Architectural Design of Louvre Abu Dhabi

Running head: LOUVRE ABU DHABI
LOUVRE ABU DHABI
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The aim of this paper is to discuss the architectural design of Louvre Abu Dhabi. The
elementary observations like all climates are like exceptions and people does not have resist
thermal shock therefore they are to be used as works of art. It is the most influential factor over
the architecture design of Louvre Abu Dhabi. This paper will be analysing the architectural
features of this building and how it is effective in attaining the status of one of the most unique
buildings of the world. The architectural design wishes to develop world of eternity combining
light and Shadow. It is the play of reflection and peace. The architectural design refers to the
Islamic style of architecture in some part but has a Universal identity and goal to be eternal in the
history of the universe. It wishes to be associated with history and geography without becoming
flat translation but avoids pleonasm resulted in convention or boredom. This particular design
situated in Abu Dhabi aims to emphasize fascination generated by the rarest Encounters. The
location of this particular museum is unusual because it is located in an archipelago in the sea.
The entire Museum is protected by parasol which creates a rain of light.
The accessibility of this Museum is only by boat because it is situated in the sea. One can
also find a pontoon for reaching it by foot from the shore. The journey to the museum is also
equally extraordinary because there are arrangements of unique collections of Book Stores and
restaurants offering local tea, coffee and other delicacy (Gombault & Selles, 2018). The architect
of Louvre Abu Dhabi is Jean Nouval and this unique vision has been constructed as the heart of
new urban quarter. It is a Symphony in concrete with water where an extra ordinary play of light
and Reflection can be seen. The design of this particular Museum was inspired by the rich
architectural tradition of this region and its unique location.
This design of the museum is more intriguing because according to the architect the
location of this Museum is unique at the point where the Sky of Arabia meets the water of the

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Arabian Gulf and sands of Saadiyat Island. This natural phenomenon has inspired the architect
which resulted in the building of this particular architecture. Louvre Abu Dhabi is considered to
be one of the most influential Arabian wonders in the world and it is the first Universal Museum
of Arab. This is the reason why it is a powerful symbol of achievement and ambition of the
United Arab Emirates.
Novel’s vision has created a floating dome of shadow and light in this museum. The
centrepiece is a huge silver dome that seems to be floating above the Museum City. It also seems
that this entire cover is apparently weightless but it weighs around 7500 which is similar to that
of Eiffel Tower in Paris (Vaughan-Shaw, Brenton & Pullen, 2018). Therefore it can be said that
the architecture is not only beautiful but also has a support of tremendous architecture
knowledge. The idea has been unique but it also needed an in-depth knowledge of physics and
engineering so that such a building has been developed in an archipelago within having any risk
of sinking within the sea. The knowledge has mixed with unusual discoveries.
According to the architect Jean Nouvel, the feature of this building has been greatly
influenced by cupola. It is a distinctive feature in the Arabic architecture. This is the reason why
the Dome of this Museum city has complicated geometric structure with 7850 stars. Here the
architecture has amalgamated religion with the other elements of nature. As mentioned before
the architecture has taken land water and light to create this innovative building but also added
feature of religion which is symbolised as holy star a recurring image in various size. These stars
are repeated in various angles and sizes in 8 different layer. In this 8 layers there are four
stainless steel in the exterior part and Aluminium in the interior part (Vaughan-Shaw, Brenton &
Pullen, 2018). A subtle play with light can be seen in this architecture which overwhelms the
visitors every time. When the sun passes above the light gets filtered through the perforation in

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and create an enchanting effect within the building. It is referred to as the reign of light. It is a
tribute to nature and directly connect the play of light through the Palm trees in in the desert. As
light reflects through the leaves of the palm tree and creates an enchanted play of light and
Shadow similarly the light of rain concept in this museum create the same feeling. It uses filter
and soften the bright sunlight to project a unique and dappled pattern on the ground is the main
theme of this architecture. There are piers to support the dome for making it float. Each is the
110 meter apart hidden within the structure and support the entire museum city.
Louvre Abu Dhabi by Nouvel is situated in the middle of the sea Hills surrounded by
water therefore the visitor can walk through the land or reach there by boat. Just like and
wondering narrow streets of the Arabian Madina the visitors can also explore 55 buildings in this
Museum city of which 23 are gallery. In this Museum City in the sea the visitors can also take a
break along the exterior walkways (Paleologos, El Amrousi & Elhakeem, 2018). There are
sitting arrangement where the visitors can rest and discuss about the artworks. This place is
meant for visualising and ever changing relationship between the natural forces like Sun and sea
with art and architecture. As the climate of Abu Dhabi is warm therefore this can have an impact
upon the architecture. The materials used for or building this architecture is mainly metal
therefore is not supportive of cooling this is the reason why the architecture has solve this
problem with the Dome. This dome is of 180 m diameter in the base. This reduces energy
consumption of the buildings under it. This creates shade from the heat of the Sun and provides
unparalleled experience by creating rain of light.
Louvre Abu Dhabi is a design which is set for the environmental excellence and has been
rated with silver LEED status (Paleologos, El Amrousi & Elhakeem, 2018). This has also
achieved Three Pearl Estidama Design rating. This is due to the fact that it creates a

