Protecting the beautiful Louvre from saltwater, sand and heat
The Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi is an ambitious, striking and innovative building that combines modern architecture with design elements from the region’s architectural traditions. Two-thirds of the museum is covered by a white dome, an emblematic feature of Arabian architecture, that evokes the mosque, the mausoleum and the madrasa. The double dome is randomly perforated to create shade punctuated by bursts of sunlight during the day, and astarry oasis in the night.
Poised between the sea and sand on Saadiyat Island, the museum needs a coating system that can protect it against aggressively corrosive sea salts, sand and heat. The dome was built by Assent, one of the Middle East’s leading structural steel design and construction companies, who asked us to create a coating system that could protect the dome in these tough conditions.
We designed a coating system that would deliver both high durability and an aesthetic finish. It is designed specifically to withstand the harsh saltwater environment and desert conditions, and will ensure that the dome will maintain its striking white colour for years to come.
The challenge
Poised between the sea and sand on Saadiyat Island, the Louvre Museum in Adu Dhabi is a magnificent sight. One of the most striking features of the museum is the domed roof. Consisting of 8,000 tonnes of perforated steelwork, the dome needs to be protected against the corrosive sea salts from the Persian Gulf as well as the hot and sandy climate of Saadiyat Island. In addition, our customer, one of the Middle East’s leading companies in the field of structural steel design, needed the coating system to ensure the dome will maintain its striking white colour for years to come.
The solution
Our coating system is designed specifically to withstand the harsh saltwater environment and desert conditions. The combination of Galvosil 15700 and Hempadur Mastic 45881 ensures excellent weather and abrasion resistance, while the Hempathane 55910 topcoat gives the dome a beautiful and extremely durable gloss finish that will last for many years.
At a glance
| Coating system | Galvosil 15700 Hempadur Mastic 45881 Hempathane 55910 |
| Total litres | +90,000 |
