Louvre Abu Dhabi

Beneath the 180 m diameter openwork dome, the museum’s the museum’s 24,000 m² of floor space is divided among a series of pavilions set in a lagoon. Light and reflections in the water guide visitors through the Louvre’s first international exhibition. The relationship between water and light forms the topography of the various galleries housing permanent and temporary exhibition rooms, an auditorium and more. The permanent exhibition is punctuated by a succession of introductory spaces that provide a preliminary context for the exhibition, allowing the visitor to encounter the works without intermediary. The technical systems are systematically concealed, but remain accessible through double walls, floors and ceilings. The temporary exhibitions and children’s area is equipped in an almost scenic manner to accommodate a wide variety of works. These systems are combined with zenithal natural light control. The auditorium – behind the movable panels of an ingenious wooden box – brings together all the innovative technologies required for a facility of this calibre.