project forward on a more truncated timeline would have resulted in a profoundly different outcome. Our next exemplar of slow growth was found in a favela of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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4.2.5.2 The Maze Inn – Small Plan, Slow Growth

At one of the many breakfasts we spent with Bob Nadkarni and his wife Malu at the Maze Inn, the sun had just arisen over Guanabara Bay of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Someone is sitting on a ledge and strumming guitar chords. This morning, the breakfast theme for discussion is, “where is art born?” The debate is enthusiastic and participants are knowledgeable for the Maze Inn draws an artistically-informed clientele, including authors, actors, filmmakers, architects, and of course, artists. Among its multi-cultural clientele, actor Edward Norton and rapper/actor Snoop Dogg have stayed at the hotel, and author/actor/director/artist Sylvester Stallone has participated in conversations. The Maze Inn, also referred to as “The Maze” by locals, is uniquely different from the Benesse Art Site Naoshima in that The Maze expresses the artistic vision of owner and artist Bob Nadkarni wheras the Naoshima project slowly followed a larger communal vision of changing “one nameless location to a unique location.”131 As time has passed, The Maze project has expanded and evolved in ways very different from its original inception.

The Maze is located in Tavares Bastos, one of Rio’s infamous favelas. However, what makes Tavares Bastos unique is that its relatively small scale and the presence of the special police, the BOPE (Batalhão de Operacões Policiais Especiais), have kept it relatively crime free for more than ten years.

The story of The Maze started in 1981. After a coincidental visit to Tavares Bastos, Bob decided to build a hillside artist studio viewing Priaia Do Flamenco and the famous Sugarloaf Mountain. On the hillside Bob found clean air, closeness to nature and a spectacular view; all in in stark contrast to the congestion and pollution of Rio’s planned urban sprawl at the base of the mountain. What began as an artist’s studio in 1982 became the permanent home for the Nadkarni family, as by then Bob had married a local woman, Malu, and the two had a son.

In 1997, The Maze was expanded once again when Bob opened an art gallery in the building.



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In 2005, The Maze expanded further when Bob and Malu turned it into a hotel, which was, according to Bob, logical since by then people from all over the world had found out that The Maze always had a spare room for guests. The hotel was also to serve as an ongoing source of income for the Nadkarni household. The hotel idea has been successful and in 2011, National Geographic Traveler listed The Maze as the best place to stay in Rio.132 The latest of the additions to The Maze’s architectural program include the Jazz Club in 2007, which sprang out of one of Bob’s diverse interests and the natural evolution of an informal jazz band that met at The Maze and performed a couple of nights each month, and began to draw a crowd. The Maze now hosts jazz and rock sessions three nights every month.

The Maze has continued to evolve and expand for more than three decades, from its original inception as an artist’s studio to a home to a gallery to a hotel and now a hotel featuring a music club. Nadkarni is adamant that this process is far from over, The Maze continues to evolve and is in a state of constant construction and renewal. Returning visitors to The Maze experience something new and different from The Maze they last saw. In this respect, The Maze is a reflection of the constant construction and reconstruction of the surrounding favela.

Above: The combined gallery and recreation space at the Maze Inn.

132 “Best Hotels in Brazil -- National Geographic Traveler.”

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There is a misconception that a favela such as Tavares Bastos grows in a process without any rules. Although it lacks what one might call a ‘town plan,’ a favela does not grow haphazardly. It does follow rules. Located within Tavares Bastos, The Maze is an example of successively planned growth to meet emergent needs as they arise, and it grows similarly to how cities historically grew in the Gulf region.

In the past, Gulf towns were not designed in advance; they grew as the population increased. No one sat down with a pencil and ruler and drew up straight lines for roads or circles for roundabouts. The town plans of today were not known and not needed when Gulf towns were first built.133

Returning once again to ANT, architectural expansion in the favela is informed by knowledge transmitted from an array of actants including the people who live there, and the social arrangements they negotiate, the materials available and the physical environment of the mountainside upon which the favela is built. In contrast to standard contemporary urban development, growth within this network is a bottom-up process. Growth in Tavares Bastos occurs as inhabitants locate materials and build new rooms on to existing structures, or as new inhabitants build new structures alongside those already in existence, or on the mountainside itself. The owner of a local cultural center explained that when he wanted to add a bedroom to his center he had to borrow a jackhammer and literally dig the room out of the mountainside. Situated within this physical and social environment, growth for The Maze followed a similar bottom-up process, reacting to constituent needs as they emerge and become necessary to address. When a room is necessary it is built, when it is no longer necessary it is modified or torn down. Also like architectural development throughout the favela, growth of The Maze has often been a situation of trial and error. What works is left untouched and what does not work is altered or removed.

Our findings make it clear that the process of knowledge tranfer would be possible to implement in an artist’s studio complex in Qatar and would be facilitated by slow, organic growth as seen in Naoshima and Tavaras Bastos. Once initiated, transfer of knowledge would enable Qatar to retain valuable knowledge and skills for current and future application within the art community and beyond.

Right: The crumbs art centre located in the favella.

Below: View of the the sugar loaf mountain from The Maze Inn.



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Below: View of The Maze Inn as seen from the street in the favella,

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Although favela growth is not haphazard, it is complex and can be highly confusing to new visitors. Streets and alleys are not designed along a grid but rather, are situated in areas where need meets with physical capability. Presenting an architectural language consistent with the favela within which it is situated, The Maze is an architectural labyrinth. However, once inside the labyrinth visitors eventually encounter a spectacular view of the bay below and Rio’s Sugarloaf Mountain. Thus, it appears evident that The Maze’s slow growth process has been highly functional. Recognizably unconventional, this architecture provides physical and emotional spaces for both seclusion and social interaction. It is cozy and welcoming for a few visitors to the hotel as well as inviting and entertaining when the jazz night brings in more than 400 revelers.

Some might see a field study in the favelas of Rio as having little relevance to the designing of an artists’ studio complex in Qatar, but many of the characteristics found in the favelas are consistent with the responses in our needs assessment. Many of our participants talked of the fast pace of construction in Doha. They report that spaces are often used for purposes not appropriate for the physical and/or surrounding structure, or and they suggst this is also common, the use of the building or facility changes. The inability to change or alter the space then becomes a problem. In designing a studio complex for Doha another aspect to be factored in is the wide array of materials and process being used by artists and the fact that as the community develops it is difficult to anticipate what disciplines those artists will work in. Painting features heavily now in artistic practice in Qatar but photography is on the rise and many participants suggested that the only reason there was so little sculpture was because artists do not have the necessary space or resources. Should appropriate space become available,the number of artists practicing sculpture could increase dramatically. Therefore, because the needs of artists in Qatar over the next 10 years is so difficult to predict, we need a design that can adapt and be flexible to artists evolving needs. In this respect the favelas of Rio provide many valuable lessons.

Conclusions: Slow, incremental and bottom-up growth has proven successful for the favela Tavares Bastos of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and for The Maze Inn within that favela. In each case, the pace of growth provides sufficient time to address needs as they arise with the materials and process, or in other words, the techniques and technologies available at that time. The power of an elongated maturation was also evident in other cultures and other locations around the world, from the relatively recent work of Benesse Art Site Naoshima back to the original quarries of Pietrasanta. Informed by this research, we recommend a slow and incremental, bottom-up growth plan for an artists’ studio complex in Qatar.

Yet another benefit of a slow growth process is more time to develop the complex organization into what is known as a learning organization.134 From the standpoint of ANT, this means the network is able to fully capitalize on information provided by actants within the network but also by recognizing impact upon the network from external actants. The network is able to learn from this information and successfully adapt to the internal and external environments as they evolve and made appropriate changes that will ensure optimal success for the network.


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4.2.5.3 The Banff Center- Big Plan, Slow Move, Big Results

Of all the locations, site visits and projects we encountered during our 12 months of research, perhaps the closest we found to the culture of Doha was the Banff Center located in Alberta, Canada.

Many of the areas we visited had been successful through grass roots initiatives; artists taking over abandoned spaces and repurposing them, starting up their own collectives, galleries and creative enterprises. Whilst we looked at signs for state involvement or local authority schemes aimed to catalyze such projects, these were minimal outside Hong Kong and Singapore. Local authorities may develop their arts policy to encourage the growth and development of certain artistic communities once they had already been created and demonstrated their worth to the wider community, particularly in economic terms, however they were rarely the catalyst. The North American exception to this was the Banff Center of the Arts in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

The Banff Center, rather than starting as a grass roots initiative, began and still is, a largely state-run and state-funded enterprise. Founded in 1933 by the University of Alberta with a grant from the US-based Carnegie Foundation, the Banff Centre began with a single course in drama.135 The success of this program generated additional arts programs and the Centre became known as The Banff School of Fine Arts in 1935. While arts programming continued to grow and flourish, conferences were introduced in 1953 and management programs in 1954.

In 1970, to acknowledge the broader educational role of the school as well as its move toward a center of experimentation and innovation, and the Banff Center gained full autonomy as a non-degree granting educational institution under the governance of an appointed board. It is now funded through a combination of provincial funding, federal funding and donations. Today, the Banff Center is run by a Board of Directors.

The Banff Center is large in its scope, hosting more than 8,000 fellows each year who engage in residencies of varying lengths, and across varying disciplines. Its campus size is 43 acres and there are 488 full time staff that support the fellows in their research. The Center does not concentrate solely on the visual arts, it has programs in curating, dance, drama, music opera and theatre as well as numerous visual arts residencies that include a residency program dedicated to indigenous artists and the Leighton Artists Colony.

As well as being largely initiated and supported through the public sector, the Banff Center had been designed with facilities and amenities that struck a chord with our initial research and findings into the needs of the fine art community in Doha - the need for facilities and materials in Qatar as well as a lack of expert knowledge to run these facilities and train artists in their use.

Right: One of approximately 20 purpose-built cabins for artists, musicians and writers at the Leighton Artists colony located in the Banff Centre, Canada.

135 “The Banff Center.”


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Left: Interior studio space at the Leighton artist colony.

Left: Example of 5 star facilities at Banff Centre, here we see a restaurant open to both artists and members of the public.


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Above: An exterior view of the Banff Center.

Left: Another example of the 5 star facilities at the Banff Center. Here we see the dormitry for a resident artist.

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In addition to artists’ studios, the Banff Center offers dedicated, shared studios in photography, ceramics, papermaking, printmaking, sculpture, woodwork, metal shop, video and digital media. It had become apparent through our research with Qatari based artists that any studio complex would need to offer these kinds of facilities; however, there remained a question as to how these facilities could be run and maintained. In the Banff Center we found an organization that fitted well within the aspired model and one providing significant lessons that could be learned and applied to Doha.

In terms of thinking about the Banff Center in relation to the concept of Space versus Place, we find many similarities with Naoshima. Firstly, both projects lay a claim to their success in slow growth. The projects have matured over decades and developed their identity as they have grown and expanded. There was no master plan for these projects, rather, they matured and developed slowly, evolving and responding to their landscape, local community and those artists who resided and left their impact on the centers.

Secondly, these are both projects that take place within a setting outside of an urban environment, connecting themselves to smaller towns rather than large conurbations or business and cultural centers. The ability for artists to see the center as a place of incubation, retreat and even refuge from the outside world feature strongly in the reasoning of artists interviewed as to why they were attracted to Banff. Initial pioneers attracted to the Center included artists such as Aldro T. Hibbard, who was attracted to it for its close proximity to the landscape. The works made by such artists have now become part of the history of landscape painting and therefore form part of the language that contemporary artists seek to engage with and respond to, and therefore the Banff Center further creates a sense of place that artists wish to be a part of.

Thirdly, both projects feature an appreciation, acceptance and sense of ownership by the local community. Naoshima was run largely by local volunteers who live on the island, whilst Banff is proud of the fact that 75% of its fellows are from Canada. Banff also attracts international artists, many of whom have far reaching reputations with exhibitions and projects taking place in major museums and galleries. Many projects of this scale and international reputation tend to isolate the local community and create a sense of resentment, but this is not the case with the Banff Center of the Arts. Within the local town of Banff there is an overwhelming sense of pride regarding the Center.

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4.2.5.4 Communal Space- Cali, Columbia

Another predominant theme to emerge in this international ethnographic study is the importance of human interaction and the physical space required for these interactions. Through observations of artist studios and communities around the world we have found social space is significant. Consistently throughout this research gallerists and artists have agreed that artists need spaces where they can spend time with one another to share artistic dialogue, artistic collaboration, informal conversation and friendship. It is also agreed that artists must occasionally interact with gallerists and with the public. These interactions can take the form of a monthly open house such as the ‘First Friday’ or ‘Third Thursday’ popular in America, or it can happen more or less often, but it must happen. Negotiating the frequency of such activities is part of the administrative life of an artist community and each community determines its own calendar. Although the frequency and nature of the artist-public connection may vary, the need for this interaction is constant and there are many reasons for this. First, these open houses serve as an educational platform for members of the general public. Second, members of the general public may find pieces they wish to collect, thus assisting the economic livelihood of the artist and therefore his or her continued artist activity. Third, the artist him/herself reinforces the connection to local community and culture, thus preventing the artist from becoming disconnected and isolated. The connection between artists and gallerists is equally important if artists hope to exhibit their work.

Aiming the analytic gaze squarely at the Arab Gulf shows us that gallerists in this region indicate a particularly strong need for artists to interact with one another. Some gallerists in this region suggest local artists prefer to work in private, but they recognize the benefits established through social exchange with other artists and second, that these exchanges need not interfere with private practice. Indeed, some of the Gulf gallerists we interviewed said that lack of such interaction could stunt an artist’s growth and level of productivity. As one gallerist said, “No interaction with the art community means an artist works in a vacuum, in a void, until and unless they attend gallery events”136 and another said, “the best time for artists is when they are living together in a community.”137 This research finds that gallerists in the Gulf region are well aware of the personal and professional benefits gained by connecting oneself with a dynamic art community.

The findings of this research unveil an inherent contradiction when it comes to the concept of private and communal; the artists need for seclusion and isolation and art’s need for exposure and public display. In observing the field sites we encountered a number of spaces that mediate this paradox differently from the ordinary relationship between studio and gallery. One such example is the co-operated and artist-run gallery within a studio complex. These spaces are less commercialized than the standard for-profit gallery. Spark is one such co-operative in Denver, Colorado, US. Practicing artists who rent studio spaces are given access to an exhibition spot in the common gallery. In Batabulan, Bali, the Seniwati Art Space is a good example how a specific need, that of female artists practicing in Bali, creates a place for a

136 Doha gallerist. Interview by authors. Doha, Qatar.

137 Doha gallerist 2. Interview by authors. Doha, Qatar.


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dialogue. The Director, Ni Nyoman Sani, explained to us that the Seniwati Art Space has a role to fill in inspiring the next generation of female artists. Shown below is a communal workspace where she conducts art classes for children.

Cali, Colombia provides an exemplar of communal spaces and features an interesting juxtaposition of private and public spaces. Lugar a Dudas (Spanish for ‘Place for Doubts’) is a popular institution in Santiago de Cali. Lugar a Dudas is an art space founded by the Cali-based Colombian artist Óscar Muñoz. Housed in a primarily residential area, Lugar a Dudas defines itself as a “laboratory to foment ? knowledge of contemporary art, facilitate development of creative process, and provoke community to interact through artistic practices.”138 This institution features a combination of exhibition space, production space, library, café, lecture space and art residency program. Director of Lugar a Dudas, Sally Mizrachi, explains that it has been an operation in constant flux since it opened its doors. As was found in sites discussed above, this flexible, reactive, trial and error approach has worked well. Lugar a Dudas provides a place for an ongoing and ever-changing art dialogue that is both intellectual and corporeal. Since dialogue can sometimes get lost in the solitude of the artist, a place like Lugar a Dudas fills an important role for the development of Colombian art. Due to the fact that it has accepted its role as a transitional and flexible space, the little center continues to facilitate innovative art. We propose that an artist’ studio complex in Qatar can benefit from a similar attitude when it comes to the supporting communal spaces.

Right: Lugar a Dudas is a space where artists and the greater community greater community meet to have art dialogues. The combined library and exhibition space. Cali Colombia.

138 “Lugar a Dudas - Arte Y Vacilaciones.”

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Above and Right : Letter press equipment at Lugar a Dudas.

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Within Qatar, the strong need for communal space echoes through each artistic group examined in this research. Adopting a process that might be described as moving from the cultural fringe to the cultural center, we begin the conversation about artists’ perspectives on communal interaction by retracing comments from expat artists in Qatar, followed by the perspectives of emerging artists in Qatar and finally, established Qatari artists practising in Qatar. It has been discussed that some expat artists interviewed in Qatar said they tend to work best in privacy and solitude, but they also said they want large communal spaces for social engagement, games (for example, ping pong), and artistic collaboration. Everyone requested a communal kitchen or cafeteria and lounging areas. As one expat artist commented, “if you want to have an art community you have to have artists in a community.”139

Students of the VCUQatar Painting and Printmaking department represent a new breed of emerging artists in Qatar. This group expressed a desire to learn from their colleagues and asked for a studio complex that is designed to enable interactions with one another and with the more experienced and established artists. As one student said, they want “some sort of shared space”140 within which they can interact informally and if the opportunity suggests itself, engage more formally in a mentorship relationship or on collaborative projects. As newly emerging artists, the desire to learn from others is a strong driver for this group and influences the type of studio complex they desire.

The Qatari artists we interviewed were consistent in saying they want to interact with other artists in the studio complex. They are enthusiastic about interacting with artists from other countries and cultures and with artists from other artistic disciplines and media. They are highly motivated to learn from others and to share their knowledge with others. They expressed that such interactions would not only help everyone expand their knowledge about art, it would increase motivation, inspiration, and overall productivity. Some went so far as to say that without such interaction they would feel isolated. In the situation where an artist might have work he or she does not wish to share with everyone, the artist would keep that particular piece private and share other works, thereby maintaining an open dialogue with peers. As one Qatari artists said, “If an artist wants privacy he can work at home.”141

The need to eat provides an opportunity for interaction in almost every artist community we observed. Eating arrangements vary from the home cooking provided at the Seniwati Art Space in Batubulan to the wooden table in a small lunch room at ADX in Portland to the 5-star restaurant in the Banff Centre in Alberta. If there is no in-house eating arrangement, a nearby restaurant can fill this need by becoming a hangout spot for artists, as in the case of the Fotanian Open Studio in Hong Kong or the Shangri La complex in Beijing. Physical details vary but the need for communal space remains constant. Interaction is a basic human need and it is crucial for artistic growth.

From the perspective of the gallerist, whether artists work primarily alone or in a collective, they benefit from interacting with other artists. The optimal studio complex therefore features a physical and social infrastructure that both enables and encourages this human interfacing amongst inhabitants of the complex and, at least occasionally, residents of the surrounding community. Some artist communities, such as the Banff Centre, are more ‘upscale’ and provide full gym facilities and structured activities to facilitate artists’ interaction. Despite these more

139 Expat artist in Doha. Interview by authors. Doha, Qatar, 2013.

140 Art student in Doha. Interview by authors. Doha, Qatar, 2013.

141 Qatari artist. Interview by authors. Doha, Qatar, 2013.


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formal processes and luxurious facilities, The Banff Centre also offers open space outdoors for the same reason as the backyard Mektu Gallery in Batubulan to provide a comfortable environment in which artists can take a break from their work, share coffee and visit. These communal spaces are also areas where more senior artists can share their knowledge with less experienced artists and where artists at all levels can discuss artistic collaboration. With sufficient open space, individual artists can create works too large for their individual studios as in the Goodman Center in Singapore, which features sculptures standing in large open spaces throughout the complex. Groups of artists can also work in such open spaces to collaboratively create new pieces.

This research has shown that physical space for communal engagement and collaborative work is a necessary component in a thriving and productive artistic community. A good artist complex provides artists with:

• Private spaces for the individual artist;• Semi-private spaces for collaborations and interactions between artists;• Semi-public spaces for a wider art community to interact within the complex;

and • Public spaces for a wider audience to intermingle with the community.

