Louvre Abu Dhabi takes two large steps
toward completion with the removal of transitory sea walls and the vivid
lighting of the museum’s well-recognized dome.
In order to meet Jean Nouvel’s vision for Louvre
Abu Dhabi, the joining of the sea with the museum will take place in three
stages. The concept is to create a Museum City on the sea, with the removal of
the temporary walls being the first step toward that goal.
The facility’s dome is now illuminated by
4,500 lights installed into the steel structure. The lights will fill the night
sky with a glowing vision of Louvre Abu Dhabi. Museum workers can control the
brightness of the lights through an innovative lighting system.
The inspiration for the Museum City on the
sea comes from the medina and low-lying Arab settlements, which is the
reasoning behind the 55 white buildings that create the
concept.
The iconic dome is constructed of eight
superimposed layers and is 180 meters wide. The dome’s intricate pattern was
intensely studied and the complex geometrical design is repeated in different
sizes and angles to create the entire surface.
The “rain of light,” or the sun’s progressive
path throughout the day, is highlighted through the beautiful dome as the sun’s
rays penetrate through the layers and build a photographic effect.
