Construction work at Louvre Abu Dhabi on track

Abu Dhabi: Officials witnessed the latest progress in construction taking place across the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s building, including the commencement of the installation of 30,000 square metres of natural stone paving.

The removal of the 14-metre-deep temporary concrete hydraulic cut-off walls currently built in the sand so that work could commence on dry land will be the museum’s next construction step.

Louvre Abu Dhabi recently celebrated the completion of the outer cladding on its iconic 180 metre wide dome; work is also progressing on the museum’s main gallery spaces, the basement levels, and the entrance and administration buildings.

Ali Majid Al Mansouri, Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) chairman; Mohammad Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi); Mohammad Thani Murshed Al Rumaithi, Arabtec’s chairman; and Sufian H. Al Marzouqi, TDIC’s CEO, toured the construction site earlier this week.

“We are very pleased with the advanced progress that has been achieved to date with regard to Louvre Abu Dhabi’s construction. Louvre Abu Dhabi is one of the most significant and highly anticipated projects of the coming year and we are monitoring its progress very closely with our partners and contractors. Construction of the museum is in its final stages and we are looking forward to a handover of the building taking place mid-2016,” Al Mansouri said.

Louvre Abu Dhabi’s construction was awarded to an Arabtec-led joint venture with Constructora San Jose SA and Oger Abu Dhabi LLC in 2013. Designed by the Pritzker Prize winning architect Jean Nouvel, Louvre Abu Dhabi will feature 12 permanent galleries, a temporary exhibition space, a children’s museum and an auditorium, while its iconic dome will offer visitors an enchanting ‘rain of light’ effect.