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4.2.5.5 Space versus Place - Conclusion

To provide time for the development of the complex is essential. In order to develop a sustainable social structure, the complex must not grow too quickly. By slowly developing the complex we ensure that knowledge can accumulate and be utilized in a sustainable format over time. Building incrementally allows time for feedback loops of design, construction, usage and research to inform the network. What is learned in the earlier stages of the development can be applied in new ways to meet the needs of later stages. This is consistent with how settlement in the Arab Gulf first developed. Furthermore, a slower rate of development and inhabitation of the proposed studio complex would allow for a more complex diversity of artists by providing time for external art practices to evolve and enter the complex.


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4.2.6 GLOBAL TRENDS AND PERSPECTIVES-

CONCLUSION

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Our international field study research has been extensive and detailed with a specific view to address themes identified in the needs assessment of local stakeholders. In the Conclusion we address each of the stakeholder emergent themes: proximity to production resources, private and communal space, slow and natural growth, structural spaces with flexibility and simplici-ty, and autonomy, all in relation to the findings of extensive internationl field resaerch. We have also identified additional emergent themes from that include quality of life, the importance of the artisan, didactic architectural design and ground-level, adaptive organizational structure.


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Proximity to Resources

Local informants not only cited a lack of resources in Doha but also expressed the need to have these resources within close proximity to a studio complex. We found this to also be the case in international field studies, particularly with new and emerging artists. Mature artists with 30 year careers may have a sufficient working relationship with a foundry or fabricator and are able to work long distance but for artists who are emerging and those working with new process the need to be in close proximity to materials, processes and technical expertise is crucial. This has been a universal theme from the cooperatives in North America through to studio complexes in China. Where production facilities are not located within complexes, or close by, we see a negative correlation with the quality of work produced. Therefore, based on the feedback of local stakeholders and the field study findings we recommend that a studio complex begin with a woodshop, followed by the addition of a digital fabrication lab and then metal shop during the first three years of opening. Other facilities should follow and would include photography and video, printmaking, ceramics and possibly a foundry. Our research has shown us that there would be sufficient demand for wood, digital fabrication and metal facilities but we recommend additional consultation with studio complex users before deciding on further facilities.

Slow and Natural Growth

Slow and natural growth emerged as a theme in the needs assessment due to experience artists had with other projects but also because there was inconclusive data for the kinds of facilities artists required within the complex. We are confident that wood, digital fabrication and metal should form the first 3 phases of the complex but the data is inconclusive as to which facilities should follow. We would anticipate that printmaking, photography and video, ceramics and a foundry could be required, but perhaps not necessarily in that order. Our inter-national field studies have shown successful models for all these facilities, however some, such as bronze casting, require certain economies of scale, high demand and very specific skill sets if they are to be successful. They are also very costly to run. We therefore recommend a slow and incremental growth to the proposed complex so that the artists that occupy the studios can be actively involved in determining the facilities that will follow.

Our field studies have shown us that slow and natural growth is not only a practical necessity but is also desirable. From the Banff Center in Canada through to Naoshima Island in Japan we have seen concrete examples of how a flexible design and flexible management strategy has enabled these projects to grow into internationally respected institutions that artists and art lovers seek out in pilgrimage. We have also seen where something as a small as an artists’ studio that became a hotel in a favela in Rio can receive critical acclaim due to its ability to be novel and unique through a slow and natural growth pattern.

We therefore propose a studio complex that grows in phases over a 10 year period with a flex-ible design that can change, mold, and adapt to the needs of its community. We propose the complex to be more than just a studio complex, to also be a center of research where continu-ous feedback loops will inform the evolution of the complex.

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Private and Communal Spaces

The issue of private versus public has been polarizing within the needs assessment. Most artists want complete privacy away from the public gaze while a minority wants to interact with the public and to market their work directly to the audience. Gallerists and curators have favored more public interaction to help educate and build audiences around contemporary art.

The field studies have shown us that in most cases studio complexes work best when they are places of work for artists and therefore not open to the general public. Having said that, we have seen successful models that allow a degree of public interaction as well as recreational spaces for artists to congregate and share ideas as well as spaces for collaboration on proj-ects. The Banff Center had many recreational facilities available to the public and artists, ADX in Portland had communal spaces for projects and the Goodman Center in Singapore was designed around a central courtyard and garden that served as both a project space and social space for artists to interact with one another.

We therefore conclude that an artist studio complex should have a mixture of private, semi private, public and semi public spaces that allow artists the privacy they need for their practice whilst allowing for collaboration, sharing of ideas, public interaction and audience engage-ment.

Spaces with Flexibility and Simplicity

The needs assessment revealed a vast majority of artists favor a simple industrial design to the studio complex. The changing needs of artists and their practices means that predicting the needs of artists in 10 years time will be difficult and we therefore propose a design that is not only simple but also flexible. The ability for spaces to change function was a common theme we saw in complexes across the world as well as a simplicity that was inviting to a plurality of practices. Where this was not the case artists were not able to adapt their practice in the direc-tion they wished to take and their work suffered as a result.

Autonomy

Artists articulated a need for autonomy, not only in terms of artistic freedom but also the need to treat the studio as their own, to have complete autonomy in all practical aspects of the studio. This was something supported by the field study research. Spaces with autonomy such as PNCA in Portland, The Crane building in Philadelphia and Shangri La studio complex in Beijing had created an inviting atmosphere for artists by allowing artists total freedom to ad-just, appropriate and modify their studios as they saw fit. We therefore recommend that artists must be given the permission and authority within their studios to treat them as their own and there must be a suitable studio design that will give artists this freedom whilst ensuring safety is maintained at all times.


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Quality of Life

If an artists studio complex is to do more than provide a physical resource and instead provide a community that will attract and incubate artists, quality of life needs to be considered. This means different things in different places. For example, in Portland many spoke of the micro brewery scene, the music scene, its status as a food city and so forth. Many of these charac-teristics might not be appropriate in Qatar but there are other examples of quality of life that could resonate with Qatar’s development. Informants across the field sites referred to good public transportation links, including bike lanes, and subways, both of which are currently un-derway in Qatar. They also mentioned a strong sense of dialogue with other practitioners such as film and music, and Qatar is investing heavily in these areas. Whilst these kinds of initiatives go beyond the scope of this research, an artists’ studio complex can be part of that conversa-tion, offering facilities such as libraries, coffee shops and experimental cinema, all of which help create community and increase quality of life.

The importance of the Artisan

We have found strong evidence that the importance of the artisan is not only critical to the development of the complex but can also act as a catalyst for creating a world renowned resi-dency program and attract artists internationally. The kinds of facilities listed identified in the needs assessment are complex to run and require high levels of skills. They also require these skills to be developed, nurtured and retained throughout the evolution of the complex and therefore detailed planning for training, supporting and retaining skilled artisans must take place.

A Didactic Architectural Design

In sites such as Bali and Pietrasanta we have seen how a didactic design, a design that facili-tates and enables the sharing of knowledge, can result in the kind of knowledge generation necessary to train the skilled artisans required to run the facilities identified in the needs as-sessment has identified. The research has shown us that training these artisans is complex and must be thorough. We therefore recommend employing architectural strategies that will allow workers to be trained in the fabrication of art through the fabrication of the complex. We have seen the successful relationship between art and architecture in Pietrasanta and believe that an equivalent model could be deployed in Qatar.

Ground Level Organizational Structure

This research has found that a bottom-up organizational structure works best for an artists’ studio complex. State support is crucial but artists have a great sense of what is required in their studios and they need to be involved iat every level of the organization. Cooperatives and complexes with advisory boards have tended to be more successful whilst heavily bureaucratic organizations have not worked as well. This corresponds with the needs assessment in which artists expressed a strong desire to have input into how the complex is run.

Conclusion

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CHAPTER 5 ARCHITECTURAL STRATEGIES


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This section presents architectural strategies informed by predominant themes everging from the data and by theoretical and historical research into the architectural vernacular of the Gulf region. We have taken inspiration from the traditional souq as a model for the artists’ studio complex because it displays many of the characteristics associated with the themes that have emerged during our research. Therefore, from this point onward the proposed studio complex will be referred to as the Art Souq.

One overriding objective for this research is to propose strategies to inform implementation of a sustainable and vibrant artist community in Qatar. The departure point for this research acknowledges that a comprehensive proposal is far more complex than merely creating a physical structure. Sustainable strategies have to be considered as holistic solutions, as a socio-technical network around art. The proposed design is therefore offered as a constructof both physical space and community.

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5.1 The Site Plan

The proposed site plan of the Art Souq is based on a courtyard principle in which studios and production units are organized around a common space. The way human movement is conducted in an architectural structure has impact on how a community is formed. How we move between places of living, working and leisure is not only a matter of transportation, but also a matter of interaction. Movement, or circulation, should therefore not be seen as simply relocation from point A to point B through the path of least resistance. Informed by this premise, the following questions emerge as significant in determining circulation patterns within the studio complex and their potential impact on building an art community.

1. What constitutes a good balance between public and private spaces?

2. How do we provide proximity to resources within the complex?

3. How do we provide for transportation of goods in and out of studios without interrupting the social life?

4. How can we provide an outdoor environment in the hot and humid Qatar climate?

5. How do we provide spaces for collaborative and collective work?

6. How can we strengthen integration?

First, the private/public dichotomy was a predominant theme to emerge from the focus groups. This issue divides the group diametrically; a majority of artists prefer to conduct their practice in privacy whereas a minority likes to work more open and publicly. As has been discussed, galleries and institutions benefit from open and public structures, and some artists expressed a need for displaying their work. Second, this research has consistently illuminated the importance of proximity between studios and production resources. Third, contemporary artists’ practices need to transport materials into and out of the studio in addition to the finished works themselves are much of this is large and/or heavy. However, the need for heavy traffic can be in direct contradiction with the social life of a pedestrian community. Four, any outdoor activity in Qatar has to take in consideration the hot and humid climate. Five and six, the interest of collaborative and integrative spaces emerged in our discussion within our focus groups and the proposed design features characteristics designed to strengthen integration.

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Above: Ariel view of the Art Souq.

Left: Elevations of the studio and production units.

RIght: A version of the site plan showing the modular roofing system.

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Left: Design of overall site plan complete with proximity to production facilities, pedestrian and vehicle access, and spaces for collaborative work.


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To address these questions, we recommend that the Art Souq should be pedestrian-oriented, to state this another way, that the circulation system should be built around a walking environment. The guiding principles behind the Art Souq’s walking environment are based on analyses of

• Artist communities around the world;

• Traditional marketplaces and production places in Qatar including souqs and khans;

• The principle of the Dutch woonerf living street where pedestrians and cyclists have legal priority over motorists; and

• The principle of courtyards.

These precedents studies form the nucleus of our proposed organization of the site plan. Let us start with the traditional market (production) place, the souq.

…men can still be seen crouched on low stools in dark corners turning pieces of wood day after day… Their simple wooden lathes, makhrata blade, are relics of the Middle Ages. These are worked with their hands and feet, a knife, a wooden bar and a piece of string.142

Walking through a traditional Arabic marketplace (souq or bazaar) such as Souq Waqif in Doha, Al-Hamidiyah Souq in Damaskus or the old souqs of Tripoli in Lebanon is a chaotic and multi-sensory experience. Although the translation of souq is market place,142 the souq was never a purely retail space. In the souq, trade and retail coexist with production and manufacturing and, of course, the souq is also a social space. In Doha’s Souq Waqif we still find metalworkers making chests and carpet makers making carpets. Tripoli’s old souq is famous for the soap production in Khan Al Saboun.

142 Weiss, The Bazaar, 115.

143 Souk. The Free Dictionary.

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The transportation system in the souq is not segregated. Visitors and clients to the souq share Walter M. Weiss lists a variety of production activities conducted in the bazaar (souq) such as the making of carpets, clothing, jewelry, perfume, calligraphy, paintings and woodcarvings. Additional productive activities include working with metal, glass, ceramics and leather.143 Thus, it is important to see the souq as a place of productive activity as well as economical activity. Furthermore, the production units of the souq were concentrated into different areas resulting in the gold souq, the clothing souq, the metal souq and so forth. From the theoretical standpoint of ANT, it is evident the souq is comprised of multiple networks including Networks of Production, Networks of Material, and Networks of Economic interaction and Networks of Social Interaction. It has already been suggested that concentration benefits knowledge of making in a network. For example, in Pietrasanta, Italy and Muntilan, Indonesia, we found that knowledge is maintained and developed due to concentration and proximity.

Walter M. Weiss lists a variety of production activities conducted in the bazaar (souq) such as the making of carpets, clothing, jewelry, perfume, calligraphy, paintings and woodcarvings. Additional productive activities include working with metal, glass, ceramics and leather.144 Thus, it is important to see the souq as a place of productive activity as well as economic activity. Furthermore, the production units of the souq were concentrated into different areas resulting in the gold souq, the clothing souq, the metal souq and so forth. From the theoretical standpoint of ANT, a souq is comprised of multiple networks including Networks of Production, Networks of Material, Networks of Economic Interaction and Networks of Social Interaction. As found in Pietrasanta and Muntilan, localized concentration of these netork components is a facilitating factor in transmitting and retaining knowledge of making within a network.

144 Weiss, The Bazaar, 71–140.

Left: Within Souq Waqif we see production sit along side retail and leisure. In the small backstreets cabinet stores like this can be found where goods are not only sold but also produced. These sit alongside the recreational spaces 0f restaurants and coffee shops that can be found in the central streets of the Souq.


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Right: Vehicle access

Pedestrian access

The transportation system in the souq is not segregated. Visitors and clients to the souq share narrow roadways and spaces with vehicles ranging from small pushcarts to large trucks. In the Gulf region, heavy transportation was historically conducted by camels and the circulation system was therefore rather narrow, or as eiss states, “… the narrow bazaar streets of later periods, which were only intended for pack animals.”145 We also find these characteristics in Doha’s Souq Waqif. Like typical old souqs, Souq Waqif is a highly active and pedestrian-based community comprised of narrow streets open to shops and wide-open spaces adjacent to restaurants, shisha lounges, galleries and coffee shops. Its overall structure does not follow western zoning principles, allowing for functions to bleed into one another. With a highly active and pedestrian-based community, the level of importance in terms of transportation in this community is tertiary. In other words, the majority of the souq is accessed on foot while vehicles have access to the outskirts of the souq but not inside the souq. In Souq Waqif, one can readily see how a circulation system can also serve as a social space, a space of congregation.

145 Ibid.

Right: Here we see an example of con-centration where by Souq’s specialize in a particular material or production method, such as the gold souq, fabric souq or in this case the wood souq.

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Traditional souqs were developed before the introduction of motorized traffic. Therefore, it is problematic to directly adapt circulation principles from these environments to the contemporary Art Souq. In order to understand the social aspects of the circular system in a contemporary situation we turn to the woonerf concept. Historically, streets were used as a social space all over the world, but people were pushed out of the way as a result of the rise of motorized traffic. Bruce Appeleyard and Lindsey Cox claim that, “on streets engineered for fast-moving cars… the noise, exhaust fumes and threat of injury force pedestrians and bicyclists to retreat. The result is a loss of opportunities for neighborhood residence to build stronger and safer communities.”146

Left: Here we see an example of the Woonerf system in Europe. Cars have access to the street but pedestrians and cyclist have priority.

Left: Here we see cars have access to the Art Souq for delieveries but main car park is situated outside the Souq. This is similar to traditional souqs such as Souq Waqif.

146 Appleyard and Cox, “At Home in the

Zone: Creating Livable Streets in the U.S.,” 30–35.


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In order to restore a safe environment, the woonerf concept was (re)introduced in the Netherlands in the late 1960’s.”147 Woonerf is a streetscape that permits traffic for both pedestrian and motor vehicles to overlap on the pedestrians’ terms. In a woonerf, the needs of vehicle users are secondary to that of pedestrians, or in other words, the pedestrian takes precedence over the vehicle. To achieve mixed use of a woonerf, visual and tactile methods are employed to calm traffic flow, dictate right of way and separate pedestrian-only zones from pedestrian-plus-vehicle zones. This form of streetscape increases the possibility for social interaction within the neighborhood by permitting increased walking. Susan Mason discovered that, “community design which permits fact to face interaction generates a greater sense of community.”148 This is supported by research from Hollie Lund, who found that “people who walk around their neighborhood are more likely to interact with and form relationships with their neighbors.” 149

Right: The Art Souq takes its inspiration from the Woonerf and thus pedestrians have priority but cars and trucks can gain access for deliveries.

Using the woonerf concept, vehicles within the Art Souq would be reduced to a maximum speed 20km/hour. Furthermore, vehicular traffic in the Art Souq would be limited to the transportation of goods in and out. General parking would be located outside the complex, as can be seen in the aerial rendering below.This arrangement emphasizes pedestrian movement within the community and correspondingly, social interaction amongst Art Souq inhabitants, and thereby meets a strong desire on the part of local artists identified through this research. Local and expat informants highlighted the need for interactive possibilities within the artist community. As seen through the lens of ANT, facilitation of actant interaction will strengthen the overall network. In order to create communal outdoor spaces, we have once more turned to a vernacular element of the city in the region, the courtyard house.

147 “Welcome to the Woonerfgoed Network.”

148 Mason, Susan. “Can community build trust? A comparative study of design factors in Boise, Idaho neighborhoods,” 457.

149 Lund, “Testing the claims of new urbanism: Local access, pedestrian travel, and neighboring behaviors,” 428.

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5.2 Courtyards

In this region courtyards and courtyard houses have been, and still are, a successful structural principle in organizing spaces within a home or a larger architectural object such as a city. This organizational principle is not exclusive to one function alone. The courtyard is found in small family houses, palaces, mosques and khans. A Khan is a multi-story building organized around a courtyard.“The large khans were generally used as accommodation and storage for wholesalers from outside the area and as offices and depots for locals. In most cases they are still in use, housing workshops and business.”151 The layout principle of the Khan, in which private spaces are located around a central communal space, provide fertile soil for a good integration of multiple tenants. Furthermore, it does not create unnecessary hierarchical relationships. All tenants have the same rights to and access to the courtyard, with similar condition for transportation and exposure, which means they all enjoy the same relationship with the courtyard.

The organizational principle of the courtyard is very old. “There is evidence that houses with courtyards existed in Iran around 8000 years ago.”152 Furthermore, the building form was predominant in the Gulf region. “The courtyard house was the most widespread house form in the traditional Arab and Islamic cities.”153 Three key factors make courtyards appropriate for this region: climate, social practices, and the local religious beliefs and practices. Jaidah and Bourennane describe the benefits of the widespread use of open courtyards in the vernacular Qatari culture:

The open air interior courtyard performs an important function as a modifier of climate in hot and arid areas. It allows for outdoor activities with protection from wind and sun, and also serves as air-well into which the cool, night air can sink.154

This climatic claim is backed up by research conducted by Dana Raydan, Carlo Ratti, and Koen Steemers, who compare architecture of pavilion type (freestanding solitaires) with courtyards.155 In a climate such as Qatar, the study argues for the climatic values of courtyards in that, “The courtyard configuration type show better response through the calculated environmental variable (surface to volume shadow density, daylight distribution, sky view factor)… in the context of hot-arid climates.”156 We also find reference to how the courtyard has developed from the Prophet’s house, expressed by M. Anwarul Islam and Nawal H. Al-Sanafi. “The typical Arab mosque which evolved from the Prophet’s building is likely to have influenced the development of low-rise courtyard houses over succeeding centuries.”157


155 Dana Raydan, Carlo Ratti, and Koen Steemers, “Courtyards: A Biocli-matic Form?,”

156 Ibid, 144.

157 M. Anwarul Islam and Nawal H. Al-Sanafi, “The Traditional Courtyard Houses of Kuwait and the Influence of Islam,” 83.

151 Weiss, The Bazaar, 59.

152 Gholamhhossein Memarian and Frank Brown, “The Shared Character-istics of Iranian and Arab Courtyard Houses,” 21.

153 Reem Zako, “The Power of the Veil: Gender Inequality in the Domestic Setting of Traditional Courtyard Houses,” 65.


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Right: Example of traditional Qatari Courtyard.

Right: A contemporary courtyard in an artist studio complex in Singapore.

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Above Left: Plan of Courtyard around a production facility.


