The Louvre Abu Dhabi has been announced as the ‘Sustainable Building Design of the Year’ and ‘GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Project of the Year’ at the MEP Middle East Awards.

As Executive Architects, Pascall+Watson worked in partnership with French architect Jean Nouvel to create the striking museum, which opened in November last year.

As one of a series of galleries and museums on Saadiyat Island, it houses great artworks from around the world, with a universal focus on shared human stories across civilisations and cultures.

The 3 Pearl rated design consists of a series of connected gallery spaces totalling 8,000m², surrounded by seawater and largely covered by a vast 180m diameter domed roof, supported on just four piers.

The dome which is inspired by the cupola, a distinctive feature in Arabic architecture, has seemingly random geometric openings that cast a ‘rain of light’ into the circulation spaces below.

This year’s winners were announced on the 7 November, at the annual gala dinner in Dubai.