The interior design of the new Marsa Katara, an overwater restaurant and bungalows at the Katara Cultural Village, Doha, is rooted in the ethos of the ‘Seven Steps’ – a declaration for a new architectural language that will take Qatar’s architectural development into the future, developed by the architectural team led by Allies and Morrison in the research phase of the Msheireb masterplan in downtown Doha. They integrate the spirit and aesthetics of Qatari architecture with the best that sustainable design and modern technology have to offer.

Traditional Qatari architecture has a lot of lessons to teach that are still valuable today. Everything has a function that goes beyond pure decoration. Building on this legacy, the interior design was developed with a clean, minimal touch.

While all bungalows share the same relaxed atmosphere, the biggest of them are further enhanced by the introduction of some contemporary artworks on the walls, adding a touch of refinement to the whole environment.

If bungalows are more private and homely, the restaurant is a public space that takes on an higher level of finishes and luxury. It is a contemporary expression of the traditional majlis, the formal room for receiving guests in Qatari houses and Palaces. The clean, geometric shapes, combined with the neutral tone of the plaster of walls and flooring, set the restaurant environment within the local architectural tradition. At the same time, bronze inserts on the walls and flooring, fine woods and stones, all in a low, theatrical lighting collaborate in defining a formal, classy atmosphere.