After a lengthy delay, building will begin on the city's ambitious island of culture, writes Ray Edgar.

A CULTURAL oasis is emerging in Abu Dhabi. Two of the world's major cultural institutions - the Guggenheim and Louvre - are establishing Middle Eastern franchises on the natural island of Saadiyat, 10 minutes from the United Arab Emirates capital's downtown.

In 2007 Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, declared that ''the aim of Saadiyat Island must be to create a cultural asset for the world''.

However, this exercise in global branding is not only about content but also form. The prestigious museums will be built alongside three other landmark cultural buildings.

Dubai may be on a quixotic chase for the world's tallest building but Abu Dhabi has sought global architecture's heavyweights. Each building is designed by a Pritzker prize-winner, constituting a veritable galaxy of ''starchitects''.

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After the success of the Guggenheim Bilbao, Frank Gehry is designing the conical structures for the Abu Dhabi branch. In her typically sinuous style, Zaha Hadid has designed the Performing Arts Centre. Tadao Ando helms the Maritime Museum and Norman Foster is responsible for the Zayed National Museum. Meanwhile, the Louvre displays its Gallic expertise with Jean Nouvel designing the Louvre Abu Dhabi, scheduled to be the first of the museums to open in 2015.

''Everything is happening here,'' said Nouvel, whose Louvre design is about to undergo construction. ''I'm very proud to participate in the materialisation of this golden age, and this pushes us to go higher and beyond and further because we are doing something that the whole world is looking at.''

In 2011, however, the world was watching plans unravel as construction delays forced the government-owned Tourism Development and Investment Company to postpone the scheduled openings.

With this week's announcement of the construction tender of the Louvre project, the first of the museums is now due to open in 2015. A giant, shallow ''lace'' dome, inspired by traditional Arabic architecture, shades the vast complex of pavilions, plazas, alleyways and canals. Some 180 metres in diameter, its perforated, interlaced patterns filter light.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi encompasses 9200 square metres of galleries, two-thirds of which will house the museum's permanent collection, from ancient to contemporary artworks.

The remaining area will house temporary exhibitions.

Twelve French museums will loan works.