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The courtyard principle is thus highly appropriate for this region but there is additional argumentation that strengthens the usage of courtyards in the Art Souq. First, as was mentioned above, the courtyard makes it possible to promote a non-hierarchical relationship. By grouping studios around courtyards, each studio is given similar access to these communal spaces. Second, by placing manufacturing facilities such as the wood, metal and print shop alongside the courtyard, all studios are given equal opportunity and relationship to the courtyard production facilities. Third, since every courtyard hosts a small number of studios there is a chance for creation of an intimate neighborhood atmosphere in which everybody knows everybody around the courtyard. Fourth, courtyards are semi self-government zones that can develop independently. Thus, over time each courtyard might differ from its neighbors in respect to usage, appearance, public access, private spaces, materials, and so forth. Fifth, our needs assessment identified the desire for different social groups to interact with one another with suggestions made to curate experienced artists next to emerging artists, Qatari next to ex-pat and so forth. Small courtyards that accommodate anything between 7-12 studios will enable these micro communities to emerge without slipping into segregation. The autonomy of the micro community further strengthens development of a social community around the courtyard. Finally, courtyards constitute good spaces for didactic constructs, or in other words, physical space to facilitate development of learning within the organization.

Above Right: Example of courtyard within the Art Souq.

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With each courtyard connected to a specific production facility the courtyard can be seen as a concentration of the techniques and technology of that particular production method. This means the site plan of the Art Souq evolves into a thematic formation around the courtyard similar to how souqs were historically divided into specialized districts. Here we can see the formation of, for example, the Metal Souq or The Wood Souq (see above and below). The findings of this research as articulated in this document support a conclusion that the size of the courtyard and the number of people accessing the courtyards make them ideal architectural structures to facilitate development of the organizational component of the Art Souq into the learning organization conceptualized by Senge.158

Left: The theme of each production unit would inform activities and thematically shape the two flanking courtyards. In this example, we see the Wood Souq. From the Design Proposal.



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Right: The Digital Fabrication Souq. From the Design proposal.

Conclusion: the research has shown that an integrative traffic solution based on the woonerf principle will enable and facilitate social ties within the neighborhood of the Art Souq. Without compromising accessibility, this traffic organization opens outdoor spaces for congregation, execution of larger projects, multi-artist collaborations and other sorts of social activities. In this sense, courtyards serve as generous spaces into which studios can expand from time to time. Social interaction is further enhanced through studios and production units around an outdoor shaded courtyard.

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5.3 The Studio – a Mess in Progress, Size, and Flux

…[Constantine Brancusi] dared to present his work in the very place where it first saw light, thereby short-circuiting the museum’s desire to classify, to embellish and to select. The work is seen, for better or worse, as it was connived. Thus is also the only artist to preserve what the museum goes to great lengths to conceal: the banality of the work.159

The artist is a maker, a creator and a craftsman. In this section we focus on the very space where the artist produces work, the studio itself. This discussion includes particular focus on studio size, location and form as they relate to the following four questions...

• What is the correlation between size (of the studio) and the quality of the work produced?

• How can we create flexible and generic spaces that accommodate the multitude and variations of needs in an artist community?

• How can we create a good balance between the need for privacy and the need for public interaction?

• How do we provide for transportation of goods in and out of studios without interrupting the social life and artistic process?

We touched upon the two latter questions in the previous section. In this section we examine research findings as they relate to the first two questions: correlation between size and quality and how and why we can create flexibility and universal spaces. The research has shown that there is a strong correlation between the availability of different studio sizes and the quality of work produced. That is not to say that work of a high standard cannot be produced in small studios; however, providing larger as well as more intimate studios allows for a plurality of artistic choices, including that of scale. Regarding the second question, we found a multitude of factors related to flexibility and generic aspects of the studio.

159 Hoffmann, The Studio, 2012, 89.

160 Ibid.

161 Expat artist in Doha. Interview by authors. Doha, Qatar, 2013.


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People not intimately familiar with the art world often gain their information through gallery and museum exhibitions. The “museum’s desire to classify, to embellish and to select”160 results in an orderly and systematized presentation of work yet very few studios examined in this research live up to such a pristine model. The artist studio tends to be a messy place in which production, storage, collection, living, eating, sleeping, and studying, coexist in an organized chaos. It is a project space in constant flux. VCUQatar-based artist Ryan Rasmussen talked about how his studio practice is a series of constant manipulations that, “When I’m asked to exhibit,”161 become something else. Rasmussen thus expresses a professional lifestyle in which the studio environment is seen as a laboratory for ongoing experiments. A similar relationship to his studio practice was described by Matt King in his artist talk at VCUQatar in February 2014. Outside Qatar, we visited the studio used by Scottish artist Lex Braes in Brooklyn, New York. His studio is an exemplar of the living/working environment utilized by many working artists. It is an organized chaos that is part art production and part regular living.

Below: The studio as mess in progress, Philadelphia, USA.

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The studio is a laboratory-like place of work. How would we then go about to design something appropriate for this laboratory? The French conceptual artist Daniel Buren describes two strategies:

• The planned studio or “the European type, modeled upon the Parisian studio of the turn of the century…”162

• The industrial studio or “The American type…This type is rarely built according to specification, but, located as it is in a reclaimed loft.”163

Qatar is an emerging society and therefore has very little in the manner of old, industrial infrastructure typical of the American model. Local informants gave interesting answers when asked whether they would prefer studios in a renovated building or in a building developed specifically for artist studios. Ex-pats favor a renovated building and Qatari participants favor a purpose-built structure. Informed by the existing architectural and social reality of Qatar, we propose a purpose-built studio complex that is a hybrid of both the European and North American models. This proposed structure will be a planned structure that will feature those elements of successful artist studio complexes from around the world that are appropriate for artistic practice in Qatar.

As has been outlined above, the artist’s studio environment is not only a frame around the artwork, it plays an active role in art production. More specifically, artists modify and alter the physical studio to meet the needs of their artistic practice. The artist’s relationship with the studio space is therefore more than just seeking someplace private to work, it is a relationship of appropriation of the space. Artists require a feeling of ownership of their studio space, they must be free from institutional restraints that would inhibit them from modifying the space as they wish.

Above: Example of the possible future organized chaos of the studio.

162 Hoffman, The Studio, 2012, 83.

163 Ibid. 84.


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Right: Most studios we encountered in our research had previously been industrial spaces that had been reclaimed by artists.

Right: When we did encounter purpose built studios, such as the one on the right, they also tended to be industrial in their design. Since Qatar does not have a large number of industrial buildings we are proposing a purpose built structure that is industrial in nature but also borrows some of the strongest elements from the European studio of the early modenist era. Our studio design is displayed on the following page.

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Above: Here we see different versions of the studio. This studio has been completed in metal finish that was fabricated in-house using the metal shop and fabrication lab.


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Above: Here we see the features of the studio have been finished using a wood feature produced within the wood shop.

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A strong theme to emerge in this research is the relationship between studio size and design with the quality of work produced. We have consistently seen that art produced in small, uniform, office building-like spaces tends to lack creativity and intellectual gravitas. For example, The Bakerhouse in Miami features small, equal-sized spaces throughout the complex. Consistent with the physical structure of the studio spaces, the majority of art produced in the Bakerhouse is also very similar. This is not to say that studio size forces a uniformity of work, but rather, that working in an environment of uniformity can lead to a uniformity of artistic outcome.

Yellow: Small size studio.

Orange: Medium size studio.

Cyan: large size studio.

Green: extra large size studio


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Findings have shown that larger studio spaces can have a positive impact on the quality of art produced. Those who work smaller scale can divide up the space into more intimate environments whilst those who work on a larger scale have the freedom and autonomy to do so. This finding was supported by informants in Qatar, who were adamant that studio size and location has strong impact on the type and quality of work produced. Overall, a strong theme to emerge in this research is that there seems to be little or no negative impact on art production if the studio is too big; however, there is a strong and negative impact on art production when the studio is too small. We therefore recommend a range of studio sizes that include larger spaces in to which artists’ practices can grow .

Based on the answers provided by focus group participants and our international site visits we recommend a range of studio sizes that start at 5 x 10 meters for a small size, 10 x 10 meters for a medium size through to 10 x 15 meters and 10 x 20 meters for large and extra large studios. We would expect most studios to be in the range of small and medium, particularly within the first years of the complex. However, as artistic practices develop and ambitions rise more artists may need to upgrade to larger space. Therefore, the Art Souq proposes not only a range of studio sizes but studios that can expand and contract in size according to the needs of artists.

This brings us to another theme to emerge from the research, the need for structural flexibility in the complex. Previously, we have touched upon the rapid changes within Qatar and the huge influx of people to this relatively small landscape. According to Doha Times, there were as many as 123,961 new vehicles added on the roads within the first nine months of 2013, at the average rate of a 13,773 new vehicles every month.164 Many of these newcomes are artists who come to work as professional artists or they are the spouses of people who come to work in other sectors. A second factor is that the first fine art university program recently opened in Qatar and this will produce a significant number of aspiring artists over the coming years. Furthermore, artists’ practices have a tendency to evolve and change over time. When these three factors are taken into consideration it becomes obvious that a sustainable artist studio complex will require studio spaces that are simple, or in other words generic in nature, and structurally flexible enough to meet the needs of a variety of art practices. It should be stated that generic is synomous with uniform. Where we have found a negative correlation between uniform studio spaces and quality of work produced it is because artists are not given the permission to alter and appropriate their spaces as needed. By having generic spaces suitable for a range of practices the artist can utilize these spaces as a ‘blank canvas’ to mold, adapt and modify according to their particular needs. Studio spaces need to accommodate future changes in specialization, tendencies within contemporary art and new kinds of practices. The studio space needs to be generic in the sense that a space might house a sculptor one year and a painter the next. The space also needs to be flexible in the sense that art practices have a tendency to expand and contract dependent on which project the artist is commissioned to undertake. This need was expressed quite clearly by informants in Qatar, who said they need adjacent project spaces where their practices could expand as needed.

Left: Here we see the previous court-yard design illustrating the range of possible studio sizes. Large studios can easily be broken into smaller studios and likewise, dividing walls between smaller space can be removed to create larger studios. This ensures the studio can expand and contract over time according to the art souq evolution.

164 “‘Staggering’ Rise in Number of Vehicles on Doha Roads”.

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Studio Sizes

4 m

Kitchen

Light Chimney

Outdoor yard

Industrial Sink Office/Storage space

W.C

Standard Door

Staircase

Industrial Garage Doors

Mezzanine

4 m

7 m

11 m

Medium


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11 m

11 m

15 m

20 m

5 m

11 m

Small Large

Extra Large

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Conclusion: In order to provide an optimal solution, studios in the proposed complex will feature similar basic conditions regarding material and equipment so as to accommodate the greatest range of artistic practices. Large garage doors will guarantee accessibility for heavy transportation and all studios will be equipped with gantry cranes. Compressed air will be avilable in each studio enabling the use of tools such as nail guns and air brushes.Light chimneys will provide consistent north facing light for all studios with the ability to limit or shut out this light as needed. This ensures an ideal lighting condition for painters but also means a photographer who needs to block out the light can do so. A combination of daylight lighting tubes and track based spot lighting ensures museum grade lighting in every studio. Thus, by having these controllable features in every studio we can ensure each studio is suitable for almost any kind of practice. The only exception to this is the issue of studio size and for this we propose that the division walls between studios are non-loadbearing and can therefore be moved to create larger or smaller studios as different artists inhabit the complex over time.

Here we see the proposed studio design analysed through these conclusions.


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Ventilation system ensures solvent materials can be used safetly.

Track light enables artist to view work as it would be like in a gallery.

5m walls are made of concrete blocks to ensure containment of noise pollution. Walls are not load bearing and can be removed to create larger studios. Walls are clad with wooden studs, plywood and soft board to ensure optimum use and flexability.

Fluorescent tubes are daylight-bal-anced to provide consistent lighting.

Light chimney ensures defused north facing light, which is ideal for painters.These are fitted with shutters so light can be reduced or turned off completely.

Double height ceiling of 6 m ensures flexibility and production of large work.

DrainageAll electrical cabelling is variable to ensure artist can drill holes and modify space without risk or damage.

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5.4 Manufacturing Communal, Public and Private Spaces

In this discussion of the actual construction of the proposed complex we return once again to review the role of the communal space. One of the unique features of the proposed Art Souq is the deliberate integration of communal spaces. These spaces include places to eat and congregate, galleries, libraries, lecture spaces and art supply stores. As mentioned above, an art community has the need for different spaces that operate in the modality private to public: private spaces for the individual artist, semiprivate spaces for collaborations and interactions between artists, semipublic spaces for a wider art community to interact within the complex, and public spaces for a wider audience to intermingle with the community.

A good artist complex provides:

• private spaces for the individual artist;• semiprivate spaces for collaborations and interactions between artists;• semipublic spaces for a wider art community to interact within the complex; and• public spaces for a wider audience to intermingle with the community.

Private spaces: the individual artist’s studio is the most important space within the Art Souq. Within this domain the artist is given autonomy to develop his or her work. This is a durable, simple and easily accessed space with an inbuilt flexibility.

Semiprivate spaces: the production units are where collaboration and communal knowledge accumulation takes place. Similar to the studios, these are durable, simple and easily accessed spaces with an inbuilt flexibility.

Semipublic spaces: the courtyards are an organizational principle that provide opportunities for the complex to grow and contract. The courtyards, furthermore, give equality to the studios in respect to internal and external relationships. In addition, the courtyards are generous spaces where future construction, exhibition and production can take place.

Public spaces: we propose an incremental development of the public domain of the Art Souq. This enables Art Souq residents to develop and establish an understanding of the most appropriate ways for the art community as a whole to interact with the public without compromising the integrity or the individual artists.

On the following page we can see a site plan that includes studios, courtyards, production units and public facilities. The site plan illustrates the areas, which are public, semipublic, private and semiprivate.


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Public space.

Private space.

Semiprivate space.

Semipublic space.

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Left: A communal kitchen in PNCA, Portland. This could be an example of a public space where by artists inter-act with other artists and the public.

Left: The private space of the artist’s studio.


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Right: A production faculty at the Banff Center, Canada. An example of a semiprivate space where artists work on projects in collaboration with artisans.

Right: A semipublic space in Phila-delphia. These spaces can be project spaces but also act as spaces to gather for social events.

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5.5 Production Units

The Production Units of wood shop, metal shop, and so forth will mediate these varying needs of public versus private. In the design of the spaces for production, these questions have been important:

1. How do we accumulate and sustain knowledge?

2. Can the type of manufacturing thematically inform the design of the spaces?

3. How do the artist and the public gain access to the facilities?

This research has unearthed the intrinsic relationship between art practice and manufacturing in both traditional and contemporary art practices. This relationship operates on at least three levels

1. The individual artist’s ability to make art is directly related to the tools he or she has available and can utilize.

2. The production units become a container for knowledge, a physical and mental space where techniques and technologies are sustained.

3. The possibility of manufacturing to enable production of art is an attractor for local, regional and international artists.

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A quick review of key research findings reveals three key themes regarding production facilities. First, we have seen the production units as an extension of the artist’s own private studio. From time to time, the individual artist’s practice would require the woodshop, the metal shop or any of the other production units. This relationship varies from project to project and from artist to artist, and is dependent upon the materials, techniques and technologies the individual artist deploys at that time. Secondly, we see the formation of the Art Souq as a learning organization, an entity that operates on the premise of a perpetual expansion of knowledge within the network. The research has delineated places of production as substantial holders of knowledge. Third, we have found evidence that the capacity to get access to production facilities is a great attractor for artists.

Manufacturing technology is developing rapidly at this moment. Therefore, similar to the studio spaces, production facilities within the Art Souq must be flexible and generous in order to address and provide for future changes. Simplicity and flexibility in choices of material and layout are crucial. Throughout our field studies, we encountered several cases of successful models of manufacturing including artist collaborations with local industry, specialized art industries (Pietrasanta) and specifically designed manufacturing facilities. Qatar has very little industrial infrastructure and we therefore find the latter option as the best avenue for the Art Souq. The research has found a definitive need for a first class production facility in order to promote Qatar on the global stage as an art producer.

Below: Examples of traditional and contemporary facilities used in sculp-ture. Here we see bronze casting in a foundry and waterjet cutting in a digital fabrication lab.

Right: Examples of production facilities working in metal, ceramics and sculpture.


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The sign above the door of ADX in Portland, Oregon artist complex proudly presents itself as, “building a community of thinkers and makers.” This is a co-op space with a multitude of expensive and varied equipment provided to artists and artisans on the basis of a monthly fee. The equipment in ADX ranges from hand tools and traditional wood and metal shops to the latest digital manufacturing. ADX is a vivid example of the communal aspects of these kinds of spaces. There is seemingly no division between the different disciplines working alongside one another. Boat builders, sculptors, graphic designers and bicycle repairmen work side by side, often assisting one another by trading skills. The core of the ADX organization is in the idea of making. Such facilities are currently missing in Qatar and yet access to these kinds of facilities has emerged as a universal theme and therefore features heavily in the design for the Art Souq.

Above: Photo lab and Printmaking studio, Crane Building, Philadelphia.

Above: Generous and flexible space at ADX. In Portland Oregon.

Below left: Boat builders, sculptors, graphic designers and bicycle repair-men work side by side. ADX building, a community of thinkers and makers. Portland, Oregon


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NexFab in Philadelphia provides their membership with tools and equipment for woodworking, metalworking, laser cutting and engraving, 3D printing, textile processing, electronics, photography and 2D printing. NexFab does not specifically target artists, but serves the entire local creative industry. According to Dr. Evan Malone, president of NexFab, this production resource fills a niche that has been neglected for the last 10-20 years in America. America’s increasing outsourcing of manufacturing has created a need for places where people can learn the skills and techniques of manufacturing. Both ADX and NexFab are housed in old industrial infrastructures that provide the operation with large and durable spaces where artists and artisans can work with materials. Artists affiliated with these organizations attest to how ideas and concepts are sharpened and developed working within these communities of making. Furthermore, it was immediately evident in these sites that working in those rather communal spaces had formed alliances and collaborations that the solitude of a studio would not permit. Although both ADX and NextFab feature small, designated workspaces, they are primarily places of communal manufacturing. However, there is another site that features studios and production units in a more holistic environment, The Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada.

The Banff Centre was founded by the University of Alberta and, not surprisingly, has a structure similar to that of a university. Studios are located in close proximity to production resources, some of which are in the same building, and others only a short walk across a courtyard to a neighboring building. The complex has approximately 50 artists working at any one time as artists-in-residence, and these artists are served by a woodshop, metal shop, ceramics studios and printmaking shop, as well as photography and video facilities. Complexes such as ADX and NextFab serve wider communities within the cities of Portland and Philadelphia, but The Banff Centre provides evidence there is demand for such facilities even within a small community of artists and confirms that the facilities of the Art Souq will have sufficient demand for the equipment, materials and processes they house. The Banff Centre is a good example of how an artist studio complex can capitalize on mindful incorporation of production resources.

Above: NexFab provides members with tools and equipment for wood-working, metalworking, laser cutting and engraving, 3D printing, textile processing,electronics, photography and 2D printing. Philadelphia.

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This raises the question as to where the production resources should be allocated within the Art Souq. One possibility is to allocate all production resources to a single location, a central production space that would house all required technologies and techniques. Another option is to decentralize the production, thematically spreading it throughout the entire complex. The former is a common model as it benefits logistics and storage, as well as minimizing problems with noise and pollution. However, centralization also disrupts community and creates hierarchical access due to varying proxmity. Decentralization promotes collaboration and thematic specialization. As the name indicates, one of the precedents for the Art Souq is the traditional place of retail and manufacturing: the souqs, bazars and khans of the region. The Art Souq is designed not to mimic this style but rather, to embrace and express underlying principles of traditional souq organization and growth. One of the organizational principles of the traditional souq is the specialized and thematic areas within the overall layout: the gold souq is separate from the fabric souq which is distinct from the spice souq, and so forth. This organizational principle has informed the layout for the Art Souq such that each production resource is central to its own mini-souq within the overall Art Souq. As can be seen in the figure below, each production unit is situated between two flanking triangular courtyards.

Above: Facilities such as the wood-shop in Banff are located close to the studios.


