kengo kuma-designed V&A dundee nears completion as opening date is announced

the V&A dundee, scotland’s first design museum, will open to the public on september 15, 2018. the building, which has been designed by japanese architect kengo kuma, will be the the only V&A museum in the world outside london and will serve as an international hub for design, discovery, and education. inspired by the dramatic cliffs along the east coast of scotland, the structure stands at the center of a £1 billion transformation of dundee’s waterfront, once part of the city’s docklands.

all images by ross fraser mclean, unless otherwise stated | video by rapid visual media

the V&A dundee will feature permanent galleries of scottish design, as well as an international program of changing exhibitions showcasing the best design from around the world. at the heart of the project, a sequence of free-to-enter galleries will tell the story of the scotland’s design heritage. curated in collaboration with the V&A, these spaces will comprise around 300 exhibits drawn from the V&A’s collection, as well as from various museums and private collections. at the center of these galleries will stand charles rennie mackintosh’s restored ‘oak room’ — a 13.5-metre-long paneled volume which was originally designed for a glasgow tearoom in 1907.

the project is located at the heart of the city’s revitalized waterfront

‘after many years of planning for V&A dundee, we are absolutely thrilled to announce the date of the new museum’s opening,’ said philip long, director of V&A dundee. ‘in just eight months we will be opening the doors and welcoming our first visitors. V&A dundee is set to be a vital new cultural organization for dundee, the UK and beyond, helping to change understanding of just how important design and creativity are to people’s lives. we are enormously grateful to all our supporters for helping to make this happen.’

the façade comprises 2,500 cast stone panels

‘ocean liners: speed & style’, the museum’s opening exhibition, will be the first to explore the design and cultural impact of the ocean liner on an international scale. ‘it will re-imagine the golden age of ocean travel and explore all aspects of ship design from the remarkable engineering, architecture and interiors to the opulent fashion and lifestyle on board,’ says the V&A dundee. further exhibition announcements will be made ahead of the museum’s opening. read designboom’s previous coverage of the project here.

the form of the building is inspired by scotland’s rugged cliffs

kengo kuma visits the completed building for the first time
image by alan richardson

the institution will be the the only V&A museum in the world outside london

the venue will serve as an international hub for design, discovery, and education

at night, the building’s dramatic form is emphasized with integrated lighting

the museum’s opening exhibition will explore the design and cultural impact of the ocean liner

the structure is reflected in the surface of the water

the V&A dundee will open to the public on september 15, 2018