The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is taking shape in the heart of the city’s cultural district, where our BESIX teams have been working since 2021. Designed by Frank Gehry, the museum resembles a monumental sculpture formed by ten giant cones, each weighing around 100 tonnes. With concrete works underway since 2023, the project has become one of the most complex we have delivered.
As Logistics Manager Jean-Paul Calderan says, “In more than 20 years at BESIX, I have never worked on a project where coordination, design and construction sequencing were so tightly connected.”
A large part of this achievement is made possible by the colleagues who work at height every day. Several specialised teams contribute to these operations:
- Tower crane operators work from the highest positions on site, with the tallest crane here reaching 110 metres.
- Safety rescue teams, who play a crucial role in keeping operations safe and responding immediately when needed.
- Rope access technicians, trained alpinists from specialist partners, who work across all ten cones using harnesses and equipment adapted to this uniquely demanding geometry. This is one of the most specific and technically challenging types of height work on the project.
- Façade installers, also specialist subcontractors, who install straight, curved and inclined panels at heights of up to 91 metres, supported by scaffolding reaching up to 95 metres.
Safety is non-negotiable
To make this possible, safety is never compromised. All height workers follow strict certification requirements, weekly medical checks and fitness assessments. Rope access technicians refresh their specialist training every six months. Rescue teams regularly rehearse real life scenarios, constant radio communication ensures immediate response to any concern and safety nets provide an extra layer of protection.
“Cold rooms” are installed throughout the site, even at more than 70 metres high, providing safe, air‑conditioned rest areas during Abu Dhabi’s extreme heat and humidity. Construction materials also heat up rapidly under the sun, making these cold rooms essential for wellbeing. Wind, heat and humidity are monitored continuously, and all height work stops the moment safety thresholds are reached. These jobs require constant, 300% focus, and deserve our deep respect.
As Jean-Paul often reminds the teams: “It takes one second of inattention for an accident to happen.”
This strong discipline is reflected in our results: the Guggenheim project has now reached 56 million work hours without a lost time injury. This remarkable milestone highlights the professionalism of all teams and partners, especially those working at height.
Watch the video below to see the progress of the past years (internal use only, do not share externally).
Let’s keep up this fantastic work, BESIX Guggenheim team!