Louvre Abu Dhabi, the first museum to be constructed in Saadiyat Cultural District, saw the placement of the final piece of outer cladding for the museum’s dome.

Witnessed by the Tourism Development and Investment Company’s chairman Ali Majid Al Mansouri, TDIC’s Chief Executive Officer Sufian Hasan Al Marzouqi and Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the delegates went on a tour of the construction site to get an update on the progress being made and to observe first-hand the advanced stages of work taking place across the museum’s buildings, including its interior galleries.

“We are very proud of the progress that has been achieved on the site of the Louvre Abu Dhabi today, and it is remarkable to see Jean Nouvel’s design come to life. Almost a year and a half ago the construction team was placing the first supersized element of the dome structure, and today we are completing the outer dome cladding. This is testament to the advanced techniques used to execute one of the museum’s most challenging iconic architectural features,” said Al Mansouri.

This piece is part of the dome’s pattern, which is made up of eight layers of cladding; four outer and four inner, with the dome’s structure in between.

The layers consist of 7,850 star-shaped pieces of aluminium and stainless steel, of various sizes and angles — the largest of which measures 13 metres in diameter and weighs 1.3 tonnes. The outer cladding consists of 4,481 stars which is now 100 per cent complete and installed.

The roof’s complex pattern is the result of a geometric design, repeated at various sizes and angles in eight layers, giving the dome a delicate form that leads to the ‘rain of light’ effect. 
The cladding layers are made from 7,850 star-shaped aluminium and stainless steel elements, the largest of which measures 13 metres in diameter and weighs 1.3 tonnes. These star-shaped elements make up eight layers of cladding weighing a total of 2,000 tonnes. Major work is expected to start in the next few months, including laying the stone flooring of the museum, installation of the display cases for the galleries, and the completion of the museum’s administrative building.

Once completed, Louvre Abu Dhabi will feature permanent galleries, a temporary gallery, a children’s museum and an auditorium, while its dome offers visitors an enchanting ‘rain of light’ effect as they admire the museum’s rich array of artworks.

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