Enhancing the Indoor Lighting Quality of U.A.E Museums A Case Study of Louvre Abu Dhabi

Abstract

The role of museums is to conserve and protect history. Over the years, the public perception of museums has greatly improved due to a popular spread of awareness and appreciation of history and culture. This study will focus on museums from a sustainable design perspective. The primary relationship between sustainability and museums is related to the ideas of preservation and protection. This is based on the meaning of sustainability, which is the concept of preserving the environment from any harmful or unwanted impact. This is closely linked to the main aim of museums to preserve history from being damaged or wrecked. Furthermore, museums play a significant role in spreading the concept and awareness of sustainability, both through design and through exhibited items. The research will mainly focus on the indoor quality of the museum, by focusing on lighting. Museum lighting is the main element of the story-telling process of the museum. Lighting in museums plays an essential role in giving the visitors the true experience of their surroundings. Additionally, in a museum, visitors are expected to interact with, see, and experience the space and objects, and without optimal lighting, this experience would be impossible. This paper will use a case study to analyze these topics related to lighting and sustainability. The selected case study is located in the United Arab Emirates, specifically in Abu Dhabi. The Louvre Abu Dhabi is considered to be one of the most important museums in the U.A.E. This case was chosen for consideration due to this particular museum’s high potential for impact on the public an also for the sophistication of its design. The author was intrigued to study all of the aspects related to the design of the Louvre Abu Dhabi and to analyze whether there could be any enhancements that could help develop the museum. This research focused on analyzing different data using multiple methods and techniques. The use of survey data was an important method to determine users' perspectives and perceptions. Another important method was the use of simulation programs to come up with accurate results that would benefit the objective of the paper.