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A ‘museum city’ in the sea…
If there’s one structure in the UAE capital that will catch your eye when you’re driving along Saadiyat, it has to be Louvre Abu Dhabi. Home to a series of stunning year-round and limited-time exhibitions, the trailblazing structure, inaugurated in November 2017, has become an architectural jewel in Abu Dhabi. And since it’s World Art Day, when better to discover more?
Here are 10 facts you must know about Louvre Abu Dhabi’s stunning design.
1. The vision
In the words of Jean Nouvel, the mind behind Louvre Abu Dhabi’s architecture: “All climates like exceptions. People do not resist thermal shock well, nor do works of art. Such observations have influenced the design of Louvre Abu Dhabi, which is both calming and complex. It wishes to create a welcoming world, serenely combining light and shadow, reflection and calm.”
Intrigued? We sure are.
2. In numbers
55 individual buildings, including 23 galleries, make up Louvre Abu Dhabi. Its iconic dome is 180 metres in diameter, and consists of 8 different layers – 4 outer ones clad in stainless steel, and 4 inner ones clad in aluminium.
3. What gives Louvre Abu Dhabi’s dome its distinct design?
The museum’s award-winning shape is a combination of traditional design and modern construction techniques. The dome’s pattern is repeated at various sizes and angles, with each ray of light penetrating its 8 layers before appearing, then disappearing. The result? A cinematic effect, due to the sun’s gradual movement, as the day progresses. At night, it forms as many as 7,850 ‘stars’, visible from both inside and out.
If you’re wondering how the dome seems to float, it’s because it’s supported only by 4 permanent piers, each 110 metres apart – and they’re hidden within the museum buildings.
4. Why do you feel cooler under the iconic dome?
Well for one, because it acts as a canopy. The dome protects the buildings and outdoor plaza from the sun, improving comfort for visitors and reducing the building’s energy consumption. This allows you to wander around in the outdoor spaces, in a self-regulated ‘micro-climate’ that can be experienced between the various galleries, exhibitions, Children’s Museum, auditorium, plaza, café and restaurant.
But there’s more. Passive energy systems naturally enhance the cooling of the buildings, so visitors arriving at the museum and spending time under the dome can experience a gradual transition from the soaring outdoor temperatures to the structure’s controlled ‘micro-climate’.
5. Floor-to-ceiling
The museum galleries’ floor paving is made of stone modules framed in bronze. So throughout the galleries, the choice of stone relates to the period of the art pieces on display. And up above it all, there are 17 glass ceilings within the museum galleries, with each made up of 18 different types of glass panels. In total, there are over 25,000 individual pieces of glass.
6. Lighting
The galleries’ glass ceilings incorporate both natural and artificial lighting, to provide an optimal lighting system for the art showcased. Filtered natural light is present in all of the museum’s galleries, and this results from the use of glass to capture sunlight and direct it into the gallery spaces, while also scattering rays to avoid glare.
7. Exterior
Internationally-acclaimed sculptor Giuseppe Penone of Italy, and artist Jenny Holzer of the US worked closely with Louvre Abu Dhabi’s team and Jean Nouvel, to develop sculptures and installations that reflect the stories of the museum. You’ll be able to appreciate these when you’re at the exterior of the space.
8. Dining spaces
Louvre Abu Dhabi’s restaurant is designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel, and is made up of modular compartments. While the interior design takes inspiration from Arabic patterns, the furniture complements the light-filled interiors and panoramic views of the sea. As many as seven bespoke chandeliers hang over the seven VIP tables.
Nouvel’s design for the Museum Café is inspired by the Op art (optical art) movement of the 60s. From some spots, the café seems entirely white while from others, its interiors are almost a colour-splashed reflection of the local marine environment.
9. One with the elements
You’ll agree water is a huge part of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s design and location. But did you know waterproofing and protection against corrosion was also a major consideration, particularly on the underside of the basement structure, which extends up to 10 metres below sea level? Additionally, the latter stage of the development involved pumping of sea water within the temporary walls and around the structure, raising its water level to match the sea level, before Louvre Abu Dhabi was fully integrated with the surrounding waters. It’s also protected from the open sea by a number of breakwaters.
10. Sustainability
Several techniques have been incorporated at Louvre Abu Dhabi with sustainability in mind, include solar shading of the dome and self-shading of the various buildings on site. While its roof perforations allow in sunlight minus the excess heat, the museum’s stone floor benefits from night-time cooling. Light-coloured materials and efficient HVAC systems also contribute to creating a comfortable environment for visitors.
With all of the above, Louvre Abu Dhabi achieves a noteworthy 42 per cent reduction in solar gain, 27.2 per cent reduction in energy use and 27 per cent reduction in water use, well and truly setting the standard for sustainable architecture regionally and globally.
So there you have it, 10 amazing facts about Louvre Abu Dhabi that you may, or may not have already known.
For more updates on Louvre Abu Dhabi and its exhibitions, stay tuned to whatson.ae.
Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Mon to Thurs 10am to 6.30pm, Fri to Sat 10am to 8.30pm, @louvreabudhabi
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