Louvre Abu Dhabi, the first museum to be built at the Saadiyat Cultural District in the UAE capital, has won top honours at the inaugural Identity Design Awards 2015 held in Dubai, UAE.

The world-class museum, whose construction is in advance stages, clinched the Project of the Future award for its exceptional design by Pritzker Prize winning architect Jean Nouvel at a glittering ceremony held at the Intercontinental Dubai Marina, reported the emirates news agency Wam.

The awards ceremony was organised by Identity, a leading magazine dedicated to contemporary design, interiors, architecture and property in the region.

The category was only open to projects that are currently under construction, which are expected to be finished within the next three years, and which are establishing the UAE as a centre of architecture and design, said the report.

The museum, one of three short-listed projects, was selected during a special live vote at the award ceremony.

Encompassing 9,200 sq m of art galleries, Louvre Abu Dhabi will feature a 6,000-sq-m Permanent Gallery that houses the museum's permanent collection, while the Temporary Gallery will be a dedicated space of 2,000 sq m presenting temporary exhibitions of international collections.

In addition to paintings, the museum will also present a diverse range of artefacts that, together, will take visitors through a universal journey from the most ancient to contemporary art works from different civilisations, said the report.

Senior TDIC representatives received the award on behalf of Jean Nouvel in the presence of real estate, architectural and design leaders.