11 January 2018
Corporate News

Tata Steel helps create iconic roof for Louvre Abu Dhabi

Louvre Abu Dhabi roof

Tata Steel’s Hartlepool plant in the UK has supplied almost 2,000 tonnes of premium steel to build the vast engineered roof suspended above the new Louvre gallery in Abu Dhabi, which was listed recently as one of BBC Culture’s best buildings of 2017* (see notes).

The crucial contribution to the construction of one of the world’s most impressive new architectural endeavours required 1,900 tonnes of Celsius® square hollow sections being rolled and delivered for the project, working with Alukönigstahl in Austria.

In addition to housing hundreds of precious artworks, the newly-built £1 billion museum in Abu Dhabi is its own work of art. It features a latticed dome designed to protect visitors from the heat, while allowing the 55 rooms and galleries it covers to experience natural light. Sixty-three supersized elements, made from steel profiles, support the canopy – the size of five football pitches.

Andy Pottinger, Associate Director, Buro Happold, the Design Engineers who specified the premium Tata Steel product, said: “We’re really pleased that a top-quality product has enabled us to realise our vision of the Louvre dome.”

Andrew Ward, Works Manager at Tata Steel said: “The team at Hartlepool is very proud to have produced steel that has helped to construct what is definitely one of the world’s standout new buildings.

“We worked very closely with Buro Happold to ensure the stringent technical requirements were understood. Our technical capability to manufacture steel hollow sections is well proven, and I am confident this was a key consideration in the tender evaluation. Tata Steel has a global track record of managing complex project packages.

“Tata Steel has executed projects of this nature in the past with extreme precision and accuracy, ensuring achievement of project objectives and client goals.”

The Louvre Abu Dhabi is the first universal museum in the Arab world, born out of an intergovernmental agreement signed between the United Arab Emirates and France. The museum presents both ancient and contemporary works of historic, cultural, and sociological interest from around the world.

-ends-

For further information:
Ross Brown on T. +44 (0)7932 623 820 or rbrown@hanovercomms.com 

Notes to editors:
*http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20171215-the-best-buildings-of-2017

About Tata Steel’s European operations
Tata Steel is one of Europe's leading steel producers, with steelmaking in the UK and Netherlands, and manufacturing plants across Europe. The company supplies high-quality steel products to the most demanding markets, including construction and infrastructure, automotive, packaging and engineering. Tata Steel works with customers to develop new steel products that give them a competitive edge. The combined Tata Steel group is one of the top global steel companies, with an annual steel capacity of 27.5 million tonnes and almost 74,000 employees across five continents. The group’s revenue in the year ending March 2017 was $18.1 billion.

Louvre Abu Dhabi roof
Categories