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microclimate by levelling up the passive cooling and exclusive energy efficient design. This is
inspired by the designs of the local culture and traditional architecture of Arabia stuff this
Museum City employs passive energy and water conservation with exclusively efficient
ventilation heating and air conditioning systems. The sanitary and lighting fittings are also
unmatched. This is why this building has been nominated as an ideal architecture from the
environmental respect. Without hampering the local vegetation for natural resources this
museum has started to attract visitors from different parts of the world. It is efficient in handling
crowd and has the capacity to manage population pressure (Krebs & Mermier, 2019). There are
various chamber for different artefacts and gallery so that the people with different interest can
get the ideal objects to nurture. The pattern roof has permitted daylight without creating much
heat therefore a pleasant weather can be seen in this Museum City. The architecture has also
taken care of wind that is one of the most dangerous features of the deserts of Abu Dhabi. The
features has been added like stone floor is associated with the Islamic architecture found in
United Arab Emirates but also so capable to keep the building cooler for longer heat up.
Jean Nouvel as created this Universal museum that is inspired by the greatness of Arabic
architecture that define ad well as translate the local culture. In 2006 during the oil boom of the
gulf Head First conceived this particular project. The cash rich Emirate is had agreed with a deal
of 1 billion USD with the French government. This included 30 year permission for using the
name of Louvre and relied on the expertise of the engineers. The projects had also borrowed
some of its collection from the original Louvre. This particular agreement had opened the door
for larger collection of the arts through the Agence France Museums, an organization of the
cultural institutions of France (Ephraim, 2019). The agreement then allowed the French architect
Jean Nouvel in the Abu Dhabi tourism and culture authority for creating this classical Museum

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of Civilization. This was developed alongside the collection of building for designing by this star
architect. The buildings here have the memories of the other architects renowned internationally
namely Saha Hadid, Norman Foster, Frank Gehry and many more. According to Nouvel, the
Pritzer prize winner, the Government of Arab Emirates have initiated to transform a manmade
resources and into you are cultural hub that would become an architectural inspiration in the
world. The main inspiration according to this architecture was the natural elements likes and sky
water and the Horizon with which he has developed an unmatched architecture with the sea in
one side and the city on the other (Krebs & Mermier, 2019). This Museum focuses on the
Civilization which builds it and connects its history as well as Geography. This cannot exist on
the cities like Berlin, Paris or New York but the city of Abu Dhabi mingling its culture and
natural landscape with it.
The critical architects or designers who create the statement of the building without
acknowledging the cultural settings can never touch the root. This is the reason why the
inspiration of this building connects the culture, language, physical geography and history of this
place (Gombault & Selles, 2018). This can be sensitive as well as contextual to touch the root
though design. To this architect this place he has developed will be e a type of welcome in
meeting place and translate the local culture to the people around the world who visit this
museum. Hear the don represents a feeling of protection and becomes the link defining the public
territory. It is the functional cover that protects the Museum City or the galleries from the natural
elements and decay due to them. The complicated geometry of eight layers have interlocking
system made of aluminium and steel. This dome filters sunlight through 7800 stars and creates a
microclimate by reducing temperature of 5 degree Celsius (Paleologos, El Amrousi & Elhakeem,

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2018). There are four struts which supports the 180 diameter and 7500 tonnes weighing dome
making it largely visible from distant as well as sky.
The Dome has been one of the most important part of this architecture and can easily
distract act with its unexpectedly delicate geometric form. The architecture has carried a group of
fibre reinforced concrete within it and shows it’s Open Spaces by linking the streets and paths
making it like a village to look out to sea (Vaughan-Shaw, Brenton & Pullen, 2018). This
particular space has been developed to offer the visitors and encourage them to wonder between
the galleries and find out the junctions which suggest what can be found out.
In addition to this there is a part of Museum kept for children which are specially curated
with workshops and artworks. Here no galleries are similar with one another and the spaces can
range from the intimate to the Cavern like. This cluster of seawater canals and structures are
deliberate connection to the Arabian Medina. In which the visitor’s get a sense of Discovery and
talk about life and art in a total serenity (Paoletti, 2017). This architect has also pointed out to the
traditional Arabian culture reflected through the screen with lattice pattern that filters light and
allows wind to penetrate and counter a desert climate. It is the key design playing with light
which is reflected on the walls throughout this particular project.
It is important to discuss the role of the interiors which features the minimalist furniture
design made of black leather graphics subtle lighting and floors with stones imported from
different parts of the world. Each of the rooms are beautifully lighted and create constantly
evolving pattern juxtaposing the small room with the larger ones. This galleries deliver high
degree of flexibility for the curators in this museum (Paoletti, 2017). The area is situated in an
archipelago only mend for it therefore the architect has got ample chance to utilise his design to
mingle with local culture and tradition. Inspired by the geometric motives and don’t roots of the

