21 Oct 2014
Louvre Abu Dhabi project hits construction milestone
BY Tom Anstey
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.
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