The impressive new V&A museum in Dundee, designed by the renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, promises to become an iconic Scottish building.
The construction of the first ever design museum in Scotland and the only other V&A museum anywhere in the world outside London is progressing well, on time and budget, on the River Tay, in Dundee.
The temporary structure that allowed the museum to be built into the river were recently removed - Image by ross fraser mclean
Inspired to the Scottish cliffs, the 8,000m² three-storey building showcases a beautiful curving facade hosting 2,466 individually shaped and angled pre-cast stone panels, each spanning up to 4m wide.
Parametric design and digital fabrication were used to shape the cladding components - Image by ross fraser mclean
Sustainability and energy system
The new museum aims to achieve BREEAM Excellent rating for its exemplary energy and sustainability building performance.
A geothermal energy system comprising thirty 200-metre deep bore holes coupled with air source heat pumps will provide 800,000 kWh/annum of heating and 500,000 kWh/annum of cooling to the galleries. BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is one of the global leading green building rating system used in the construction and property sector to measure the environmental performance of new and existing buildings.
Detail drawing of the cladding with the pre-cast stone planks and the architecture concept - courtesy of Kengo Kuma & Associates
The V&A Dundee Museum of Design is expected to open next summer.