TDIC awards contract for Louvre

Abu Dhabi's Tourism Development and Investment Company awards Louvre piling works contract to Bauer International.

The German construction company Bauer International has won the piling works contract for the US$1 billion (Dh3.67bn) Louvre Abu Dhabi museum on Saadiyat Island. It is the second contract to be awarded on the project, which is being developed by the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) as part of the cultural district on the Dh99bn island development. Bauer also completed enabling works at the site last month.

A spokesman for the firm declined to say how much the new contract is worth due to a confidentiality agreement with TDIC. TDIC has also invited contractors to bid for the substructure contract, which will be awarded in May, and the main construction package, expected in September. "Taking the development aspect into perspective, our requirements for contractors are very demanding and we are proud to work with the world's leading construction firms as we build these top-class museums," said Lee Tabler, the chief executive of TDIC.

The main construction contract for The Louvre, which has been designed by the French architect Jean Nouvel, was meant to be awarded at the end of last year but was delayed after the developer changed the format of the deal to save costs. The UK firm Buro Happold is the Louvre project's engineering consultant, while Parsons Corporation of the US is the infrastructure consultant. TDIC has also invited contractors to bid for the Dh2.75bn contract to build The Guggenheim museum, also planned for Saadiyat Island.