LOUVRE ABU DHABI {STRATEGY OF ARCHITECTURE}

A universal museum in the Arab world

• What does it mean to be universal? For Louvre Abu Dhabi it means focusing on
what unites us
This philosophy guides the museum in everything it does, from its foundation as
a collaboration between
two cultures, to the dazzling architecture that combines French design with
Arabic heritage.

• Pritzker-prize winning architect Jean Nouvel sought inspiration for the concept of
Louvre Abu Dhabi in traditional Arabic architectural culture, and designed Louvre
Abu Dhabi as a ‘museum city’ in the sea. Its contrasting series of white buildings
take inspiration from the medina and low-lying Arab settlements.
• Facts and figures
•• 7,500
It aimst –tothe
belong to a country,
total weight of the to its history,
dome – similartotoitsthe
geography – without
Eiffel Tower in being a
simple interpretation. And emphasise a fascination with unusual
Paris.
8discoveries. Louvre
layers – the layers of AbutheDhabi is surrounded
dome. Four by water,
outer layers wheresteel,
of stainless visitors can arrive
by land
four inner orlayers
sea. of aluminium.
7,850 – the number of ‘stars’ in the dome’s pattern.
13 m across – the largest ‘star’, which also weighs 1.3 t.
4 – the number of piers that support the dome to make it ‘float’. Each is
110 m apart, hidden within the structure.
180 m – the diameter of the dome’s base.
40 m above sea level – the level of the building.
36 m – the level of the dome above ground.