Additional reporting by Paul Keskeys, June 22, 2016<\/i><\/p>\n
The widespread flooding of a building is usually the stuff of architects\u2019 nightmares, but in the hazy heat of the desert in the United Arab Emirates, the intentional infiltration of water beneath the dome of the new Louvre Abu Dhabi<\/a> constituted a triumphant moment for Jean Nouvel<\/a>.<\/p>\n The French architect sent a wave of intrigue throughout the worlds of both art and architecture with the release of beautiful renderings of this key cultural landmark three years ago. Now, the journey from concept to built reality is nearly complete, and an amazing time-lapse video was released this week showing a shimmering lagoon emerging between the buildings on the edge of the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n