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Just as the unique sectors of the traditional souq were arranged thematically around specific merchandise or productions, the theme of each production resource unit of the Art Souq will inform activities within that area of the studio complex. Thus, within the layout of the overall Art Souq, the woodshop serves as the core of a “wood souq,” the metal shop does the same for a “metal souq,” and so on. This decentralization is consistent with ANT’s analysis of accumulating and sustaining knowledge within a network. As discussed in relation to the Network of Marble in Pietrasanta and the Network of Bamboo at the Green School, concentration around material, technologies and techniques enables sustainable learning processes and structures to develop. Informed by this research, we posit that placement of studios around these production “souqs” will enable and facilitate knowledge sharing such that artists working in the new digital manufacturing technologies will visit and interact around the fab lab, and so forth. Artists will choose which area of the studio complex they wish to work on the basis of their particular art practice. This knowledge will transmit, or “spill,” out into the surrounding courtyard and other artists in the complex through informal and collaborative work with one another.

The opportunity for free and open transmission of knowledge throughout the studio complex strengthens the complex as a network and as a learning organization. In addition, the ‘souq’ themes will inform the design of the complex, playing a substantive role in the vision of the Art Souq as multi-phased construction site. Every building phase begins with the production unit. This process enables artisans to become educated in the particular body of knowledge of that ‘souq’ by utilizing the equipment in the execution of architectural details around the courtyard. After completion of the production unit these artisans, selected from the construction workers on site, will remain and perform the daily work within the production unit with the artists, thus nurturing and strengthening an environment of continual knowledge transmission and learning.

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wood shop

Refuse room

• R1 - Compactor • R2 - Container • R3 - Refuse bins recycling• R4 - Sorter Bench• R5 - Utility sink with pressure washer

Woodshop Area 4

• 0-003 - Office master Craftsmen• 0-004 - Tool and Supply storage• 0-005&6 - Restrooms• 0-007 - Electrical Closet• Utility Sink • Assembly area B

Woodshop Area 3

• Assembly area A• Wood joining • W4 - Miter saw• w5 - Band saw• W6 - Drill press• W7 - Precision jointer• W8 - Disk and Belt sander• W9 - Midi lathe

Woodshop Area 2• • Wood cutting in preparating• W1 - Panel saw• W2 - Cabinet saw• W3 - Delta Phanse planer• W10 - Shopbot Salpha CNC

Woodshop Area 1

• Material Storage• Staging area

Workflow

Workflow

Workflow

Workflow

38 m

15 m


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Bottom: Here we see the exterior of the woodshop production unit adjacent to a courtyard and studios.

Above: The design and layout is informed by successful models found internationally. Here we see examples of wood shops from Philadelphia and Banff. Our proposal for the Art Souq woodshop is similarly industrial in its nature.

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Digital fabrication lab

Refuse room

• R1 - Compactor • R2 - Container • R3 - Refuse bins recycling• R4 - Sorter Bench• R5 - Utility sink with pressure washer

Digital Fabrication Lab - Area 3

• 0-003 - Office master Craftsmen• 0-004 - Tool and Supply storage• 0-005&6 - Restrooms• 0-007 - Electrical Closet• Utility Sink • Assembly area B


• Digital work stations• D2 - Flow Mach 3020B Waterjet• D6 - 6 axis CNC router• D7 - Medi lathe• D8 - MakerbotPrecision jointer• D9 - Epilog lazer cutter• D10 - Dimension elite 3d printer• D11 - Zcorp 350 3d powder printer• D12 - Vaccum former


• Material Storage• Staging area

Workflow

Workflow

Workflow

15 m

38 m


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Right: Our digital fabrication lab includes waterjet cutting technology. Here we see examples of the product along with it being used at a studio in Pietresanta.

Right: We propose 6 axis CNC technology in order to sculpt large scale works in a range of materials.

The digital fabrication lab is complete with all the latest digital technologies that artists may require. Our recommendations are based on successful models we have observed internationally and include laser cutters, a range of 3-D printers, CNC routers and various print technologies.

Right: Here we see the exterior of the Digital fabrication lab production unit adjacent to a other courtyards and studios.

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Metal shop

Refuse room

• R3 - Refuse bins recycling• R4 - Sorter Bench• R5 - Utility sink with pressure washer

Paint Cabin 0 -008

Metal shop - Area 3

• 0-003 - Office master Craftsmen• 0-004 - Tool and Supply storage• 0-005&6 - Restrooms• 0-007 - Electrical Closet• Utility Sink • Assembly area B• M12 - Miller Spectrum 875 plasma cutter• M13 - Miller SSW spot welder• M14 - Miller dynastar 700 TIG welder• M15 - Miller delta Fab system• M16 - Welding table • M17 - Forged Anvil

Metal shop - Area 2

• Assembly area A• M2 - Gauge foot shear• M3 - Gauge floor pan break• M3a - Large format plasma cutter• M4 - Horizontal Band saw• M5 - Hydralic pipe bender • M6 - Hydrolic floor press• M7 - Pasio 50 Balancing machine • M8 - Disc and belt sander• M9 - Metal lathe • M10 - Metal chop saw• M11 - Bencj grinder• M12 - Miller Spectrum 875 plasma cutter • M13 - Miller SSW spot welder • M14 - Miller Dynastar 700 TIG welder • M15 - Miller Delta Fab system • M16 - Welding table• M17 - Forged Anvil • M18 - Heat Forge

Metal Shop - Area 1

• Material Storage• Staging area• M1 - Bench Slitting shear

Workflow

Workflow

Workflow

38 m

15 m


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Right: Examples of sculptural components being welded together to create large scale work.

Right: The Metal shop will be equipped with MIG and TIG welders, handheld and digital plasma cutters, grinding and cuttting equiptment and all hand tools required for metal work.

Right: Here we see the exterior of the Metal shop production unit adjacent to a other courtyards and studios.

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5.6 Soft Structures

It has been previously noted that Latour defines a statement as any knowledge or information that is “thrown, sent or delegated by an enunciator”165 and “carries us from words to things and from things to words.”166 In the production units, statements are often corporeal; or in other words, the knowledge is often physical and dialogue is therefore the physical object and the human. However, to further strengthen the Art Souq as a learning organization, there are other important communal spaces to consider. We refer to these spaces as ‘soft structures’ and they include places where Art Souq inhabitants can meet to share meals, conduct research, view art work, listen to lectures, purchase art supplies, and so on. These spaces are public to a certain degree because the artist community can meet with the general population in some of these areas. Albeit these soft structures are important in the overall Art Souq, we propose they be developed in later stages of the construction process because the research has found that this public interface would best be developed in collaboration with the artist community of the Art Souq. The initial cohort of artists will provide the necessary information to inform subsequent construction. The data have shown that such a process will generate more sustainable connections with the broader population.

Educating and informing the public about art and Art Souq activities is an important communal activity and physical spaces for this must be included in the overall site plan. However, our findings have shown that development of such spaces must wait until Art Souq inhabitants have determined what it is they wish to tell the public, when, and through what processes. The site plan features a zone in the center of the complex and this zone is dedicated to a more public building; however, we propose that the architectural program in this building be understood as merely a suggestion. There is also a possibility that a more public program develops over time in some of the courtyards. Similarly, we propose that such a development is better instigated from future requirements generated by the art community itself.

Left: The complex has a central facility that is seen as ‘soft structure’ that could serve a multitude of functions for education, administration, recreation and retail.


166 Ibid.


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Right: An example of a gallery space located within the BACKERHOUSE complex in Miami.

Right: A general space in Pietresanta, used for lectures, exhibitions and social events.

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CHAPTER 6 BUSINESS PLAN

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6.1 Mission Statement

To develop an artists’ studio complex known as ‘The Art Souq’ that will grow organically over a 10 year period’ to provide approximately 120 artists studios for Qatar’s art community. These studios will be complemented by production facilities to work in wood, metal, digital fabrication and other physical processes, as well as support facilities for recreation, education and research.

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6.2 Executive Summary

The need for an artist’s studio complex has been demonstrated through extensive research that identified and interviewed local stakeholders in Qatar, as well as international field studies that have looked at a range of models and approaches to art production and studio practice. Qatar, despite its growing capacity in exhibiting art and a growing contemporary art collection, does not yet have facilities suitable for artist’s studio space. Nor does Qatar possess the infrastructure for support facilities of the kind that contemporary artists require for their practice.

With this in mind, the ‘Art Souq’ has been proposed to meet the needs of local artists. These local artists are comprised of established and emerging Qatari artists, artists from the MENA region based in Qatar, ex-patriot artists within Qatar, and faculty and graduates at VCUQatar. The Art Souq will be a multi-phased artists’ studio complex built over a period of 10 years that will evolve and adapt according to the needs of its users. A flexible design model has therefore been proposed that is appropriate for a number of potential sites. A key aspect of the design is that it will grow slowly so that the experience of artists occupying the complex in the early stages of the project can feed back into the evolution of the complex. It is intended that this series of feedback loops will promote a facility that is better suited to the needs of its users, a greater sense of ownership by the users of the complex, and a business model that can adapt to a fast changing cultural context.

The initial year of the art Souq, referred to as the preparation year, will see a Director hired, a site identified, and detailed surveying and structural engineering consultation to adapt the proposed design so it is ready for a tendering process. The construction of the first phase of the Art Souq, during year one, will see 14 studios and a central woodshop built. During year two a woodshop master artisan will be hired as well as six artisans who will be trained in the material of wood, through the fitting of fixtures within the studios. Simultaneously the second phase of the art Souq containing an additional 14 studios and a digital fabrication lab will be built. During year three a digital fab lab master artisan and 6 artisans will be hired and they will be trained through the fitting of fixtures within the next set of completed studios. This process will be repeated through phases 3-10 ensuring that the complex will generate a knowledge base through craft, architecture and art.

During phase 4 a central facility will be built. The nature and specifications of this facility will be determined through research conducted with Art Souq users, generated during years 1-3. Depending on the input of Art Souq users this central facility may include, but is not limited to, facilities such as a cafeteria, gallery, library, education rooms and art supply store. Therefore the business plan reflects this flexibility and will be modified during the course of the project.

In terms of marketing, The Art Souq will utilize its contacts within the fine art community to ensure potential users of the complex are informed and identified. Having built up a strong relationship with local artists, gallerists, curators, and museum professionals that will be benefactors of the facilities, the Art Souq is in an excellent position to utilize the networks of these organizations in promoting the facilities of the Art Souq to potential users within the wider fine art community.

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The Art Souq sees itself not only as a studio complex but also a research, knowledge and education center, developing its ongoing mission through research into the needs of artists within the complex and providing life long educational opportunities to artists as they develop their portfolio of skills. From year 2 of the program portfolio preparation classes will be held to help ensure emerging artists are given as much support as required to ensure they too have equal opportunity to access the Art Souq. Further educational classes will be developed during year 4 of the plan, the exact format and content of these being developed through research carried out during years 1-3 of the project.

The research has shown us that the majority of potential users of the complex favor a flat, democratic, management system where artists have input into the evolution and development of the complex. The complex will therefore employ a Managing Director to oversee all artisans as well as educational staff, gallery curators, maintenance and catering staff. The work of the Managing Director will be overseen by a Joint Advisory board made up of representatives of the artists using the complex and those who represent the wider Qatar fine art community.

The complex will gain revenue from the rental of studio spaces however this will not be the main source of income. The income generated from studio rental is intended to encourage active use of the studios by artists and act as a way to ensure that those artists serious about making an investment in their practice will apply for a studio. Additional income will be generated through private commissioning of services within the production facilities, such as laser cutting or 3D printing, and during years 4 of the project there may be some community classes offered to the public. All of these initiatives will generate a modest income for the complex but it is intended that the main source of income will need to come in the form of grants or endowments from state institutions and foundations.


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6.3 Aims

The Aims for the Art Souq are as follows-

• To provide affordable studio space for all artists based in Doha including Qatari artists, artists from MENA region, expat artists, VCUQ faculty and graduates

• To provide studio spaces for those institutions wishing to develop residency programs for international artists

• To provide a range of additional facilities and experiences that will help promote artistic practice

• To provide social spaces to promote interaction between artists from different social groups to promote and foster greater community cohesion

• To promote and foster mentoring between experienced artists and emerging artists

• To provide an incubation period for young artists to grow and mature before embarking on further career experiences such as graduate programs and international residencies

• To provide migrant workers with a level of skills that may benefit them and their communities when they return to their home of record

• To develop and sustain a culture of knowledge around the acts of art making and fabrication that will remain within Qatar

• To promote the creative economy and thus promote growth in the wider economy in order to help make Qatar a Knowledge Based Society


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6.4 Objectives

The Objectives of the Art Souq are as follows-

• To Build approximately 12-14 studios each year totaling approximately 120 studios over a 10 year period

• To build production facilities that include a woodshop, digital fabrication lab, and metal shop during years 1-3 of the project

• To develop an educational program that will provide artists with a wide range of skills from portfolio development, professional practice skills and training in the latest technological skills

• To build a number of supporting facilities during year 4 of the project that may include a library, canteen, gallery, art supply store, support offices and educational facilities

• To build additional production facilities during years 6-8 that may include printmaking, photography and video, ceramics, and a foundry

• To develop continuous research into the needs of artists within the complex during years 1-3 of the project so that decisions about the direction of the complex during years 4-10 may be informed by this research

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6.5 Timescale, Activity Plan and Financial Forecasts

The following pages provide a 10-year financial plan for the Art Souq plus a 1-year preparation period.

Given the fact that the proposal is propositional, with no site confirmed for the Art Souq’s location, all construction costs are estimated at a class 5 standard according to AACE International classification methodology. Construction costs have been estimated through consultation with an international architectural firm with experience in the Middle East and a local architectural firm based in Doha with extensive experience of construction projects in Qatar. The preparation year recommends detailed architectural, engineering and surveying consultation once a site has been determined, in order to develop the architectural design to a level of detail where by it will be ready for a tendering process.

All equipment costs have been calculated by obtaining quotations from known suppliers wherever possible and include estimates of inflationary costs for equipment purchased in latter years of the project, with the exception of some digital equipment which we expect to remain constant in price or to fall slightly. Costs for maintenance serve to replace broken or malfunctioning parts, service equipment, and to fly in engineers to fix complex pieces of machinery should it prove necessary. Maintenance costs also serve to replace pieces of equipment that become obsolete or outdated over the period of the business plan.

Staffing costs are based on salaries and emoluments paid to staff of equivalent skill levels in similar institutions based in Qatar, using VCUQatar as a model. An annual pay increase of 2% for each staff member has been factored into these costs.

Whilst the Art Souq intends charging rent for studios, offering commissioning services for fabrication, possible community classes as well as possible public venues such as an art supply store and cafeteria, it is important to note that, given the slow and organic growth model that is proposed, and the additional research that would need to be completed during the first phases of the center, the financial plan does not contain income projections. It is estimated that rental fees would only cover up to 10% of Art Souq running costs once the complex is at full capacity, and other forms of income would require further market research to determine their viability. For this reason income projections are not included and we propose the Art Souq be funded through the state as an investment in Qatar’s cultural and economic future.


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Preparation Year

Given the Art Souq is a propositional project with no actual site in mind, and currently no organization that will fund such a project, a preparation year will be required once a site and funder have been identified. With these issues resolved the project will require a year to revise the production costs outlined within in the business plan through detailed survey work, in depth engineering consultation, and architectural consultation designed to adapt the proposed design to a level where it can be put out to a tendering process.

PREPARATION YEAR$5,000 Single: 5,000 QR/month$23,077 Married: $7,000 QR/month$24,725 Single+Child: $7,500 QR/month$34,614 Married+1 child: 10,500 QR/month

$1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 Key Positions: 13,000 QR/month

Position Basic SalaryAirfare

Allowance Car AllowanceInternet

AllowanceUtilitites Allowance

Medical & Immigration Child Tuition

Housing Allowance

Total Annual Compensation

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

Other Contractual ServicesEstinated Annual Cost

SecurityElectrical maintenance/repairsFacility maintenance/repairs

TOTAL $0

Consultancy Costs $250,000

Artist Studio Complex NPRP Grant Proposal Annual Operating Budget

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Year 1

• Phase 1 Roof construction• Woodshop built• 16 studios built (25 modules)• Search for woodshop master artisan initiated• Search for 4 woodshop artisans initiated• Search for buildings manager initiated• Search for shipping and receiving coordinator initiated• Woodshop equipment procured• Phase 1 artists solicited for studios

Organizational Structure

Management Board 1 Director/ Project Manager


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Construction sequence

In order to provide shade and decent working conditions for the labor foece, the following construction sequence was chosen.

1

Erect primary rood structure consisting of modular MERO space frame.

• Modular, industrialized system

• Good for large space

• Quick erection, no shoring required

• Cost effective

2

Install roof envelope on 1200 x 1200mm module. Envelope may consist of

• Combination of open and closed panels

• Studio light and ventilation towers facing north

• Courtyards skylights facing south

• Collector panels and/or solar panels for energy creation

3

Erect primary studio and workshop structure, e.g.

concrete slabs and all permanent structure walls.

4

Erect secondary enclosure systems defining studio

sizes and desired mix as per space requirement.

5

Customize space to artists’ requirements. Fit-out

elements such as staircases, doors, mezzanine and

partitioned walls.

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YEAR 1: Staff Costs$5,000 Single: 5,000 QR/month$23,077 Married: $7,000 QR/month$24,725 Single+Child: $7,500 QR/month$34,614 Married+1 child: 10,500 QR/month

$1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 Key Positions: 13,000 QR/month


Allowance Car AllowanceInternet Allowance

Utilitites Allowance


Housing Allowance


Director/Project Manager $120,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $188,959

$120,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $188,959

Other Contractual ServicesEstimated Annual Cost

SecurityElectrical maintenance/repairsFacility maintenance/repairs

TOTAL $0

Equipment Costs Equipment ShippingAnnual

Maintenance

ShopBot PR Salpha CNC #10168 $22,000 $10,000 $1,500 $33,50037-‐365X 8 in DJ-‐20 Precision Jointer $3,000 $1,000 $200 $4,200Delta 22-‐450 DC-‐580 3 Phase Planer $7,000 $2,000 $200 $9,200Slide Compund Miter Saw x 2 $1,400 -‐ $200 $1,600Saw Stop Industrial Table Saw x 2 $10,000 $4,000 $1,000 $15,000HGC H-‐Series Panel Saw $5,000 $1,000 $200 $6,200Genesis #GBDS450 Belt Sander $300 $100 $100 $500Delta 18-‐900 Laser Drill Press $2,000 $800 $100 $2,900Palmgreen Vertical Band Saw $3,000 $1,000 $300 $4,300Various Hand Tools(drills, saws etc-‐ 10 sets) $40,000 -‐ $4,000 $44,000

TOTAL $121,400

Materials for Workshops

General Supplies (wood glue, drill bits, cleaning prodcucts etc) 1,000$ Wood-‐ 2x4, plywood etc 50,000$

TOTAL 51,000$

Construction Costs AreaUnit cost/m2 in

QARUnit cost/m2 Cost

Preliminaries-‐ 12%

Contingencies-‐ 15%

Total Cost Total Cost/m2

Primary Roof Structure 2,100 2,000 $549 $1,153,846 $138,462 $173,077 $1,465,385 $698Roof Envelope 3,300 1,200 $330 $1,087,912 $130,549 $163,187 $1,381,648 $419Primary Studio and Workshop Structure 2,100 800 $220 $461,538 $55,385 $69,231 $586,154 $279Secondry Enclosure System 3,300 400 $110 $362,637 $43,516 $54,396 $460,549 $140Fit Out Elements 500 600 $165 $82,418 $9,890 $12,363 $104,670 $209

TOTAL 5,000 $1,374 $3,148,352 $377,802 $472,253 $3,998,407 $1,745 $3,998,4071$ = 3.64QR

TOTAL ANNUAL COST $4,359,766



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Year 2

• Phase 1 studios fitted out by woodwork artisan according to artists’ requirements.

• Exterior of woodshop cladding installed by woodwork artisans.

• Phase 1 artists begin to move in to studios

• Phase 2- Roof construction• Phase 2- Digital Fabrication lab built• Phase 2- 25 studio modules built• Search for fab lab master artisan initiated• Search for 6 fab lab artisans initiated• Fab lab equipment procured• Metal shop equipment procured• Education Program begins• Phase 2 artists apply for studios• Artists Residence program initiated


Management Board 1 Director/ Project

1 Woodwork Master Artisan - 4 Woodwork Artisans

1 Shipping & Receiving Coordinator

1 Head of Security - 4 Security Staff

1 Facilities Manager - 3 Facilities Staff


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$1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 Key Position : 13,000 QR/month





Housing Allowance


Director/Project Manager $123,000 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $193,683Woodwork Master Artisan $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $43,928 $145,0301 Woodwork Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7162 Woodwork Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7163 Woodwork Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7164 Woodwork Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,716Shipping & Receiving Coordinator $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,716Head of Security $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $43,928 $145,030Facilitites Manager $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $43,928 $145,030

$598,000 $9,025 $48,735 $11,868 $14,837 $4,513 $146,593 $348,783 $1,182,354


Security $65,934 (4 security staff @$16,483/year)

Electrical maintenance/repairsFacility maintenance/repairs $56,340 (3 facilities staff @$19,780/year)

TOTAL $122,274 $122,274


Maintenance

Mach 2 Water Jet 2040c $190,000 $7,000 $5,000 $210,000Breton NCF1600 Milling Machine $500,000 $20,000 $5,000 $425,000Epilog Laser Cutter 40" x 28" $28,000 $5,000 $2,000 $35,000Formech Vacum Former 1372 $20,000 $3,000 $500 $23,5003 x Makerbot Replicator $12,000 $1,500 $500 $14,000Dimension Elite 3D Printer $60,000 $5,000 $2,500 $67,500Zcorp Poweder Based 3D Printer $95,000 $5,000 $3,650 $103,650Esprit Lightning HD Plasma Cutter $147,000 $10,000 $5,000 $162,0003D Systems S Pro X 300 Titanioum Printer $900,000 $5,000 $2,500 $907,5003D Scanner $30,000 $500 $500 $31,0002 x Delta Fab System MIG welder $14,000 -‐ -‐ $14,0002 x Dynasty 700 TIG Welder $30,000 -‐ -‐ $30,000Miller SSW Series Spot Welder $7,000 -‐ -‐ $7,000Portable Torch Kit $500 -‐ -‐ $500Craftsman Variable Speed 8" Bench Grinder $500 $100 $600JHPB Manual Hydraulic Pipe Bender $1,000 -‐ -‐ $6,200Jet Horizontal Band Saw $5,000 $1,000 $200 $6,200Dewalt Chop Saw x2 $700 -‐ $100 $800Pasio 50 Balancing Machine $0BDB-‐1340A Metal Lathe $7,000 $4,000 $500 $11,500SS-‐8T Bench Slitting Shear $400 -‐ -‐ 400$ Clarke CSA12F Hydraulic Floor Press 300 200 500$ Bo-‐1248H Floor Model Box and Pan Brake -‐$ 3 x Anvil 2400 2,400$ Miller Spectrum 875 Plasma Cutter 3000 500 3,500$ 4 x Granger Welding Table 20000 2000 22,000$ Delta 46-‐460 Midi lathe 1000 500 -‐ 1,500$ Jet FS-‐1652H Foot Shear 5000 2000 1,500$ Jet J-‐4200A Belt and Disc finishing Machine 2000 -‐ 100 2,100$ Various Hand Tools (Angle Grinder, Heat Gun etc) 5000 -‐ 500 5,500$ Maintainence of Previously Purchased Equipement-‐ -‐ 7800 7,800$

TOTAL $1,468,150


Woodshop Materials 5,000$ Fab Lab Materials 100,000$

TOTAL 105,000$

Construction Costs AreaUnit cost/m2

in QAR Unit cost/m2 CostPreliminaries-‐

12%Contingencies-‐

15% Total Cost Total Cost/m2


TOTAL 5,500 $1,511 $3,463,187 $415,582 $519,478 $4,398,247 $1,919 $4,398,2471$ = 3.64QR



254 255







Housing Allowance


Director/Project Manager $123,000 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $193,683Woodwork Master Artisan $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $43,928 $145,0301 Woodwork Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7162 Woodwork Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7163 Woodwork Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7164 Woodwork Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,716Shipping & Receiving Coordinator $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,716Head of Security $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $43,928 $145,030Facilitites Manager $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $43,928 $145,030

$598,000 $9,025 $48,735 $11,868 $14,837 $4,513 $146,593 $348,783 $1,182,354




TOTAL $122,274 $122,274


Maintenance

Mach 2 Water Jet 2040c $190,000 $7,000 $5,000 $210,000Breton NCF1600 Milling Machine $500,000 $20,000 $5,000 $425,000Epilog Laser Cutter 40" x 28" $28,000 $5,000 $2,000 $35,000Formech Vacum Former 1372 $20,000 $3,000 $500 $23,5003 x Makerbot Replicator $12,000 $1,500 $500 $14,000Dimension Elite 3D Printer $60,000 $5,000 $2,500 $67,500Zcorp Poweder Based 3D Printer $95,000 $5,000 $3,650 $103,650Esprit Lightning HD Plasma Cutter $147,000 $10,000 $5,000 $162,0003D Systems S Pro X 300 Titanioum Printer $900,000 $5,000 $2,500 $907,5003D Scanner $30,000 $500 $500 $31,0002 x Delta Fab System MIG welder $14,000 -‐ -‐ $14,0002 x Dynasty 700 TIG Welder $30,000 -‐ -‐ $30,000Miller SSW Series Spot Welder $7,000 -‐ -‐ $7,000Portable Torch Kit $500 -‐ -‐ $500Craftsman Variable Speed 8" Bench Grinder $500 $100 $600JHPB Manual Hydraulic Pipe Bender $1,000 -‐ -‐ $6,200Jet Horizontal Band Saw $5,000 $1,000 $200 $6,200Dewalt Chop Saw x2 $700 -‐ $100 $800Pasio 50 Balancing Machine $0BDB-‐1340A Metal Lathe $7,000 $4,000 $500 $11,500SS-‐8T Bench Slitting Shear $400 -‐ -‐ 400$ Clarke CSA12F Hydraulic Floor Press 300 200 500$ Bo-‐1248H Floor Model Box and Pan Brake -‐$ 3 x Anvil 2400 2,400$ Miller Spectrum 875 Plasma Cutter 3000 500 3,500$ 4 x Granger Welding Table 20000 2000 22,000$ Delta 46-‐460 Midi lathe 1000 500 -‐ 1,500$ Jet FS-‐1652H Foot Shear 5000 2000 1,500$ Jet J-‐4200A Belt and Disc finishing Machine 2000 -‐ 100 2,100$ Various Hand Tools (Angle Grinder, Heat Gun etc) 5000 -‐ 500 5,500$ Maintainence of Previously Purchased Equipement-‐ -‐ 7800 7,800$

TOTAL $1,468,150


Woodshop Materials 5,000$ Fab Lab Materials 100,000$

TOTAL 105,000$

Construction Costs AreaUnit cost/m2

in QAR Unit cost/m2 CostPreliminaries-‐




TOTAL 5,500 $1,511 $3,463,187 $415,582 $519,478 $4,398,247 $1,919 $4,398,2471$ = 3.64QR



The Art Souq

254 255

Year 3

• Phase 2 studios fitted out by fab lab artisan according to artists’ requirements.

• Exterior of fab lab cladding installed by fab lab artisans.


• Phase 3- Roof construction• Phase 3- metal shop built• Phase 3- 25 studio modules built• Search for metal shop master artisan

initiated• Search for 4 metal shop artisans initiated• Phase 3 artists apply for studios• Artisan in residence program initiated





1 Head of Security - 4 Security Staff

4 Security Staff

3 Facilities Staff

2 Security Staff

1 Facilities Staff

1 Assistant

1 Digital Fab. Master Artisan - 6 Digital Fab. Artisans

1 Facilities Manager


256 257

The Art Souq

256 257







Housing Allowance


Director/Project Manager $129,227 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $201,677Woodwork Master Artisan $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $45,026 $148,6561 Woodwork Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4842 Woodwork Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4843 Woodwork Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4844 Woodwork Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,484Shipping & Receiving Coordinator $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,484Head of Security $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $45,026 $148,656Facilitites Manager $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $45,026 $148,656Administrative Assistant $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716Digital Fabrication Master Artisan $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $143,9591 Digital Fabrication Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7162 Digital Fabrication Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7163 Digital Fabrication Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7164 Digital Fabrication Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7165 Digital Fabrication Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7166 Digital Fabrication Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,716

$1,029,102 $17,251 $93,153 $22,685 $28,360 $8,626 $280,202 $642,656 $1,457,738




TOTAL $178,018with 2.5% increment $182,468 $182,468


Maintenance

Maintainence of Previously Purchased Equipement $36,450 $36,450

TOTAL $36,450


Materials For Woodshop 5,000$ Materials for Metal Shop 10,000$ Materials for Fab Lab 30,000$

TOTAL 45,000$


QAR Unit cost/m2 CostPreliminaries-‐




TOTAL 6,050 $1,662 $3,809,505 $457,141 $571,426 $4,838,072 $2,111 $4,838,072$1 = QR 3.64




258 259

The Art Souq

258 259

Year 4

• Phase 3 studios fitted out by metalwork artisan according to artists’ requirements.

• Exterior of metal-shop cladding installed by metalwork artisans.


• Phase 4- Central resource facility built• Search for Education Coordinator initiated• Search for Art Supply Store Manager initi-

ated• Search Gallery Curator initiated• Search for catering manager initiated





1 Head of Security

6 Security Staff

4 Facilities Staff

2 Security Staff

1 Facilities Staff

1 Assistant



1 Metalwork Master Artisan - 4 Metalwork Artisans


260 261

The Art Souq

260 261







Housing Allowance


Director/Project Manager $132,458 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $46,152 $206,719Woodwork Master Artisan $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $46,152 $152,3731 Woodwork Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3212 Woodwork Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3213 Woodwork Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3214 Woodwork Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,321Shipping & Receiving Coordinator $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,321Head of Security $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $46,152 $152,372Facilitites Manager $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $46,152 $152,372Administrative Assistant $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Digital Fabrication Master Artisan $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $147,5581 Digital Fabrication Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4842 Digital Fabrication Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4843 Digital Fabrication Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4844 Digital Fabrication Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4845 Digital Fabrication Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4846 Digital Fabrication Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,484Metalwork Master Artisan $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $143,9591 Metalwork Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7162 Metalwork Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7163 Metalwork Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7164 Metalwork Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,716

$1,329,830 $22,682 $122,482 $29,828 $37,288 $11,346 $368,421 $840,033 $2,761,910



Electrical maintenance/repairs $12,100Facility maintenance/repairs $98,900 (5 facilities staff @$19,780/year)



Maintenance

Maintainence of Previously Purchased Equipement $36,450 $36,450

TOTAL $36,450


Materials For Woodshop 5,000$ Materials for Metal Shop 10,000$ Materials for Fab Lab 10,000$

TOTAL 25,000$





Primary Roof Structure 1,420 2,662 $731 $1,038,473 $124,617 $155,771 $1,318,860 $929Roof Envelope 2,780 1,597 $439 $1,219,687 $146,362 $182,953 $1,549,002 $557Primary Studio and Workshop Structure 1,420 1,065 $293 $415,467 $49,856 $62,320 $527,643 $372Secondry Enclosure System 2,780 532 $146 $406,308 $48,757 $60,946 $516,011 $186Fit Out Elements 400 799 $220 $87,802 $10,536 $13,170 $111,509 $279

TOTAL 6,655 $1,828 $3,167,736 $380,128 $475,160 $4,023,025 $2,322 $4,023,025$1 = QR 3.64




262 263

262 263

Year 5

• Cafeteria Opens• Gallery Opens• Art Supply Store Opens

• Phase 5- Roof construction• Phase 5- Printmaking studio built• Phase 5- 23 studio modules built• Search for master printmakers and assis-

tants initiated• Printmaking equipment ordered





1 Head of Security

6 Security Staff

5 Facilities Staff

2 Security Staff

1 Facilities Staff


1 Education Program Coordinator - 1 Assistant

1 Assistant

1 Assistant


1 Cafeteria Manager - 4 Cafeteria Staff

1 Gallery Curator - 1 Technician

1 Art Store Manager - 1 Assistant




264 265

The Art Souq

264 265







Housing Allowance


Director/Project Manager $135,769 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $47,306 $211,888Woodwork Master Artisan $80,767 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $47,306 $156,1821 Woodwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2292 Woodwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2293 Woodwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2294 Woodwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,229Shipping & Receiving Coordinator $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,229Head of Security $80,767 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $47,306 $156,182Facilitites Manager $80,767 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $47,306 $156,182Administrative Assistant $39,924 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $103,714Digital Fabrication Master Artisan $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $151,2471 Digital Fabrication Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3212 Digital Fabrication Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3213 Digital Fabrication Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3214 Digital Fabrication Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3215 Digital Fabrication Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3216 Digital Fabrication Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,321Metalwork Master Artisan $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $147,5581 Metalwork Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4842 Metalwork Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4843 Metalwork Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4844 Metalwork Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,484Education Program Coordinator $85,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $153,959Assistant to Education Program Coordinator $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716Administrative Assistant $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716Gallery Curator (1) $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $143,959Technician (Gallery) $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716Gallery Curator (2) $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $143,959Technician (Gallery) $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716Art Store Manager $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $143,959Art Store Assistant $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716Cafeteria Manager $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,716

$1,913,075 $33,252 $179,541 $43,728 $54,658 $16,635 $540,059 $1,240,144 $4,021,092




Cafeteria Staff $65,932 (4 cafeteria staff @16483/year)



Maintenance

Maintainence of Previously Purchased Equipement $36,450 $36,450Catering Equipment $50,000 $2,000 $52,000Kippax 60x40 Print Table $8,500 $500 $9,000KPX Exposure System $8,000 $8,0004 x KPX 20x30 Print Table $25,000 $25,000KPX Stencil Development Unit $5,000 $5,000KPX Stencil Removal Booth $1,800 $1,8004 x KPX Drying Rack $7,000 $7,000Shipping for all Kippax Equipment $10,000 $10,000Oce Flatbed printer $300,000 $1,000 $300,000Pressure Washer $1,000 $1,000Epson 11880 Printer $16,000 $500 $16,500Epson 4880 Printer $3,000 $3,0002 x Epson A3 Printer $1,000 $1,000DK Expression Dry Mounter $8,000 $2,000 $10,000DK Laminator $7,000 $2,000 $9,000Risograph Printer $10,000 $2,000 $12,00010 x Apple Mac Computers $40,000 $40,00010 x Flat Files $10,000 $10,000Epson Lithography Platemaker $9,000 $500 $9,500Vandercook Letterpress $10,000 $3,000 $700 $13,700Offset Lithography Press $15,000 $3,000 $500 $18,500Wacom Drawing Tablets $5,000 $5,000Roland Digital Rotary Engraver $13,000 $2,000 $1,000 $16,000Roland Vinyl Cutter $5,000 $500 $200 $5,7003460 hand operated lithography press $15,930 $15,930



266 267







Housing Allowance


Director/Project Manager $135,769 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $47,306 $211,888Woodwork Master Artisan $80,767 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $47,306 $156,1821 Woodwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2292 Woodwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2293 Woodwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2294 Woodwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,229Shipping & Receiving Coordinator $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,229Head of Security $80,767 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $47,306 $156,182Facilitites Manager $80,767 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $47,306 $156,182Administrative Assistant $39,924 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $103,714Digital Fabrication Master Artisan $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $151,2471 Digital Fabrication Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3212 Digital Fabrication Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3213 Digital Fabrication Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3214 Digital Fabrication Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3215 Digital Fabrication Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3216 Digital Fabrication Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,321Metalwork Master Artisan $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $147,5581 Metalwork Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4842 Metalwork Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4843 Metalwork Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4844 Metalwork Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,484Education Program Coordinator $85,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $153,959Assistant to Education Program Coordinator $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716Administrative Assistant $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716Gallery Curator (1) $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $143,959Technician (Gallery) $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716Gallery Curator (2) $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $143,959Technician (Gallery) $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716Art Store Manager $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $143,959Art Store Assistant $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716Cafeteria Manager $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,716

$1,913,075 $33,252 $179,541 $43,728 $54,658 $16,635 $540,059 $1,240,144 $4,021,092







Maintenance

Maintainence of Previously Purchased Equipement $36,450 $36,450Catering Equipment $50,000 $2,000 $52,000Kippax 60x40 Print Table $8,500 $500 $9,000KPX Exposure System $8,000 $8,0004 x KPX 20x30 Print Table $25,000 $25,000KPX Stencil Development Unit $5,000 $5,000KPX Stencil Removal Booth $1,800 $1,8004 x KPX Drying Rack $7,000 $7,000Shipping for all Kippax Equipment $10,000 $10,000Oce Flatbed printer $300,000 $1,000 $300,000Pressure Washer $1,000 $1,000Epson 11880 Printer $16,000 $500 $16,500Epson 4880 Printer $3,000 $3,0002 x Epson A3 Printer $1,000 $1,000DK Expression Dry Mounter $8,000 $2,000 $10,000DK Laminator $7,000 $2,000 $9,000Risograph Printer $10,000 $2,000 $12,00010 x Apple Mac Computers $40,000 $40,00010 x Flat Files $10,000 $10,000Epson Lithography Platemaker $9,000 $500 $9,500Vandercook Letterpress $10,000 $3,000 $700 $13,700Offset Lithography Press $15,000 $3,000 $500 $18,500Wacom Drawing Tablets $5,000 $5,000Roland Digital Rotary Engraver $13,000 $2,000 $1,000 $16,000Roland Vinyl Cutter $5,000 $500 $200 $5,7003460 hand operated lithography press $15,930 $15,930


alum plate backer $1,945 $1,945polyethlene scraper bar set 170 inch $298 $298replacement straps for scraper bars $80 $8036x48 hand held tympan polycarbonate $64 $64tympan grease 1 pound containers $36 $364 x 14 leather roller $760 $7604 x 18 leather roller $480 $4802.5 x 6 hand brayer 35 duro $193 $1932.5 x 8 hand brayer 35 duro $215 $2154.75 x 10.75 hand inking roller $310 $3104.75 x 14.75 hand inking roller $396 $3966.75 x 16.75 hand inking roller $556 $7388.5 x 20.75 hand inking roller $738 $90410.5 x 24.75 hand inking roller $904 $90410.5 x 26.75 hand inking roller $958 $958Shipping for all Lithography Equipment $4,000 $4,000SK-‐60 Polymetaal Rosin Dust Box $1,840 $300 $2,140Sizing Catcher-‐Press Blankets $316 $100 $416Cushin-‐Press Bankets $270 $100 $370Pusher-‐Press Blankets $449.28 $100 $549foot-‐operated square metal shears-‐3809A2 $4,000.00 $800 $4,800Takach Professional Hot Plate $2,500 $700 $3,200

TOTAL $664,836


Materials For Woodshop 5,000$ Materials for Metal Shop 10,000$ Materials for Fab Lab 10,000$ Materials for Art Supply Store 350,000$ Materials for Gallery 10,000$ Materials for Printshop 100,000$

TOTAL 485,000$





Primary Roof Structure 2,100 2,928 $804 $1,689,231 $202,708 $253,385 $2,145,323 $1,022Roof Envelope 3,300 1,757 $483 $1,592,885 $191,146 $238,933 $2,022,963 $613Primary Studio and Workshop Structure 2,100 1,172 $322 $676,154 $81,138 $101,423 $858,715 $409Secondry Enclosure System 3,300 585 $161 $530,357 $63,643 $79,554 $673,554 $204Fit Out Elements 500 879 $241 $120,742 $14,489 $18,111 $153,342 $307

TOTAL 7,321 $2,011 $4,609,368 $553,124 $691,405 $5,853,898 $2,554 $5,853,898$1 = QR3.64


The Art Souq

266 267

Year 6

• VCUQatar Painting and Printmaking program occupies studios surrounding printmaking studio.

• Fanoon: Center for Printmedia Research occupies printmaking studios.

