A brief overview and analysis of: The Louvre Abu Dhabi, by Jean Nouvel.

1. THE LOUVRE ABU DHABI ANALYSIS BY
BODIAF Osama

2. CONTENT
– INTRODUCTION
– SITUATION
– IMPLANTATION
– COMPOSITION
– FORM
– LIGHTING
– CIRCUIT
– PLANS, SECTION & FACADES
– ACCESSIBILITY
– STRUCTURE & MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION
– INSPIRATION & METHAPHORE
– SYMBOLISM
– REFERENCES

3. INTRODUCTION
The international architect Jean Nouvel is one of the most important architects of the last
fifty years. Inspired by the architecture and traditions of the United Arab Emirates, he has
designed a remarkable showcase for the Louvre Abu Dhabi. [1]
© Mohamed Somji
Exterior view of the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
[2]
Jean Nouvel.

4. SITUATION
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi is located on the island of Saadiyat. [3]
© Google Earth
Satellite view of Louvre Abu Dhabi.
© Google Earth
Saadiyat island.

5. IMPLANTATION
The museum complex Louvre Abu
Dhabi is located on a coastal land of
sandy nature, almost 64,000m² of
surface. [4, 5]
It is part of the Cultural District of
Saadiyat which will include three (3)
other museums and a performing arts
center. [5]
© TDIC, Musée du Louvre
Illustration of the Cultural District of Saadiyat.

6. COMPOSITION
The museum complex is made up of 55
white volumes. These volumes are
distributed in what appears to be a
mini-city (or medina), surrounded by
water, and entirely covered by a
geometric dome that extends over
180m and is composed of almost
8,000 overlapping metal stars. [9]
The art museum includes 8,000m² of
galleries, the Children's Museum, and
also houses an auditorium, a restaurant,
a shop, and a café. [9, 11]
© Grace Guino
Exterior view of Louvre Abu Dhabi.

7. FORM 1/2
© Ateliers Jean Nouvel
Illustration of Louvre Abu Dhabi.
– The centerpiece of Jean Nouvel's
architecture is a huge silver dome that
seems to float above this museum-town.
[1]
– The main form of other pieces is the
parallelepiped.
– There exists a symmetry in the shape
of the dome, but the asymmetry
appears in the rest of the composition.
Overall, there is a visual balance.

8. FORM 2/2
The dome is a complex geometric structure of 7,850 stars superimposed on eight
layers and whose pattern is repeated in different sizes and angles. [1]
© Mohamed Somji
The dome has a complex geometry.
© Mohamed Somji
Interior view of Louvre Abu Dhabi.

9. LIGHTING 1/2
The Louvre Abu Dhabi benefits from
natural lighting: both lateral and
zenithal.
« When the sun's rays illuminate it, the
light is filtered creating under the dome
a striking effect known as the 'rain of
light'. » [1]
[6]
Interior view of Louvre Abu Dhabi.

10. LIGHTING 2/2
The Louvre Abu Dhabi also benefits
from artificial lighting.
© Grace Guino
Interior view of Louvre Abu Dhabi.

11. CIRCUIT
The type of circuit used is labyrinthine.
It gives visitors the freedom of choice
when it comes to the order according to
which they wish to visit the museum’s
components.
These components are distributed in a
way that encourages contemplation.
© Grace Guino
Interior view of The Louvre Abu Dhabi.

12. PLANS, SECTION & FAÇADES 1/4
© Ateliers Jean Nouvel
Site plan.

13. PLANS, SECTION & FAÇADES 2/4
© Ateliers Jean Nouvel
Roof plan.

14. © Ateliers Jean Nouvel
Section of site.
PLANS, SECTION & FAÇADES 3/4

15. PLANS, SECTION & FAÇADES 4/4
The façades, overlooking both the sea and the urban landscape of Abu Dhabi, invite
to the walk and the conversation. [1]
The façades are of the open type.
© Mohamed Somji
Exterior view of Louvre Abu Dhabi.
© Mohamed Somji
Exterior view of Louvre Abu Dhabi.

