Pascall+Watson Architects have been appointed by French architect Ateliers Jean Nouvel to provide architect of record services for the Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi.

The building is scheduled to open in 2012. It will comprise of a 24,000 sq m (260,000 sq ft) complex, covered by a shallow dome. Inside, 6,000 sq m (65,000 sq ft) of galleries will be devoted to permanent installations and 2,000 sq m (22,000 sq ft) will be reserved for temporary exhibitions. Planned as a universal museum, it will include art from all eras and regions, including Islamic art.

The Louvre forms part of a plan to build a $27 billion tourist and cultural development on Saadiyat Island, opposite the city. The project’s cultural components include a Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a maritime museum and a performing arts center as well as the Louvre Abu Dhabi.