V&A Dundee (Victoria & Albert Museum),
designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates (KKAA)
The Victoria & Albert Museum is one of the leading museums in the UK, notable for its extensive collection of arts and crafts. In 2010, an architectural competition was launched to design a new branch of the museum in Dundee, Scotland's fourth-largest city, with the goal of creating a building with a unique form and function. The jury selected the design prepared by the Japanese studio Kengo Kuma & Associates, which realized the building in 2018.
V&A Dundee (a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum in Dundee) - the building was located on the banks of the River Tay
Photo by Ross Fraser McLean © Kengo Kuma & Associates (KKAA)
Inspired by the cliffs of Orkney
and the city 's harbor character
The massing of Scotland's first design museum was designed to harmonize with its natural surroundings. Situated on the banks of the River Tay in the harbor district, the building consists of two parts in the form of inverted pyramids, with each structure weighing more than four tons. The building's facades are finished with horizontally stacked concrete slats arranged in a dense pattern.
V&A Dundee (a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum in Dundee) - the centerpiece of the project is an open space that acts as a tunnel, connecting the River Tay waterfront to Union Street
Photo by Ross Fraser McLean © Kengo Kuma & Associates (KKAA)
This type of finish alludes to Scotland's natural landscape formations, particularly the coastal cliffs of Orkney, an archipelago located north of the Scottish coast. The structure of the building expands upward, ending with a clearly marked glazing. The layout of the massing refers to the harbor character of its surroundings and resembles the shape of a ship.
V&A Dundee (a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum in Dundee) - site plan.
© Kengo Kuma & Associates (KKAA)
connecting the city to the water
The centerpiece of the project is an open space that acts as a tunnel, connecting the River Tay waterfront to Union Street, the city's main transportation axis. In the 20th century, the Dundee waterfront area was separated from the rest of the city by a string of warehouses, which were removed as part of a broader urban revitalization plan.
The V&A Dundee (a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum in Dundee) - each lump weighs more than four tons
photo by Ross Fraser McLean © Kengo Kuma & Associates (KKAA)
The museum became a symbol of this process of transformation, and the spacious "opening" in its structure re-established the relationship between the city and the river. The element was inspired by the Japanese Torii gate, which in the Shinto tradition symbolizes passage to sacred places.
V&A Dundee (a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum in Dundee) - drawing of the south and west elevations
© Kengo Kuma & Associates (KKAA)
interior as a space
for the community
The museum's interior was designed to be open and to encourage social interaction. The irregular arrangement of wall panels gives the space a dynamic character while creating a pleasant atmosphere. The upward expansion of the space enhances the feeling of spaciousness that sets the place apart from standard museum halls. Thanks to the multifunctional nature of the interior, the V&A Dundee serves not only as a museum, but also as a space for concerts and artistic performances.
Compiled by Anastazja Dżupina
Illustrations provided courtesy of Kengo Kuma & Associates (KKAA).
