The architecture of the 23 galleries was inspired by the medina (or “city” in Arabic) and low-lying Arab settlements.
Shaped as a “museum city” in the sea, the Saadiyat Island structure consists of a series of white buildings inspired by traditional Arabic architecture and culture. “It is a project founded on a major symbol of Arab architecture: the dome,” says Nouvel. “But here, with its evident shift from tradition, the dome is a modern proposal. The dome gleams in the Abu Dhabi sunshine. At night, this protected landscape is an oasis of light under a starry dome.” At 590 feet in diameter, with a circumference of 1,854 feet and weighing 7,500 tons (2,600 less than the entire Eiffel Tower), it’s the most fascinating element of the architecture, which can be seen from the sea and the surroundings of Abu Dhabi. Part of the dome’s eight kaleidoscopic layers is the 7,850 starshaped pieces of aluminum and stainless steel that subtly filter sunlight. “It is rather unusual to find a built archipelago in the sea,” Nouvel says. “It is even more uncommon to see that it is protected by a parasol creating a rain of light.” Only four hidden piers support the dome—the highest point of which is 131 feet above sea level and 118 above ground— giving the illusion that the building is floating. The structure is a building of the future not only in its aesthetic, but in environmental terms as well. Targeting a LEED Silver rating, Nouvel’s team gave priority to sustainable design techniques, including the optimization of the perforated ceiling and the use of reflective materials, which allowed reductions in solar gain (42 percent) and the consumption of both energy (27.2 percent) and water (27 percent).
AC