Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse recently announced that he would open his first restaurant in the Middle East before the end of this year. Even finer than the French cuisine is the restaurant’s new home, the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. Famed architect I.M. Pei was coaxed out of retirement at the age of ninety-one to design the exquisite building for the world’s largest collection of Islamic Art. The architect spent six months travelling to learn about Islamic culture and architecture and the result is a striking blend of traditional and modern forms. In order to preserve the purity of the architecture, the museum occupies an entire private island, making for perfect waterfront views.