Liquid Plastics, a UK-based manufacturer of coatings and membranes, has recently completed 23,000 sq m roofing of the $100 million-plus Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, whose design ingenuity is a blend of whitewashed Mediterranean island housing and ninth century Abbasid architecture.

The museum is located opposite the Finance Ministry building and is linked to the mainland by a road that is lined in four rows of palm trees imported from Saudi Arabia.
The world-renowned architect IM Pei – who designed the Louvre, in France – was lured out of retirement to design the museum along with his partner for the Louvre project, Jean Michel-Wilmotte.
The superstructure of the building is made up of approximately 63,000 sq m of granite, limestone and marble, all of which were imported from France and are the same materials that were used on the Louvre.
“The architect specified Liquid Plastics’ Decothane inverted roof waterproofing system due to previous experiences he had when using Decothane on projects in New York. Other governing factors included Liquid Plastics’ previous project references with Decothane, especially in the demanding climatic conditions of the Arabian Gulf, the presence of experienced contractors in the region and the service Liquid Plastics was able to provide the project manager and main contractor with regard to site visits, technical assistance and speed of response to queries,” says Richard Edney, public relations executive of the company.
Liquid Plastics’ inverted roof system was chosen because, when open to the public, many of these areas will be accessible and will act as walkways and terraces between different sections of the building. This system differs from traditional systems due to its totally seamless Decothane root-resistant waterproofing layer. The system is insulated with Inverted Roof Board and completed with pavers or ballast that will withstand foot traffic. The waterproofing layer in an inverted roof is situated at the bottom of the system, which will provide added UV (ultra-violet) protection and will help to increase a building’s thermal performance, therefore reducing air-conditioning costs, he says.
The Museum of Islamic Art will open its doors to the public at the end of this year. The project has financed by the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who has helped it to acquire some of the finest art collections in the world.
Established in 1963 in Preston, Liquid Plastics is a frontrunner in its field, with its products used in projects across the globe, and is currently expanding its sales of technologically advanced coatings in the Middle East. It prides itself on its innovative products and a great deal of time and money is spent researching and developing new and even more advanced products, that seek to fulfil the need of demanding climatic conditions. Its extensive portfolio includes seamless waterproof membrane technology and built-up roof systems, protective and decorative systems for external walls, functional and decorative waterproofing for balconies and communal walkways, technologically-advanced hygiene systems, car-park systems and others.