• Phase 6- Roof construction• Phase 6- ceramics shop built• Phase 6- 23 studio modules built• Search for ceramics master artisan initiated• Search for 4 ceramics artisans initiated• Ceramics equipment ordered• Phase 6 artists apply for studios



6 Security Staff

2 Security Staff

1 Facilities Staff


1 Shipping & Receving Coordinator

1 Head of Security

5 Facilities Staff



2 Assistant


1 Ceremics Master Artisan - 4 Ceramics Artisans






268 269

The Art Souq

268 269







Housing Allowance


Director/Project Manager $142,642 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $48,489 $220,662Woodwork Master Artisan $82,786 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $48,489 $160,0881 Woodwork Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2102 Woodwork Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2103 Woodwork Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2104 Woodwork Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,210Shipping & Receiving Coordinator $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,210Head of Security $82,786 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $48,489 $160,088Facilitites Manager $82,786 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $48,489 $160,088Administrative Assistant $40,922 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $106,307Digital Fabrication Master Artisan $80,767 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $46,152 $155,0291 Digital Fabrication Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2292 Digital Fabrication Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2293 Digital Fabrication Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2294 Digital Fabrication Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2295 Digital Fabrication Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2296 Digital Fabrication Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,229Metalwork Master Artisan $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $151,2471 Metalwork Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3212 Metalwork Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3213 Metalwork Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3214 Metalwork Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,321Education Program Coordinator $87,125 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $157,808Assistant to Education Program Coordinator $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Administrative Assistant $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Gallery Curator (1) $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $147,558Technician (Gallery) $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Gallery Curator (2) $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $147,558Technician (Gallery) $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Art Store Manager $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $147,558Art Store Assistant $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Cafeteria Manager $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,484Art Store Assistant $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716Ceramic Master Artisan $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $143,9591 Ceramics Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7162 Ceramics Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7163 Ceramics Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7164 Ceramics Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,716

$2,277,378 $40,084 $216,427 $52,717 $65,885 $20,053 $651,020 $1,487,074 $4,810,638







Maintenance

Maintenance of Previously Purchased Equipment $43,350 $43,350Manfrotto System 54 with Petrographs $7,000 $7,0006 x Bowens Gemini 500 Pro Flash Head $9,000 $9,000Bowens Radio Trigger Card Kit $500 $500Bowens Pulse Trigger $500 $5006 x Bowens Wide Angle Umbrella Reflector $700 $700Bowens Light Reflector Kit $500 $500Bowens Gemini Remote Control $150 $1504 x Bowens 60x60 cm Softbox $1,500 $1,5004 x Bowens Softbox 80x100 cm $1,000 $1,0002 x Bowens Softbox 140x100cm $1,000 $1,000Bowens Reflector $100 $1004 x Bowens 35" Silver/White Umbrella $350 $3502 x Bowens 45" Silver/White Umbrella $200 $200Manfrotto 6 Background Holder $300 $3006 x Manfrotto Expan Background System $1,000 $1,000Manfrooto Still Life Table $800 $8002 x Bowens Gemini 750 Twin Head Kit 7000 70002 x Bowens Travel Pack Starter Kit $2,000 $2,000Multiblitz Paper Background $2,000 $2,000



270 271

Installation of Manfrotto System $2,000 $2,000Maintenance of All Photo Studio Equipment $2,000 $2,000Hasselblad H5D-‐60 Medium Format Digital Camera $45,000 $1,000 $46,000Hasselblad HCD 24mm Wide Angle Lens $7,000 $7,000Hasselblad 150mm Telephoto Lens $5,000 $5,000Hasselblad 300mm Telephoto Lens $6,000 $6,000Hasselblad 35-‐90 mm Lens $9,000 $9,0004 x Nikon D3X SLR $28,000 $28,0004 x Nikon 24-‐70mm Lens $7,200 $7,200Nikon 14-‐24mm Lens $2,000 $2,000Nikon 70-‐200 Telephoto Lens $1,500 $1,500Nikon 60mm Macro Lens $700 $7002 x Canon XF 305 Professional Camcorder $12,000 $12,000Can Camcorder Accessories $10,000 $10,000Studio Video Lighting Kit $10,000 $10,000Mobile Video Lighting Kit $3,000 $3,000Hasselblad H5 Scanner $22,000 $22,000Color and Film Development Equipment $3,000 $3,0004 x Apple Mac Computers $16,000 $16,0002 x Epson A3 Printers $1,200 $1,200Maintenance of Video Equipment $5,000 $5,000

TOTAL $277,550


Materials For Woodshop 5,000$ Materials for Metal Shop 10,000$ Materials for Fab Lab 10,000$ Materials for Art Supply Store 50,000$ Materials for Gallery 5,000$ Materials for Printshop 30,000$ Materials for Photo and Video Studio 7,000$

TOTAL 117,000$





Primary Roof Structure 2,100 3,221 $885 $1,858,269 $222,992 $278,740 $2,360,002 $1,124Roof Envelope 3,300 1,933 $531 $1,752,445 $210,293 $262,867 $2,225,605 $674Primary Studio and Workshop Structure 2,100 1,289 $354 $743,654 $89,238 $111,548 $944,440 $450Secondry Enclosure System 3,300 644 $177 $583,846 $70,062 $87,577 $741,485 $225Fit Out Elements 500 967 $266 $132,830 $15,940 $19,924 $168,694 $337

TOTAL 8,054 $2,213 $5,071,044 $608,525 $760,657 $6,440,226 $2,810 $6,440,226$1 = QR3.64








Housing Allowance


Director/Project Manager $142,642 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $48,489 $220,662Woodwork Master Artisan $82,786 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $48,489 $160,0881 Woodwork Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2102 Woodwork Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2103 Woodwork Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2104 Woodwork Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,210Shipping & Receiving Coordinator $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,210Head of Security $82,786 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $48,489 $160,088Facilitites Manager $82,786 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $48,489 $160,088Administrative Assistant $40,922 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $106,307Digital Fabrication Master Artisan $80,767 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $46,152 $155,0291 Digital Fabrication Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2292 Digital Fabrication Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2293 Digital Fabrication Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2294 Digital Fabrication Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2295 Digital Fabrication Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2296 Digital Fabrication Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,229Metalwork Master Artisan $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $151,2471 Metalwork Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3212 Metalwork Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3213 Metalwork Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3214 Metalwork Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,321Education Program Coordinator $87,125 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $157,808Assistant to Education Program Coordinator $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Administrative Assistant $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Gallery Curator (1) $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $147,558Technician (Gallery) $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Gallery Curator (2) $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $147,558Technician (Gallery) $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Art Store Manager $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $147,558Art Store Assistant $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Cafeteria Manager $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,484Art Store Assistant $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716Ceramic Master Artisan $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $143,9591 Ceramics Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7162 Ceramics Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7163 Ceramics Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7164 Ceramics Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,716

$2,277,378 $40,084 $216,427 $52,717 $65,885 $20,053 $651,020 $1,487,074 $4,810,638







Maintenance

Maintenance of Previously Purchased Equipment $43,350 $43,350Manfrotto System 54 with Petrographs $7,000 $7,0006 x Bowens Gemini 500 Pro Flash Head $9,000 $9,000Bowens Radio Trigger Card Kit $500 $500Bowens Pulse Trigger $500 $5006 x Bowens Wide Angle Umbrella Reflector $700 $700Bowens Light Reflector Kit $500 $500Bowens Gemini Remote Control $150 $1504 x Bowens 60x60 cm Softbox $1,500 $1,5004 x Bowens Softbox 80x100 cm $1,000 $1,0002 x Bowens Softbox 140x100cm $1,000 $1,000Bowens Reflector $100 $1004 x Bowens 35" Silver/White Umbrella $350 $3502 x Bowens 45" Silver/White Umbrella $200 $200Manfrotto 6 Background Holder $300 $3006 x Manfrotto Expan Background System $1,000 $1,000Manfrooto Still Life Table $800 $8002 x Bowens Gemini 750 Twin Head Kit 7000 70002 x Bowens Travel Pack Starter Kit $2,000 $2,000Multiblitz Paper Background $2,000 $2,000


The Art Souq

270 271

Year 7


• Phase 7- Roof construction• Phase 7- Photography and video studio built• Phase 7- 23 studio modules built• Search for photography technician initiated• Phase 7 artists apply for studios



11 Security Staff

1 Security Staff

1 Facilities Staff



1 Head of Security

8 Facilities Staff


2 Assistant

1 shipping & Receiving Coordinator - 1 Assistant



1 Master Printer - 4 Printmaking Artisans






272 273

The Art Souq

272 273

YEAR 7: Staff Costs$5,000 Single: 5,000 QR/month$23,077 Married: $7,000 QR/month$24,725 Single+Child: $7,500 QR/month

$1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 Married+1 child: 10,500 QR/month





Housing Allowance


Director/Project Manager $146,208 $1,160 $6,262 $1,525 $1,905 $580 $18,836 $49,701 $226,179Woodwork Master Artisan $84,856 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $49,701 $164,0881 Woodwork Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,2632 Woodwork Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,2633 Woodwork Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,2634 Woodwork Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,263Shipping & Receiving Coordinator $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,263Head of Security $84,856 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $49,701 $164,088Facilitites Manager $84,856 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $49,701 $164,088Administrative Assistant $41,945 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $108,965Digital Fabrication Master Artisan $82,786 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $47,306 $158,9051 Digital Fabrication Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2102 Digital Fabrication Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2103 Digital Fabrication Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2104 Digital Fabrication Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2105 Digital Fabrication Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2106 Digital Fabrication Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,210Metalwork Master Artisan $80,767 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $46,152 $155,0291 Metalwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2292 Metalwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2293 Metalwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2294 Metalwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,229Education Program Coordinator $89,303 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $161,753Assistant to Education Program Coordinator $39,924 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $103,714Administrative Assistant $39,924 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $103,714Gallery Curator (1) $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $151,247Technician (Gallery) $39,924 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $103,714Gallery Curator (2) $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $151,247Technician (Gallery) $39,924 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $103,714Art Store Manager $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $151,247Art Store Assistant $39,924 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $103,714Cafeteria Manager $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,321Art Store Assistant $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Ceramic Master Artisan $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $147,5581 Ceramics Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4842 Ceramics Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4843 Ceramics Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4844 Ceramics Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,484Master Printer $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $143,9591 Printmaking Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7162 Printmaking Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7163 Printmaking Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7164 Printmaking Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,716Assistant Shipping & Receiving $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716

$2,647,308 $47,087 $254,235 $61,928 $77,391 $23,555 $764,751 $1,740,173 $5,616,429







Maintenance

Maintenance of Previously Purchased Equipment $51,350 $51,350Glass Kiln $2,000 $1,000 $3,000Pottery Kiln $6,500 $3,000 $9,500Front Loader Kiln $8,500 $3,000 $11,500Clay Mixer $6,500 $1,000 $7,500Slab Roller $2,300 $1,000 $3,300Spray Booth $1,500 $1,000 $2,500Clay filtration System $2,300 $800 $3,100Pug Mill $8,000 $1,000 $9,000Ball Mill $1,250 $700 $1,9503 x Ware Carts $1,500 $500 $2,500Drying Cabinet $2,600 $800 $3,400

TOTAL $108,600



274 275







Housing Allowance


Director/Project Manager $146,208 $1,160 $6,262 $1,525 $1,905 $580 $18,836 $49,701 $226,179Woodwork Master Artisan $84,856 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $49,701 $164,0881 Woodwork Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,2632 Woodwork Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,2633 Woodwork Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,2634 Woodwork Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,263Shipping & Receiving Coordinator $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,263Head of Security $84,856 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $49,701 $164,088Facilitites Manager $84,856 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $49,701 $164,088Administrative Assistant $41,945 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $108,965Digital Fabrication Master Artisan $82,786 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $47,306 $158,9051 Digital Fabrication Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2102 Digital Fabrication Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2103 Digital Fabrication Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2104 Digital Fabrication Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2105 Digital Fabrication Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2106 Digital Fabrication Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,210Metalwork Master Artisan $80,767 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $46,152 $155,0291 Metalwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2292 Metalwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2293 Metalwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,2294 Metalwork Artisan $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,229Education Program Coordinator $89,303 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $161,753Assistant to Education Program Coordinator $39,924 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $103,714Administrative Assistant $39,924 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $103,714Gallery Curator (1) $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $151,247Technician (Gallery) $39,924 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $103,714Gallery Curator (2) $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $151,247Technician (Gallery) $39,924 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $103,714Art Store Manager $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $151,247Art Store Assistant $39,924 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $103,714Cafeteria Manager $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,321Art Store Assistant $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Ceramic Master Artisan $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $147,5581 Ceramics Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4842 Ceramics Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4843 Ceramics Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4844 Ceramics Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,484Master Printer $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $143,9591 Printmaking Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7162 Printmaking Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7163 Printmaking Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7164 Printmaking Artisan $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,716Assistant Shipping & Receiving $38,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $98,716

$2,647,308 $47,087 $254,235 $61,928 $77,391 $23,555 $764,751 $1,740,173 $5,616,429







Maintenance

Maintenance of Previously Purchased Equipment $51,350 $51,350Glass Kiln $2,000 $1,000 $3,000Pottery Kiln $6,500 $3,000 $9,500Front Loader Kiln $8,500 $3,000 $11,500Clay Mixer $6,500 $1,000 $7,500Slab Roller $2,300 $1,000 $3,300Spray Booth $1,500 $1,000 $2,500Clay filtration System $2,300 $800 $3,100Pug Mill $8,000 $1,000 $9,000Ball Mill $1,250 $700 $1,9503 x Ware Carts $1,500 $500 $2,500Drying Cabinet $2,600 $800 $3,400

TOTAL $108,600



Materials For Woodshop 5,000$ Materials for Metal Shop 10,000$ Materials for Fab Lab 10,000$ Materials for Art Supply Store 50,000$ Materials for Gallery 5,000$ Materials for Printshop 30,000$ Materials for Photo and Video Studio 7,000$ Materials for Ceramics Studio 8,000$

TOTAL 125,000$





Primary Roof Structure 2,100 3,543 $973 $2,044,038 $245,285 $306,606 $2,595,929 $1,236Roof Envelope 3,300 2,126 $584 $1,927,418 $231,290 $289,113 $2,447,820 $742Primary Studio and Workshop Structure 2,100 1,418 $390 $818,077 $98,169 $122,712 $1,038,958 $495Secondry Enclosure System 3,300 708 $195 $641,868 $77,024 $96,280 $815,173 $247Fit Out Elements 500 1,064 $292 $146,154 $17,538 $21,923 $185,615 $371

TOTAL 8,859 $2,434 $5,577,555 $669,307 $836,633 $7,083,495 $3,091 $7,083,4951$ = 3.64QR


The Art Souq

274 275

Year 8


• Phase 8- Roof construction• Phase 8- 26 studio modules built• Phase 8 artists apply for studios



12 Security Staff

Security Staff

1 Facilities Staff



1 Head of Security

9 Facilities Staff


2 Assistant

1 shipping & Receiving Coordinator - 1 Assistant




1 Master Photographer/Videographer - 2 Photography/Video Artisans






276 277

The Art Souq

276 277







Housing Allowance


Director/Project Manager $149,863 $1,189 $6,419 $1,563 $1,953 $595 $19,307 $50,944 $231,831Woodwork Master Artisan $86,977 $1,160 $6,262 $1,525 $1,905 $580 $18,836 $50,944 $168,1911 Woodwork Artisan $57,984 $1,160 $6,262 $1,525 $1,905 $580 $18,836 $40,141 $128,3952 Woodwork Artisan $57,984 $1,160 $6,262 $1,525 $1,905 $580 $18,836 $40,141 $128,3953 Woodwork Artisan $57,984 $1,160 $6,262 $1,525 $1,905 $580 $18,836 $40,141 $128,3954 Woodwork Artisan $57,984 $1,160 $6,262 $1,525 $1,905 $580 $18,836 $40,141 $128,395Shipping & Receiving Coordinator $57,984 $1,160 $6,262 $1,525 $1,905 $580 $18,836 $40,141 $128,395Head of Security $86,977 $1,160 $6,262 $1,525 $1,905 $580 $18,836 $50,944 $168,191Facilitites Manager $86,977 $1,160 $6,262 $1,525 $1,905 $580 $18,836 $50,944 $168,191Administrative Assistant $42,532 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $111,226Digital Fabrication Master Artisan $84,856 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $48,489 $162,8761 Digital Fabrication Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,2632 Digital Fabrication Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,2633 Digital Fabrication Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,2634 Digital Fabrication Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,2635 Digital Fabrication Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,2636 Digital Fabrication Artisan $56,570 $1,132 $6,109 $1,488 $1,859 $566 $18,377 $39,162 $125,263Metalwork Master Artisan $82,786 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $47,306 $158,9051 Metalwork Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2102 Metalwork Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2103 Metalwork Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,2104 Metalwork Artisan $55,190 $1,104 $5,960 $1,452 $1,814 $552 $17,929 $38,207 $122,210Education Program Coordinator $91,536 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $46,152 $165,797Assistant to Education Program Coordinator $40,922 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $106,307Administrative Assistant $40,922 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $106,307Gallery Curator (1) $80,767 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $46,152 $155,029Technician (Gallery) $40,922 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $106,307Gallery Curator (2) $80,767 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $46,152 $155,029Technician (Gallery) $40,922 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $106,307Art Store Manager $80,767 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $46,152 $155,029Art Store Assistant $40,922 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $106,307Cafeteria Manager $53,844 $1,077 $5,815 $1,417 $1,770 $539 $17,492 $37,275 $119,229Art Store Assistant $39,924 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $103,714Ceramic Master Artisan $78,797 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $45,026 $151,2471 Ceramics Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3212 Ceramics Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3213 Ceramics Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,3214 Ceramics Artisan $52,531 $1,051 $5,673 $1,382 $1,727 $526 $17,065 $36,366 $116,321Master Printer $76,875 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $43,928 $147,5581 Printmaking Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4842 Printmaking Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4843 Printmaking Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,4844 Printmaking Artisan $51,250 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $113,484Assistant Shipping & Receiving $38,950 $1,025 $5,535 $1,348 $1,685 $513 $16,649 $35,479 $101,184Master Photographer/Videographer $75,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $42,857 $143,9591 Photography/video artisans $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,7162 Photography/video artisans $50,000 $1,000 $5,400 $1,315 $1,644 $500 $16,243 $34,614 $110,716

$2,888,032 $51,270 $276,785 $67,421 $84,250 $25,646 $832,594 $1,895,763 $6,121,760







Maintenance

Maintenance of Previously Purchased Equipment $51,350 $51,350

TOTAL $51,350


Materials For Woodshop 5,000$ Materials for Metal Shop 10,000$ Materials for Fab Lab 10,000$ Materials for Art Supply Store 50,000$



278 279







Housing Allowance



$2,888,032 $51,270 $276,785 $67,421 $84,250 $25,646 $832,594 $1,895,763 $6,121,760







Maintenance


TOTAL $51,350


Materials For Woodshop 5,000$ Materials for Metal Shop 10,000$ Materials for Fab Lab 10,000$ Materials for Art Supply Store 50,000$


Materials for Gallery 5,000$ Materials for Printshop 30,000$ Materials for Photo and Video Studio 7,000$ Materials for Cermaics Studio 8,000$

TOTAL 125,000$





Primary Roof Structure 1,420 3,897 $1,071 $1,520,258 $182,431 $228,039 $1,930,728 $1,360Roof Envelope 2,780 2,339 $643 $1,786,379 $214,365 $267,957 $2,268,701 $816Primary Studio and Workshop Structure 1,420 1,560 $429 $608,571 $73,029 $91,286 $772,886 $544Secondry Enclosure System 2,780 779 $214 $594,951 $71,394 $89,243 $755,587 $272Fit Out Elements 400 1,170 $321 $128,571 $15,429 $19,286 $163,286 $408

TOTAL 9,745 $2,677 $4,638,731 $556,648 $695,810 $5,891,188 $3,400 $5,891,1881$ = 3.64QR


The Art Souq

278 279

Year 9


• Phase 9- Roof construction• Phase 9- 25 studio modules built• Phase 9 artists apply for studios



13 Security Staff

1 Security Staff



1 Head of Security

10 Facilities Staff


2 Assistant

1 Shipping & Receiving Coordinator - 1 Assistant










280 281

The Art Souq

280 281







Housing Allowance



$2,960,230 $52,553 $283,705 $69,108 $86,345 $26,288 $853,404 $1,943,516 $6,275,147






Equipment Costs Equipment ShippingAnnual Maintenance


TOTAL $51,350


Materials For Woodshop 5,000$ Materials for Metal Shop 10,000$ Materials for Fab Lab 10,000$ Materials for Art Supply Store 50,000$ Materials for Gallery 5,000$



282 283







Housing Allowance



$2,960,230 $52,553 $283,705 $69,108 $86,345 $26,288 $853,404 $1,943,516 $6,275,147








TOTAL $51,350


Materials For Woodshop 5,000$ Materials for Metal Shop 10,000$ Materials for Fab Lab 10,000$ Materials for Art Supply Store 50,000$ Materials for Gallery 5,000$


Materials for Printshop 30,000$ Materials for Photo and Video Studio 7,000$ Materials for Cermaics Studio 8,000$

TOTAL 125,000$





Primary Roof Structure 1,420 4,287 $1,178 $1,672,401 $200,688 $250,860 $2,123,949 $1,496Roof Envelope 2,780 2,573 $707 $1,965,093 $235,811 $294,764 $2,495,669 $898Primary Studio and Workshop Structure 1,420 1,716 $471 $669,429 $80,331 $100,414 $850,174 $599Secondry Enclosure System 2,780 857 $235 $654,522 $78,543 $98,178 $831,243 $299Fit Out Elements 400 1,287 $354 $141,429 $16,971 $21,214 $179,614 $449

TOTAL 10,720 $2,945 $5,102,874 $612,345 $765,431 $6,480,650 $3,740 $6,480,6501$ = 3.64QR


The Art Souq

282 283

Year 10

• Construction Complete




13 Security Staff

1 Security Staff



1 Head of Security

10 Facilities Staff


2 Assistant

1 Shipping & Receiving Coordinator - 1 Assistant










284 285

The Art Souq

284 285







Housing Allowance



$2,960,230 $52,553 $283,705 $69,108 $86,345 $26,288 $853,404 $1,932,083 $6,263,714








TOTAL $51,350





286 287







Housing Allowance



$2,960,230 $52,553 $283,705 $69,108 $86,345 $26,288 $853,404 $1,932,083 $6,263,714








TOTAL $51,350




Materials for Photo and Video Studio 7,000$ Materials for Cermaics Studio 8,000$

TOTAL 125,000$





Primary Roof Structure 0 2,000 $549 $0 $0 $0 $0 #DIV/0!Roof Envelope 0 1,200 $330 $0 $0 $0 $0 #DIV/0!Primary Studio and Workshop Structure 0 800 $220 $0 $0 $0 $0 #DIV/0!Secondry Enclosure System 0 400 $110 $0 $0 $0 $0 #DIV/0!Fit Out Elements 0 600 $165 $0 $0 $0 $0 #DIV/0!