16. ACCESSIBILITY
The museum is accessible by land as well as by sea. [1]
© Grace Guino
Interior view of Louvre Abu Dhabi.
[8]
Exterior view of Louvre Abu Dhabi.

17. STRUCTURE & MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION 1/3
A dome of 180m in diameter covers two thirds of the museum, bringing shade, and
reducing energy consumption. [11]
© Ateliers Jean Nouvel
3D models of the dome.

18. STRUCTURE & MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION 2/3
– The total weight of the dome is 7,500
tons (the same as that of the Eiffel
Tower).
– It consists of eight (8) layers: four (4)
outer layers coated with stainless steel,
and four (4) inner layers coated with
aluminum.
– The dome forms a tapestry of 7,850
stars, the largest of which has a
diameter of 13m and weighs 1.3 tons.
[1]
© Grupo San Jose SA
The dome under construction.

19. STRUCTURE & MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION 3/3
The structure is supported by only four
(4) points, so as to appear floating in
the air, and required a submerged
complex subsoil, made in salt-water-
resistant concrete and supplied with a
row of steel piles sunk into the sea. [5]
© Grupo San Jose SA
The dome under construction.

20. INSPIRATION & METAPHORE 1/4
The dome of the museum is inspired by the dome of the Arab architecture. [1]
© Richard Bartz
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.
© Mohamed Somji
Louvre Abu Dhabi.

21. INSPIRATION & METAPHORE 2/4
The ode to nature and the elements echoes the palms of Abu Dhabi: their leaves,
intercepting the bright light of the sun, diffuse it and scatter it on the ground. [1]
[7]
Al Ain oasis.
© Ateliers Jean Nouvel
Illustration of the interior of the museum.

22. INSPIRATION & METAPHORE 3/4
Inspired by the falaj system of ancient Arab engineering, a circuit of water runs
through the museum, making this place a haven of freshness inviting to walk along the
water. [11]
[12]
Falaj.
© Mohamed Somji
Interior view of the museum.

23. INSPIRATION & METAPHORE 4/4
The white volumes are arranged in a seemingly random pattern to recall the urban
structure of a medina. [5]
[10]
A city with an Arab architectural style.
© Mohamed Somji
Interior view of the museum.

24. MICRO-CLIMATE
The dome and the water circuits, contribute to the creation of a more comfortable
micro-climate inside the museum, in an ecological and economic way. [1]
© Ateliers Jean Nouvel
Illustration of the interior of the museum.

25. This extraordinary architectural feat is
also a beautiful symbol of the vision
that drives the country and its successes.
[1]
SYMBOLISM
© Mohamed Somji
Jean Nouvel with an UAE representative.

26. REFERENCES
[1] https://www.louvreabudhabi.ae/fr/about-us/architecture
[2]
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55581970e4b0c59a4547df44/589d13d046c3c44e76b510c6/589d2c68f5e231fd91649ff0/14866
95556416/Jean_Nouvel.png
[3] http://www.rtl.fr/culture/arts-spectacles/le-musee-du-louvre-abu-dhabi-ouvrira-ses-portes-le-11-novembre-2017-7789976645
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louvre_Abu_Dhabi
[5] https://www.inexhibit.com/case-studies/louvre-abu-dhabi-by-ateliers-jean-nouvel/
[6] http://www.thompsons.co.za/files/large/82850790b4dba3a
[7] https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/09/a1/9d/38/oasi-di-al-ain.jpg
[8] http://www.arabianbusiness.com/sites/default/files/images/2017/11/08/1_Louvre-Abu-Dhabi_Design_871110794.jpg
[9] http://www.designmena.com/portfolio/designmena-visits-jean-nouvels-newly-completed-louvre-abu-dhabi
[10] https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c5/f5/bc/c5f5bc46c4a61f89039c40a155df7f53.jpg
[11] http://www.louvre.fr/louvre-abu-dhabi
[12] https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3405/3434373788_3e8c676cc7.jpg

27. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!