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Construction of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, set to open in the Saadiyat Cultural District in 2015, has been awarded to Arabtec-led joint venture with Constructora San Jose SA and Oger Abu Dhabi LLC.
“The awarding of this contract confirms Abu Dhabi’s commitment in developing iconic museums in the Saadiyat Cultural District, in line with the vision of HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and the direction of HH General Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, aimed at transforming the Emirate into a hub of world cultural exchange. When Louvre Abu Dhabi opens its doors, it will mark significant progress in cross-cultural dialogue through its universal themes and diverse exhibits.”
Louvre Abu Dhabi, Designed by Pritzker-prize winning architect Jean Nouvel, is conceived as a complex of pavilions, plazas, alleyways and canals, evoking the image of a city floating on the sea and will encompass 9,200 square metres of art galleries. Hovering over the complex will be a form inspired by traditional Arabic architecture: a vast, shallow dome – some 180 metres in diameter – perforated with interlaced patterns so that a magical, diffused light will filter through.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi will showcase the interrelationships among artistic achievements from different cultures around the world – from the most immemorial to the very latest, across borders of technique and geography. Louvre Abu Dhabi is developing its own permanent collection, which will be enriched by loans from 12 French museums including Musée du Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Musée du Quai Branly, and Centre Pompidou.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi will be one of the premier cultural institutions located in the heart of the Saadiyat Cultural District that are unprecedented in scale and scope. These feature Zayed National Museum, which will open in 2016, and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, which opens in 2017 – both also designed by world-renowned Pritzker-prize winning architects. All this adds to the appeal of Saadiyat which exudes an exclusive lifestyle through the island’s high-end residential, leisure, cultural and tourism facilities.
Can’t wait to see the developments and how influential it will be within the art world.
*image: Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority
