jean nouvel: louvre abu dhabi under construction

jean nouvel: louvre abu dhabi under construction
image © atelier jean nouvel
all images courtesy of atelier jean nouvel

a light-allowing, latticed double dome will be the central architectural gesture of jean nouvel‘s design for the ‘louvre abu dhabi‘. in the spirit of architecture that belongs to its history and place, the design draws from the time-tested passive cooling techniques of regional buildings in form of a long network of pools as well as the woven palm frond roofs characteristic of the region. the fibrous, aperture-ridden layer of the monumental curve acts as both a parasol and diffused lighting device. the dome, 180 meters in diameter,  also formally references a madrasa, mausoleum and mosque while helping maintain a succession of light-dappled spaces that frame the sea and garden. stone, steel and glass render three spatial typologies that vary in their admittance of light and create a variously translucent programmatic gradient. a material palette comprised of stucco, pristine plaster, glazing and reconstituted stone is the tectonic mechanism by which the cultural objects of myriad civilizations are put into dialogue. the overall aim of the museum is to supersede the functions of a house replete with cultural capital and instead become a haven of greenery on the coast– all situated at the end of an urban promenade. calmness and complexity come together with a program of exhibit halls, bookstores and cafes; each function is contained in an accretion of orthogonal volumes and sheltered by the monumental and perfect radiating geometry of shadows punctuated by bursts of the sun. of the structure, jean nouvel stated:

 ‘a microclimate is created by drawing on sensations that have been explored countless times in great arab architecture, which is based on the mastery of light and geometry . . . a structure made up of shadows, of movement and discovery.’

atelier jean nouvel has sent us a video documenting the construction progress of the museum which is projected for completion, and set to open in 2015:

time-tested passive cooling techniques in the form of expansive pools characterize the museum tectonics 
image © atelier jean nouvel

a woven double dome creates an interior skin of dappled light
image © atelier jean nouvel

bursts of sunlight permeate interior galleries 
image © atelier jean nouvel

‘architecture is about harnessing the will, desire and skills of a handful of people in order to modify a place at a given point in time. architecture is never something you create alone. you always create it somewhere in particular, at the request of one person or several people, but always for everyone to enjoy.’

– jean nouvel 

the program and interior circulation promotes a cooled garden effect 
image © atelier jean nouvel

interior views
image © atelier jean nouvel

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