STEEL AND ARCHITECTURE: NOT ONLY EIFFEL TOWER
When you think of the use of steel in a large architectural construction, most likely the thing that comes to mind most is the famous Parisian tower.
In reality, steel is being used more and more often in imposing and artistic constructions, both for its properties and for the artistic rendering of its color.
Among the greatest expressions of the steel-architecture combination is the Louvre Abu Dhabi, designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel on the waters of the Persian Gulf.
The museum campus comprises 55 individual buildings that jut out into the sea like a group of white islands.
Its main feature is its lattice dome, which creates a wonderful light-shadow effect inside. Created from eight kaleidoscopic layers of perforated steel, the roof serves as both a refuge from the scorching desert heat and a work of art in itself, filtering sunlight through thousands of openings. Altogether, these pinheads create a visual effect within the galleries that the architects call the “rain of light.” In contrast, the delicacy of the dome belies its weight of a whopping 8,300 tons.
Are you passionate about architecture? Would you like to discover other examples of buildings where steel plays an important role? Discover our proposals:
