Design Museum Launched in Scotland

The V&A Dundee, shortlisted for the Art Fund Museum of the Year for 2019, was opened in September 2018 in Dundee, Scotland, and is helping to energize the waterfront on the Firth of Tay with its ship-like design. Japanese architect Kengo Kuma envisioned the design museum as two inverted pyramids creating an archway and melded into the shape of a ship that was also inspired by the cliffs of northeastern Scotland. (The original V&A museum was named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and stood in South Kensington for 150 years.)

The exterior is made up of 2466 molded stone panels spanning up to 4 meters (13 ft.) and weighing 3000 kg (6600 lbs.) each. The £80 million ($101 million USD and $136 million CAD) project has a .85-hectare (8500-sq.-meter or 2.1-acre) floor area and includes a main hall, learning center, auditorium, temporary exhibition galleries, and the permanent Scottish Design Galleries. On the upper floor is a restaurant and outdoor terrace with views over the River Tay.

Explore the construction of the building by viewing these videos. First is a discussion of the construction, showing progress throughout. The second video is a drone exploration of the finished building.