TOTAL 5,000 $1,374 $0 $0 $0 $0 #DIV/0! $01$ = 3.64QR


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6.6 Program Plan

The Art Souq sees itself not only as providing studios but is also a research center and an educational institution that will serve the whole artistic community. Therefore a series of programs are proposed to address these issues.

Studio Program for Doha-Based Artists

The primary function of the Art Souq is to provide studio space for artists based in Doha. Therefore, a program to allocate studio space to local artists is at the heart of the Art Souq’s mission. Each year approximately 12-16 studios will be built from years 1-9. The reason that this number is approximate is that the studio design is flexible with a number of studio sizes available from a fixed number of modules. Depending on the demand for the type of studios for each cycle, more or less studios may be built during each phase of construction.

During year 1 of the project artists will be solicited to take a studio in the complex. These will include-

• 5 studios for VCU faculty• 2 large studios each for 5 VCU graduates• 5 studios for Qatari artists• 2 studios for MENA artists• 1 studios for an expat artist• 1 studio for a Mathaf artist in residence

This will total 16 studios, all of which will be built during year 1 of the project and ready for use in the middle of year 2.

• During year 2 of the project an additional 12-16 studios (25 modules) will be built and artists within the local community will submit an application to rent these studios.

• An active marketing and promotional plan will be implemented to ensure applications from all sectors of the fine art community.

• Applications will be reviewed with the objective of curating a balance of artistic practices from all sections of the Qatar fine art community.

• This process of promoting, soliciting and reviewing applications for studio space will continue each year of the Art Souq.


288 289

Artists Residency Programs

The tremendous growth in Qatar’s arts and cultural sectors in recent years has made it clear that a number of organizations within this region would benefit immediately from an artist studio complex to support their ambitions for artists residency programs. Notable examples include the Qatar Museums Authority Public Art Program, Mathaf- Arab Museum of Modern Art, The Museum of Islamic Art, The Orientalist Museum, The Museum of Media, and Virginia Commonwealth University. From our research it has also become apparent that additional smaller institutions would benefit from access to facilities for artists residency programs, including Katara, Katara Art Center, The Visual Art Center, Anima Gallery, Al-Markhiya Gallery and Msheireb Art Center.

Local stakeholders have identified the need for local artists to interact with international artists. Far from feeling threatened by the presence of international artists in residence, almost all local artists recognize the benefits that interaction with international artists can bring and welcome artists residency programs within the Art Souq.

The Art Souq therefore proposes to introduce the following residency programs that will be curated and administered by local stakeholder institutions-

• Year 2- Mathaf fellowship• Year 3- Katara Art Center Fellowship• Year 4- Msheireb Art Center Fellowship• Year 5- No new fellowship due to no construction of studios in year 4• Year 6- Visual Art Center Fellowship• Year 7- Anima/ Al-Markhiya Fellowship

During the research stage of this project, it became apparent that two similar projects for artists’ studios were being developed by the Qatar Museums Authority. Therefore, with the exception of Mathaf, which has expressed an interest in studio space at The Art Souq, institutions within the QMA have not been recommended for inclusion in the artist residency program. This is because, from our initial discussions with QMA, it seems that the ‘Fire Station’ project may be utilized for such residencies. Should QMA be interested in using the Art Souq for its fellowship programs the Art Souq business plan can be modified accordingly. Fellowship programs from QMA could be linked to the production facilities of the Art Souq. For example, even if QMA fellows are located at a studio elsewhere, we see the opportunity to collaborate through granting access to Art Souq production facilities for fabrication of artworks.

Given the examples of flat management styles and ground level organizations that have proved successful in our research we propose a devolved program design for these residencies in which physical space and funding are provided to these institutions for residency programs but all aspects of program design be handled by those institutions. International field studies and the local needs assessment have shown this is the most appropriate approach to ensure a diverse and well respected set of residency programs.

The Art Souq

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Artisan in Residency Programs

The vision for the Art Souq is to become a world-class facility regarding production of art. Therefore we propose that each of the production units: Woodshop, Metal shop, Fab Lab, and so forth would benefit from bringing in world-renowned artisans. In working side by side with the artist and artisans of the Art Souq these artisans in residence would ensure expansion of skills and knowledge.

Educational Programs

Local stakeholders have identified the need for a number of educational programs to work in tandem with the physical evolution of the Art Souq. The Art Souq will serve a number of artists who have recently graduated as well as emerging artists who have no formal educational training, or perhaps those who are not yet emerging but have the ambition to become practising artists. All of these groups require support if they are to compete for studio space fairly with more experienced artists such as established Qatari artists or VCU faculty.

The Art Souq will address this need through offering portfolio preparation classes during year two of the project. These will be semester-long courses conducted by the Art Souq Director and will cover such subjects as photographing one’s work, developing a website, writing artists statements, talking about one’s work, as well as more broad discussions aimed at providing a wider cultural context in which to view one’s own practice. All of this will be done with the aim of encouraging and supporting successful studio applications by emerging artists.

Portfolio preparation classes will continue throughout each year of the Art Souq’s development and will be complemented by the introduction of technical classes, in year 3 of the project, that will address technical skills needed for the operation of complex machinery and software available to artists in the Art Souq production facilities. Contemporary artists have always sought to make work from the tools and processes of their age and advances in recent years have brought about tools and software that artists wish to utilize but may not have experience in doing so. Whilst the production facilities of the Art Souq will provide master craftsmen to help artists realize projects, there will also be an educational program that will help artists learn to utilize and master these tools and software themselves and thus create greater autonomy, independence, and self reliance for those who desire it. Beginning with the woodshop in year 3 of the program, classes will be given in basic woodworking techniques. In year 4 of the program more in-depth classes will be given in the software and hardware utilized in the digital fabrication facility. Courses in vector graphics and 3D modeling software will be given as well as instruction on the use of laser cutters, 3D printers, plasma cutters and water jets. These courses will continue in year 5 with the addition of metal working courses. Depending on the evolution of the facilities in years 6-10 additional courses in ceramics, casting, photography and video, and printmaking will all be offered to provide lifelong learning opportunities for all artists utilizing the Art Souq.


290 291

Year 4 of the Art Souq will see a central facility for a gallery, library and educational rooms as well as the hiring of a full time Education Coordinator. This will provide an additional resource to develop courses for educational programs aimed at developing artists’ professional skills. This may include, but is not limited to, preparation of CV’s, websites, advice on mentoring and on working with commercial galleries, grant proposal applications, business plan development for creative entrepreneurs, and so forth.

Curatorial Projects

Through our research we have identified the need for spaces in which artists can exhibit work, spaces for collaborative projects, and spaces for dialogue. Our proposal for the Art Souq is that its path of growth be determined by research undertaken with users of the Art Souq in years 1-3 of the project. During year 4 of the project a central facility for a potential gallery, library, education rooms and so forth will be constructed and a curator hired. Depending on the outcome of this research that curator will curate a range of projects that may include, but not be limited to, exhibitions, social events, performances, happenings, poetry readings, lectures and seminars. This set of curatorial projects is seen as fluid in nature, soft and malleable in terms of direction. A curator for these projects has been budgeted into the financial section of our proposal and the nature of their job description will be dependent on research conducted during years 1-3 of the project.

Artwork Fabrication Commissions

Many of the stakeholder institutions we have identified have additional fabrication needs that could be met by the development of the Art Souq. For example, the access to specialized equipment within the artist complex, such as Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) routers or plasma cutters, could provide great benefit to some businesses in Qatar while simultaneously increasing the attractiveness of the international artist residencies. Having access to an artist complex could also change and expand the types of exhibitions that can be shown in Qatar galleries and museums, making it possible to develop site-specific installations that could be created in Doha. This would lower the cost of the installation and increase the probability of a successful installation by allowing artists immediate, in-country reactions to changes that might need to take place during the installation but requiring access to space and specialized equipment to resolve. The Art Souq will therefore develop a system during year 4 of the project for outside organizations to commission works to be fabricated.

VCU Painting and Printmaking Program

Depending on a number of factors, the Art Souq may be a possible location to house the VCUQatar Painting and Printmaking Program (PAPR) and its publishing program, Fanoon: Center For Printmedia Research. This would be dependent on factors such as the proximity of the Art Souq to VCU, the development of VCU as an institution, its relationship to HBKU and the relationship of such a development to the VCUQatar Strategic Plan, now under revision. If such a proposal were viable we would recommend this would take place during year 6 of the Art Souq so as to coincide with the opening of the printmaking studios. It is recommended that the PAPR program occupy the studios in the two courtyards that surround the print studios.

The Art Souq

290 291

6.7 Assessment of Context and Market

Overview

To talk about the Art Souq in terms of ‘market’ is perhaps inappropriate given that it is not intended to be profit or revenue driven. However, through extensive research to with local stakeholders we have identified the following social groups as potential users of the Art Souq studios-

• Qatari Artists• MENA Artists• Ex-pat Artists• VCU Alumni• VCU Faculty• International Artists in Residence• International Artisans in Residence

Current Audience and User Profile

Qatari Artists

Qatar has had a small but significant artist community for many years. This has been exemplified by artists such as Yousef Ahmad and Ali Hassan who formed part of the generation of Qatari artists known as ‘the pioneers’ during the early 1980s. These artists have become well known in Qatar and the Gulf region with some also exhibiting internationally in Europe and the US. The number of practising and established Qatari artists is perhaps exemplified by the survey show of Qatari artists, ‘Swalif ’, exhibited at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, in 2011. Curated by Yousef Ahmad, the show highlighted the work of approximately 20 living Qatari artists practicing full-time in Qatar. Most of these artists are more mature, tending to be in their 40s, 50s and 60s. The exhibition does not necessarily account for the entire demographic of Qatari artists, focusing on established, rather than emerging artists; however, it does give an indication of the number of Qatari artists practicing full time with established studio practices.

In terms of emerging Qatari artists, The Fine Art Society lists some several hundred artists practising in Qatar, but Qatari artists interviewd in this research stated this number is highly inflated. Instead, they claim the number of serious practicing Qatari artists is in the region of 40-50, approximately 20-30 of whom practice full-time.


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MENA Artists

In terms of MENA artists based in Doha, this is perhaps more difficult to establish; however, those gallerists and curators who work with a great deal of MENA artists put this figure to be in the region of 10-12 artists who have active, serious and full-time practices.

Ex-Pat Artists

Ex-patriot artists currently number in the region of a few dozen outside of those who are faculty at VCU. Most of these have located to Qatar through a spouse involved in another career path and have attempted to continue their studio practice within Doha. Some have established relationships with galleries in major art centers such as New York while others are emerging and have had more modest success. From those interviewed in this research, it is apparent that many of these artists have ambitious practices, an urgent need for studio space that is medium to large in size, and are prepared to make a financial investment in that space. Some that we interviewed are perhaps less serious in their practice and view it perhaps more as a pastime and would be less inclined towards a studio space, particularly if there was a financial cost. These artists, however, were in the minority. A significant majority of artists we interviewed from the ex-pat community would take the opportunity of a studio space if it were to become available.

VCU Faculty

Currently at VCU there are 7 fine art faculty with studio practices, all of which currently have no permanent studio and would be prepared to invest in a studio that the Art Souq would offer.

Potential Audience User Profile

Within the numbers mentioned above, our research findings have shown that those Qatari artists who make up the established Qatari artist community will remain fairly constant in size over the coming years, perhaps even receding due to the fact that many of these artists are mature in age and experience. VCU faculty will most likely remain constant in number for the foreseeable future, given the current status of the institution and the overall vision of the Qatar Foundation and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. The social group where the most growth is anticipated is perhaps not surprisingly, VCU graduates.

Currently, the Painting and Printmaking program is the only fine art program in the country and is still in it’s infancy, with its first group of students due to graduate this spring. This year 5 students will graduate from the program, and 5 students each year for the next two years. In 2017 10 students will graduate and we expect 10 students to graduate each year from that point onwards. How many of those graduates will go on to have studio practices, instead of other careers within the arts, is perhaps less clear, but we would expect between 50-70% of graduates to go on to become practising studio based artists. These artists may not always sustain their practice beyond 5 years after graduating, the nature of artistic practice being that not all artists decide to continue their practice in the long term; however, if we look at these figures over a 10 year period we can see that it is very likely that in ten years from now there could easily be 50-70 artists who have graduated from VCU and require studio space.

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From our discussions with QMA it is apparent that the leadership of Qatar see Doha as a future international cultural hub for the MENA region and beyond. It would seem that this vision includes attracting artists from the region to Qatar to develop their practice. At the time of writing we do not have a sense of specific numbers and the current legal process for migration makes it difficult for artists who may be self employed to reside in Qatar without appropriate sponsorship. It is therefore difficult to say with any degree of certainty how many artists from the MENA region will reside in Doha over the next decade.

In conclusion, we estimate the numbers for the current potential user profile to be as follows-

• Qatari Artists- 40-50• MENA artists- 10-12• VCU faculty- 7• VCU graduates- 7• Ex-pat artists- 20-30

• Total- 85-107

It must be stated that whilst there could be as many as 107 artists who currently require studio space they may not all choose to have a studio if it were provided and those that do so would base their decision on certain factors. For example, this research has found that approximatly one-half of Qatari artists are already professionaly established. Some may therefore prefer the comfort of their existing studio at home. However, this still leaves a significant number who would want a studio, particularly based on our focus group research. When lokking at other groups such as ex-pat artists, factors such as size of studio, additional facilities, and rent, play a role in whether they would choose to have a studio. Whilst not all the artists identified would choose to have a studio the focus groups show they are very likely to if the Art Souq can provide access to production facilities and a subsidized rent.

Based on our research we anticipate the numbers for the user profile in 5 years to be as follows-

• Qatari Artists- 40-50• MENA artists- 10-12• VCU faculty- 15• VCU graduates- 32-39• Ex-pat artists- 20-30• Artists in Residence- 2

• Total- 119-148


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Based on our research we anticipate the numbers for the user profile in 10 years to be as follows-

• Qatari Artists- 40-50• MENA artists- 10-12• VCU faculty- 15• VCU graduates- 57-74• Ex-pat artists- 20-30• Artists in Residence- 5-10• VCU Painting and Printmaking Program- 30

• Total- 177-221

Since the population fluctuations of artists from the MENA region and the ex-pat community are so difficult to accurately predict, we have left these figures constant during our 5 and 10 year projections. We predict that the biggest increase in users will be based on those artists recently graduated from VCU and have based our predictions that 50-70% of those graduating with a degree in the fine arts will require studio space.

The design proposed in this report features the building of approximately 120 studios over a 10-year period. Taking into consideration the numbers above it is apparent that this estimate is conservative and ensures there will be appropriate demand. However, to get a more accurate picture of demand these figures must be viewed as part of a wider context.

Contextual Analysis

The Art Souq does not see itself as having competitors but rather partners and collaborators who are engaged in similar projects. At the time of writing there are two such projects being developed inQatar, the ‘Fire Station’ and ‘Al- Wakra,’ both of which are under development by the Qatar Museums Authority. The Fire Station, from the research we have done, shares a similar vision to the Art Souq, it is industrial in nature, simple in design and features a range of additional facilities that may include an art supply store, café and restaurant, as well as cinema. Like the Art Souq, the Fire Station has identified the need for social and recreational spaces linked to the complex and the need to build a dialogue around contemporary art where artists can learn from and interact with one another. However, it may be that the balance between public and private leans more towards the public at the Fire Station and toward the private and semipublic in the Art Souq. Discussions with representatives of the Fire Station informed us that there was also some interest in production facilities. At the time of interview this was not confirmed and those facilities that were discussed were different to those we had identified as priorities from our research. A foundry had been identified as a possible facility, however our focus groups had indicated that this may be something that would be needed at a later stage in the Art Souq’s development, with a woodshop and digital fabrication lab being an immediate priority.

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The immediate need for a foundry may be explained by the Fire Station’s vision and mission. Discussions with QMA have informed us that this is a very new project and is still being established, however, it is likely that studios for the first year of the project will be aimed at artists based in Doha and after that, opened up to international artists. There is an intention for the project to be a place where international artists in residence will work alongside and interact with local artists. Specific numbers were not given but from our discussions it seemed apparent that an even mix of invited international artists alongside local artists is intended. QMA, who run the Fire Station, are also responsible for the public art program in Qatar, which, amongst other projects, has installed large public sculpture, often in bronze, which explains the need for a facility that could support this mission, such as a Foundry. For local artists, however, we do not see this being an immediate priority.

The Fire station will house 24 studios in addition to the recreational facilities mentioned. Whilst our initial discussions have revealed the Fire Station shares a very similar vision to the Art Souq, what has become apparent from our data is that there is greater demand for artists’ studios than the proposed capacity of the Fire Station. Our research has shown between 40-50 Qatari artists would potentially require studios, particularly if there were sufficient production facilities to complement the studios. MENA artists number around 10-12. The ex-pat community numbers around 30 artists and, based on our research, we believe there would be at least 7 to 10 ex-pat artists who could immediately take up residence. When you start to add VCU faculty and the graduates of 2014 and 2015 there are an additional 12-15 artists requiring studios. This gives us in the region of over 60 artists who are interested in taking up residence in a studio either immediately or in the next 12 months. Taking into consideration that out of the 24 studios at the Fire Station around 12 will be available for local artists it becomes apparent that additional studio facilities are required to meet the needs of artists based in Doha.

