Louvre Abu Dhabi project hits construction milestone
by Tom Anstey | 21 Oct 2014
Louvre Abu Dhabi is scheduled to open in 2015 / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Work on the upcoming Louvre Abu Dhabi has progressed, with construction of the mammoth US$653m (€512.9m, £404.6m) structure’s dome roof now complete.
Building work on the dome started in December 2013 and the elaborate roof currently sits on 120 temporary support towers, which will be replaced with four permanent support pillars and the dome will be clad in aluminium.
The construction of all the 9,200sq m (99,000sq ft) museum’s galleries has been completed structurally, along with the concrete work for the basement levels and the security screening facility through which vehicles will transport all the museum's artwork.
Dubai-based construction firm Arabtec Holdings has been tasked with the build, with French architect Jean Nouvel designing the structure and Abu Dhabi's Tourism Development and Investment Company overseeing the project.
Louvre Abu Dhabi is a joint venture between the governments of Abu Dhabi and France, set to contain archaeological artefacts and works of art from a wide range of periods and cultures, with universal themes and common influences highlighted throughout.
The museum is part of the larger Saadiyat Island project, which will become an arts hub with the opening of the cultural district. Louvre Abu Dhabi will debut in 2015, followed by the Zayed National Museum in 2016 and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi in 2017. Saadiyat will also include a new luxury resort for the island’s beach district.
Work on the upcoming Louvre Abu Dhabi has progressed, with construction of the mammoth US$653m (€512.9m, £404.6m) structure’s dome roof now complete. Building work on the dome started in December 2013 and the elaborate roof currently sits on 120 temporary support towers, which will be replaced with four permanent support pillars and the dome will be clad in aluminium. The construction of all the 9,200sq m (99,000sq ft) museum’s galleries
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"Culture is the beating heart of this project"
Designed to restore neglected land and renew the identity of Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad Sustainable Forests promises a new way of living surrounded by nature. Gensler’s Ian Mulcahay tells us why he thinks the project could become a model for the repair and enhancement of urban centres
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