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Ancient Islamic architecture this architect has managed to reflect the same in this modern
architecture. However he has realised with the materials as well as the state of art engineering of
the contemporary time but effectively it celebrates and celebrates the past culture connecting it
with present scenario (Young-Mason, 2019). This belongs to a country history and geography
without becoming only a flat translation. The interior of this dome is well equipped with 4000
light fixtures that is a custom made for this project by Zumtobel. The natural light is not present
in the night there for each of these fixtures contents different white fluorescent tubes with
weatherproof housing and default heat sinks so that they can cope with the extreme climate of
desert (Guéraiche, 2018). The brightness can be controlled remotely by the daylight sensors
within the art galleries. After night these artificial lights can transform this Museum into the
oasis of light under the starry dome.
Nouvel has also helped to choose the works of Art on the show outside each of the
galleries. These are dotted around the paths and plazas and currently includes a 16 metre high
tree made of bronze by the Italian artist Giuseppe Penone (Nouvel, 2019). This particular bronze
tree has mirrored leaves matching with the rain of light theme. An engraving from three various
world has been done by the American artist Jenny Holzer.
The architect has worked closely with the curators so that he can ensure that the display
of art maintains chronology from prehistoric age to modern time. This displaying of the works
from various countries as well as cultures side by side marking their geography to highlight the
influence nice and similarities with one another. The chief idea of this it has remained to keep the
visitors moving from one room to the other and seeing objects from various civilizations in the
same rooms. Inside the art galleries there are cabinet made of angular glass which helps to
represent various objects from various culture and countries like gold mask from Egypt, South

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America and China (El Amrousi, Elhakeem & Paleologos, 2018). There are spectacular
sculptures, statues and arts arranged beautifully to ensure that they serve the actual interest of the
visitors in this particular museum.
Therefore it can be stated that the aim of this Museum is to make the world a better place
to live with culture for which the government of Abu Dhabi has connected with the French
government today will up such a magnificent architecture. This architecture has represented the
local culture and traditions in one hand but effectively serve the purpose of a modern day
Museum on the other. It seems that this Louvre situated in Abu Dhabi will attract the similar type
of visitors like the original Louvre museum situated in Paris.

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References:
El Amrousi, M., Elhakeem, M., & Paleologos, E. (2018, October). International Museums and
Transcultural Impact on Gulf States: The Louvre Abu Dhabi as a Case Study.
In International Conference on Human Systems Engineering and Design: Future Trends
and Applications (pp. 148-153). Springer, Cham.
Ephraim, P. E. (2019, August). LOUVRE ABU DHABI: SOCIAL MEDIA AND SOCIO-
CULTURAL CHANGE IN THE UAE. In Proceedings of the World Conference on
Media and Mass Communication (Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 49-57).
Gombault, A., & Selles, D. (2018). Louvre Abu Dhabi: A Radical Innovation, But What Future
for French Cultural Influence?. International Journal of Arts Management, 20(3).
Guéraiche, W. (2018). Is cultural diplomacy an exercise in rhetoric? The example of the Louvre
Abu Dhabi, a universal museum. Hermès, La Revue, (2), 183-191.
Krebs, A., & Mermier, F. (2019). Louvre Abu Dhabi: a Clash of Cosmopolitanisms?.
In Aesthetic Cosmopolitanism and Global Culture (pp. 295-312). Brill.
Nouvel, J. (2019). Le Louvre Abu Dhabi. Le Genre humain, (1), 163-197.
Paleologos, E. K., El Amrousi, M., & Elhakeem, M. (2018). International Museums and
Transcultural Impact on Gulf States: The Louvre Abu Dhabi as a Case Study.
Paoletti, I. (2017). Night stars stay during the day: the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Vaughan-Shaw, M., Brenton, P., & Pullen, T. (2018). Architecture and Wave Defence, the
Louvre Abu Dhabi. In Coasts, Marine Structures and Breakwaters 2017: Realising the
Potential (pp. 839-848). ICE Publishing.

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Young-Mason, J. (2019). A Museum of the World and for the World: The Louvre Abu
Dhabi. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 33(2), 97.