As well as the additional studio space that we believe Qatar will require, we are also confident that the Art Souq can provide additional facilities that can support and complement that of the Fire Station. Furthermore, the Art Souq’s flexible design system can adjust so as not to duplicate resources the Fire Station may offer. Our discussions with QMA had mentioned a possible foundry and perhaps audio visual facilities, however the flagship feature of the Art Souq is its production facilities and more specifically, production facilities not currently planned for the Fire Station. These facilities include a woodshop, metal shop and the latest digital fabrication equipment installed in the first 3 years of the project, with additional production facilities that could include ceramics, printmaking, photography and video, at a later date. These facilities would complement and strengthen the Fire Station and the overall vision of QMA. The Fire Station has also placed a great deal of emphasis on recreational facilities, the café, gallery and cinema as potential some examples, along with an art supply store. The nature of the Art Souq is that it has firm commitments for the first 3 years of its development but has a much more fluid design and institutional structure for the long term. Facilities such as cafeteria, gallery and art supply store have been identified as possible facilities to be built in year 4 of the project but this has been based on data gathered at a time when similar facilities did not exist. Demand for these facilities may change if they are offered by The Fire Station. The Art Souq is therefore envisioned in such a way that it can develop around this changing landscape to offer facilities that complement, not compete with, The Fire Station.


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The other similar project taking place in Qatar is that of Wakra, also run by the Qatar Museum Authority. Like the Fire Station, The Art Souq sees itself as a partner and collaborator with Wakra and believes it shares many similarities in vision and outlook. Whereas the Fire Station has a modest number of studios and is industrial in nature, Wakra is a project that is ambitious in the number of studios it proposes. It is also very different in its design, located in a heritage site made up of a classical architectural vernacular of a traditional, pre-modern Qatari village.

The vision for Wakra is not limited to the fine arts, and where it does include the fine arts, it is aimed at, perhaps, a very different kind of artist to one that may occupy the Fire Station. Wakra will be a creative hub not only for artists but also for fashion designers, jewelry designers, architects, handcrafts, performing arts, as well as retail and leisure space. 180 units will be opened in year 1 of the project and within 5 years it is hoped that there will be a total of 525 units that are either work units or live/work units. These numbers are large, and much larger than the figures we had identified in our research in term of possible users. However, from our discussions with representatives of Wakra there are two reasons for this, demographics and geographical markets.

Wakra is aimed at a much broader demographic than the Art Souq. None of the Art Souq research has included the design industries, performing arts, handcrafts, retail or recreation. We have mainteind analytic focus on the needs of contemporary fine artists in terms of studio space and supporting facilities. Therefore whilst our research has demonstrated a need for a certain number of studios, Wakra’s numbers are based on these much larger user groups. Secondly, Wakra sees itself as attracting potential users from across the Mediterranean and the MENA region. The Art Souq intendsto provide some studio space for artists in residence that will be international; however, it seems that one of the main drives behind Wakra is a much larger community of users from the region and beyond. Extensive market research has been done by QMA on art communities in the MENA region, particularly those creative practitioners at a college graduate level, and the project aims to attract talented graduates to Wakra to set up business and creative enterprises.

Another factor that differentiates Wakra from the Art Souq is its architectural nature. Wakra is housed in a traditional Qatari village, with small domestic spaces that will be repurposed as studios. During discussions with QMA it became apparent that the inherent nature of these spaces they will be aimed at specific kinds of artists who are able to work within these parameters. Our research has shown us that this could affect the demand for some of the studios in the Art Souq, namely for those artists who work on a smaller scale and do not require access to production facilities. However, the majority of the artists targeted by the Art Souq require larger studio spaces and greater access to production facilities. They also require a design that is simple and industrial, where they can take ownership of any kind of changes they wish to make to their studios. We do not see the Art Souq and Wakra as competitorts but rather, they complement one another by meeting the needs of different kinds of users.

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In conclusion, the projects of Wakra and the Fire Station are exciting additions to the cultural landscape of Qatar. In terms of how these affect the Art Souq, we believe that the Art Souq must adapt to these projects, so that they complement rather than compete with one another. This research has determined that need for the Art Souq is still very strong. Whilst the vision for the Fire Station is similar to the Art Souq, and therefore some artists may be attracted to this project instead of the Art Souq, our research has shown us that as the fine art community in Qatar grows, there will be additional demand for the kind of studios the Art Souq and Fire Station provides. The Fire Station, in its current plans, does not have the capacity to meet these demands on its own, and the addition of the Art Souq could complement the mission of the Fire Station. Some of this demand could be filled by Wakra, however the demographics of the user profile targeted by the Wakra project is sufficiently different from that of the Art Souq, enabling both compexes to flourish simultaneously and collectively.

Marketing Strategies

Through extensive stakeholder resaerch and peronsl professional collaborations the LPI has conducted with Doha’s cultural institutions, it has become clear that the Art Souq is in an excellent position to market the studios and various programs to potential users. This will be done through accessing the mailing lists of the following institutions-

• Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar• Mathaf• Qatar Museums Authority• Katara Art Center• Katara Galleries• The Fine Art Society• The Visual Art Center• Al-Markhiya Gallery• Msheireb Art Center• Anima Gallery

Through a combination of these institutions The Art Souq will be able to access the full demographic of potential users. For example, VCU is able to access its alumni, Al-Markhiya gallery is very well connected with MENA artists and Qatari artists, the Fine Art Society is especially well connected with Qatari artists and Katara Art Center has extensive experience with the ex-pat community in addition to Qatari and MENA artists. Between the mailing lists, announcement boards, and networking events that each of these institutions provide, the Art Souq is confident it can reach potential users of the complex.


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6.8 Management and Organizational Structure

Qatar is a nation undergoing rapid and profound change. This rapid change is perhaps exemplified by the changes in the Qatar fine art community. If an artists’ studio complex is to succeed and remain viable in Qatar it must therefore embrace a flexible and intelligent management and organizational structure. The studio complex must be able to monitor internal and external changes and influences, identify viable opportunities and threats, develop viable plans for adapting to these opportunities, threats and other influences, and an organizational structure that allows the time and flexibility to operationalize necessary adaptations. The management and organizational structure most conducive to this list of abilities is the learning organization.

A learning organization is “an organization in which people at all levels are,

collectively, continually enhancing their capacity to create things they really want to

create.”167

Learning organizations are intrinsically reflexive and adaptable to changing circumstances. They develop and facilitate the ability to adapt to changes within their internal environment but also remain attuned to, and adapt to, changes that emerge within the external environment because external changes (such as fluctuations in economy or politics) can have profound impact on the viability and operation of an organization. Success and sustainability in the fast-paced 21st century Qatar environment require that the organization of this complex adopt the managerial and organizational structure of the learning organization.

Sample characteristics of a ‘learning’ studio complex:

• Adaptable infrastructure

Generic buildings capable of accommodating a wide variety of needs as identified by studio complex decision-makers.

Flexible architecture, such as re-movable walls in the studio spaces, that can accommodate the unique needs of different artists.

• Flexible organizational structure

A malleable policy structure that enables organization members to change positions within the organization if they have/develop skills or abilities that would prove beneficial in positions other than those they were initially hired into.

• Supportive environment

A focus on constantly seeking ways to empower the individual abilities of organization members.

167 ‘O’Neil, “On Schools as Learning Organizations.”


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Policies, Rules and Regulations designed to promote autonomy for artists in their studios and within semipublic spaces.

• Transfer of knowledge

Encouraging and facilitating transfer of knowledge to members throughout the organization.

Descriptions of Key Positions

Director

A significant key to the success of the Art Souq is the position of Director. This position must include skills in curation, project management, arts management, education, research, and knowledge of construction.

The Director will be responsible for providing a vision for the Art Souq, particularly as its nature is seen as a continuous work in progress where feedback from users is sought continually. The Director will be responsible for liaising with the Board of Directors and implementing ideas and suggestions from the Board as well as creating a forum and culture whereby artists can contribute input into the running of the complex and its overall direction and vision.

The fact that the Art Souq will evolve with various phases and that that those phases will be completed and finished by staff in-house, means that significant project management and construction skills are required. The Director will ideally have a background in architecture, sculpture, or construction. He/she should be able to oversee a construction project that would involve the fitting of interior spaces and the installation of such features as staircases, internal walls, mezzanine floors, doors, partitions and so forth. The director will work with a large team of master artisans as well as a buildings manager and later an education coordinator, catering staff and other support staff. Excellent communication and management skills are therefore required. Experience in teaching is preferable. The Art Souq will require continuous re-assessment of its mission statement and business plan and therefore the Director will need to have experience in these areas.

During the initial years of the project, the Director will also be responsible for all educational programs. These program will focus predominantly on courses in portfolio preparation aimed at enabling emerging artists to build a portfolio to a standard sufficient for an equitable proposal for participation in the Art Souq. In later years, the Director will oversee the education coordinator and work with them in developing grant writing courses, technical courses and professional development courses.

Master Artisan

The Master Artisan will play a central role in the Art Souq’s unique selling point of serving as a knowledge base for techniques, skills and crafts. Training will be given to artisans in each of the

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production facilities of wood, metal and digital fabrication and in later stages, printmaking, ceramics and photography. Artisans will be overseen in each facility by a master artisan who will be an expert in his or her field.

For example, the master artisan of the woodshop will have extensive experience in carpentry and joinery both through working with artists and in a more conventional commercial context. Likewise, the artisan for the digital fabrication lab will have extensive experience in the use of all software and hardware associated with digital fabrication technologies, as well as the application of such technologies in the installation of interior spaces and the fabrication of artworks.

All master artisans will have extensive experience in the maintenance and repair of equipment relating to their area and experience in ordering of supplies, stock taking and developing of inventories for supplies and materials.

A key feature of the Art Souq is that artisans will learn their particular craft through training within the Souq. The Master Artisan will be responsible for this training and therefore excellent teaching and communication skills are required. We see the Master Artisan as modeled on the technician positions that currently exist at VCUQatar. These technicians manage and maintain facilities, work with artists to realize projects and engage in teaching students, both in formal class settings and through informal one to one training.

Artisan

The artisan will play a central role in the Art Souq’s unique feature as a local knowledge-base for techniques, skills and crafts. Training will be given to artisans in each of the production facilities of wood, metal and digital fabrication and in later stages, printmaking, ceramics and photography. It is envisioned that each artisan will bring in and develop a unique skillset tailored for contemporary art.

For example, the artisan of the woodshop will have some experience in carpentry and joinery but will be given additional training by the master artisan. Likewise the artisan for the digital fabrication lab will have experience in the use of software and hardware associated with digital fabrication technologies.

A key feature of the Art Souq is that artisans will develop and sustain their particular craft through training within teams in the Souq. Furthermore, the artisan is thought of as being part of the didactic underlay of the Souq and is supposed to partake in training of artists, artisans, and students. Therefore, the artisan needs to have good communication skills and work well in teams.

Education Coordinator

The Education Coordinator is responsible for the development, implementation and evaluation of Art Souq education programs. The coordinator is responsible for envisioning and implementing projects and programs for artists within the complex, portfolio preparation


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classes for those wishing to apply for studios, technical classes in the use of particular technologies and professional development of artists. The Education Coordinator will initiate partnerships with organizations, implement collaborative or independent projects, and study the needs of artists by undertaking research. The coordinator will also contribute to other aspects of the work of the Art Souq and community programs as needed.

Gallery Director

The Gallery Director is responsible for the day-to-day management and monitoring of the Art Souq gallery, devising operational and exhibition budgets in collaboration with the Art Souq Director, as well as actively contributing to the future development of the organization both artistically and strategically. The Gallery Director will oversee the galleries artistic program including project managing and overseeing exhibition production.

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6.9 Governance

A continuum of sociopolitical environments would show the individualistic democracy of America as the extreme on one end and the collectivist and government-controlled environment found in Hong Kong or China on the other end. Governance models for artist studio complexes range along a similar continuum, with radical, bottom-up governance models predominant in America and government control predominant in Asia. The sociopolitical environment of contemporary Qatar lies between these two extremes and thus requires a governance model that also lies between these two extremes. The governance model we recommend for this studio complex is best exemplified by the Banff Centre for the Arts in Banff, Alberta, Canada.

The Banff Center for the Arts was initiated by the University of Alberta in 1933 and has been supported by a combination of state and private funding since that time. Tuition funds are supplemental only. In 2013 the Banff Centre provided art programs to 4,000 participants, leadership programs to 2,000 participants and research programs to another 2,000 participants. The Centre is a large and complex organization with almost 500 employees and is governed by a national board of governors comprised of sixteen individuals, including the president of the Center, and features a four-person executive team that includes a president and three vice-presidents: finance, arts and business development.

The Banff Centre for the Arts is far larger and more complex than the proposed Art Souq but its model of governance is congruent with the sociopolitical environment within Qatar, an environment that is neither fully democratic nor dominated by the state, but embraces the strengths of both approaches. This research recommends a governance model that is similar to the Banff Centre model at its core but adapted to meet the unique needs of an artist studio complex in Qatar. More specifically, we recommend a governance model that features a combination of state support and initiation of the project, particularly financial support, and at the same time a sustained recognition that artistic development is at its best within an environment of artistic freedom and autonomy.

We do not see the need for a governing body as large as that of the Banff Centre but we recommend a management board that includes significant stakeholders. For the first few years of the complex we recommend the management board be comprised of artists within the complex, drawn from a range of groups that make up the artistic community including Qatari artists, MENA artists, expat, VCU faculty and graduates, and so forth. In addition, we recommend that there be a number of members made up of the institutions that make up the wider fine art community of Qatar. These would include representatives of Mathaf, QMA, Katara, VCU Painting and Printmaking Program, and other similar institutions that have an interest in the Art Souq’s success. We recommend the Art Souq Director also be a part of the advisory board with ex-officio status.


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6.10 SWOT Analysis

Strengths

• Flexible design that can adapt to changing future.• Art Souq management structure borrows heavily from existing structure of VCU and is

therefore tried, tested and reliable.• Developers of Art Souq have great deal of experience in production facilities.• Art Souq’s connection to VCU gives it unique insight into needs of graduates.

Weaknesses

• Art Souq does not have a proven plan for financial sustainability and is therefore reliant on outside funding sources.

• The Art Souq is a unique project and therefore there are no precedents for such a project in Qatar.

Opportunities

• The lack of any production facilities both in terms of fine art but also design and architecture, could put the Art Souq at an advantageous position to generate an income for itself through operating a commissioning service in its production facilities.

• The Art Souq offers so many facilities that could complement facilities currently being planned by QMA.

• Given the findings in our focus groups there is a great deal of interest in collaboration between different cultural groups, and the Art Souq therefore has a great opportunity to be a model of social integration.

• The way in which an ethical use of labor is promoted within the project could provide an exemplary model in which to highlight Qatar’s positive steps to develop and establish a positive working environment for migrant workers.

Threats

• The Art Souq is being proposed at a time when there are other projects in Doha also aimed at developing artists studios.

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CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSIONS

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Over the last 18 months our research has seen us conduct more than100 site visits in 22 international locations. Within Qatar we interviewed over 60 practitioners who make up the fine art community of Qatar. Our architectural proposal and business plan have at all times attempted to relate the findings and conclusions of the research to our recommendations.

Based on this research we conclude there are 9 key factors that are of critical importance to an artist’s studio complex developed in Qatar. They can be described succinctly as follows-

• Proximity to production resources is of critical importance

• Slow and natural growth is desirable for a complex to gain a significant critical reputation

• Private and communal spaces are necessary to accommodate different needs and promote dialogue

• Structural spaces with flexibility and simplicity are required to meet artists changing needs

• Autonomy, both artistically and practically, is essential for artists to work

• Quality of life is an issue that will attract artists internationally whilst simultaneously sustaining a community at home

• The importance of the artisan cannot be underestimated if the complex is to succeed

• A didactic architectural design can ensure an educated workforce of artisans and can provide an innovative model for addressing Qatar’s social issues

• Ground-level organizational structures tend to be more successful

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The opinions we have formed over the course of the last 18 months are informed by a combination of best practices observed internationally as well as a conscious effort to make recommendations appropriate to the cultural, social, and economic conditions of Qatar.

We see this research as the first stage in a much greater project whereby a number of artists, curators, gallerists, policy makers, patrons and various institutions come together to make this project a reality. As has been stated in our research, the Art Souq’s design is flexible, didactic, and organic. Similarly, the Art Souq sees itself as a research center where the experience of artists is fed back into the future development of the complex. Therefore, the support of the fine art community in the development of this project will be critical for its success.

We see this research as an invitation to those of you who feel strongly about the development of the fine arts in Qatar to engage in a conversation about the development of Qatar’s community of artists. We hope the Art Souq can be one of the catalysts that will enable this community to thrive and invite you all to join us in its future realization.

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Nomenclatures

1. Altermodernity – defined by curator, Nicolas Bourriaud, as an attempt at contextualizing art made in today’s global context as a reaction against standardization and commercial-ism

2. Art Basel – art fair, located in Basel Switzerland with branches now in Miami and Hong Kong

3. Art Souq – the proposed name for the studio complex, based on the souq’s architectural vernacular of concentrating specialized areas, combining recreation, production and display and managing both pedestrians and vehicles

4. Biennial – a bi-annual art exhibition

5. Canang sari - small Hindu offering baskets

6. Creative Class – “workers in science and technology, arts, culture and entertainment, healthcare, law and management, whose occupations are based on mental or creative labor.” 168

7. Criterion Sampling – sampling technique based upon specific criteria met by potential candidates. “Criterion samples are made up of individuals who fit particular predeter-mined criteria.”169

8. Ethnographic Research – a “qualitative design in which the researcher describes and interprets the shared and learned patterns of values, behaviors, beliefs and language of a culture-sharing group.”170

9. Ethnographic interviews - “spontaneous ‘conversations with a purpose’ that occur in the field and are often initiated by participants who choose to enlighten the researcher about the meaning of a particular cultural practice.”171

10. Gallerist – Someone owning or running a gallery

11. Kuhnstalle – a German word for gallery or exhibition space, often operated by a non-profit art association

12. Learning Organization - an organization “that is continually expanding its capacity to create its future.”172

13. Meme – an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture

168 Florida, “Creativity Is the New Economy.”

169 Hatch, Doing Qualitative Research in Education Settings.

170 Cressell, Qualitative Inquiry and Resaerch Design.

171 Paulson, “The Use of Ethnography and Narrative Interviews in a Study of ‘Cultures of Dance.’”

172 Senge, The fifth Discipline.

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14. Minimalism – a genre of art that developed in the 1960’s

15. Network – system of interconnected people, materials, processes and facilities

16. Squanto - Quasi-autonomous non-government organization

17. Souq – marketplace, also ‘souk’

18. Statement (in terms of Actant Network Theory) – anything that is thrown, sent, or delegated by an enunciator. The meaning of the statement can thus vary along the way. Sometimes it refers to a word, sometimes to an object, sometimes to an apparatus and sometimes to an institution… The word ‘statement therefore refers not to linguistics, but to the gradient that carries us from words to things and from things to words. 173

19. Triangulation – a tri-fold method of data collection used in this research project. Data was collected through personal observations, focus groups and individual interviews.

20. Symbolic Interactionism – “a major framework of sociological theory. This perspective relies on the symbolic meaning that people develop and rely upon in the process of social interaction.” 174

21. Woonerf - a streetscape that permits traffic of both pedestrian and motor vehicles to overlap on the pedestrians’ terms. In a woonerf, the needs of vehicle users are secondary to that of pedestrians.


174 Charon, Symbolic Interactionism.

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Credits

Lead Principal Investigator- Rhys Himsworth

Principal Investigator- Dr Byrad Yyelland

Research Associate 1- Dr Johan Granberg

Research Associate 2- Rana Rwaished

Consultant 1- Tobias Dold

Written by Rhys Himsworth, Byrad Yyelland and Johan Granberg

Publication Design Consultancy- Michael Hersrud

Publication Design- Mohammad Jawad

All Photography by Rhys Himsworth and Johan Granberg with the exception of the following-

Page 6, Francis Bacon in his studio, courtesy of Getty imagesPage 6, Mark Rothko in his studio, courtesy of Getty imagesPage 7, The studio of Constantin Brancussi, courtesy of Getty imagesPage 8, Jackson Pollock in his studio, courtesy of Getty imagesPage 117, Photographs courtesy of Mathaf: Arab Museum Of Modern ArtPage 190, Woornerf, courtesy of La Citta VitaPage 190, Woornerf sign, courtesy of Mirco Vacca

This publication was made possible by the NPRP award [NPRP 5 – 1109 – 6 – 031] from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of The Qatar Foundation). The statements herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.

Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this report are those of the LPI, PI and RA1 and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Qatar National Research Fund.

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the art souq

Documents

art economics

factory of art

art hub

history of art

artists studio

rise of conceptual art

house studio

monets studio