From modest origins the so-called ‘Gulf countries’ have become financial powers and vigorous regional centers with an ever growing presence in the global scene. This increased importance comes from strengthened economic control and occasional military interventions, but also from ‘soft policies’ such as the cultural propaganda that has proven a principal instrument in achieving international visibility. The result is a series of enormous complexes devoted to art and knowledge, made possible in a short time by the petrodollar, and Arquitectura Viva presents two major recent examples: The Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum by Jean Nouvel and the Qatar National Library by Rem Koolhaas.

From modest origins the so-called ‘Gulf countries’ have become financial powers and vigorous regional centers with an ever growing presence in the global scene. This increased importance comes from strengthened economic control and occasional military interventions, but also from ‘soft policies’ such as the cultural propaganda that has proven a principal instrument in achieving international visibility. The result is a series of enormous complexes devoted to art and knowledge, made possible in a short time by the petrodollar, and Arquitectura Viva presents two major recent examples: The Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum by Jean Nouvel and the Qatar National Library by Rem Koolhaas.