8 March 2010
Design competition for V&A at Dundee attracts international interest
Over 120 architect and design teams from around the world have registered their official interest in the V&A at Dundee project, which aims to develop a new centre of 21st century design for Scotland and the world at the heart of Dundee’s waterfront.
The design competition was launched at the start of the year, with the deadline for initial submissions of interest set for February 15th and now 122 submissions have been received from all over the globe.
'The reaction to the design competition has been phenomenal,' said Mike Galloway, Director of City Development for Dundee City Council. 'We are confident that we have a project here that is immensely appealing to the architecture and design community and that has been confirmed by the number and the quality of the submissions we have received.
'There are some very prominent names among those who have entered but we also have lots of emerging talent and it is fantastic to see the level of ambition that this project is creating.'
The V&A at Dundee is being delivered by a ground-breaking partnership between the Victoria and Albert Museum - the world’s greatest museum of art and design - and the University of Dundee, the University of Abertay Dundee, Dundee City Council and Scottish Enterprise.
Entries to the design competition will now be examined in detail by a panel of judges formed between the partners and external advisors. A shortlist of around 5 or 6 design teams will then be drawn up and announced later in the Spring. They will each be asked to produce design concepts and models, which will go on public view.
A winner of the design competition will be announced in the summer.
The V&A at Dundee is looking to create a landmark building, which will sit just to the south of Craig Harbour on a site to be created out into the River Tay. The site is being made available through the Dundee Central Waterfront Partnership, the joint venture between Dundee City Council and Scottish Enterprise which is revitalising the prime area of land linking the city centre with the River Tay.
Designers were invited to make proposals for a building that reflects the V&A at Dundee project partnership’s desire to stimulate commerce as well as local and visitor interest.
The V&A at Dundee will:
- be a rich and inspiring resource for design and creativity.
- attract visitors from Dundee, Scotland and further afield to world-class travelling and permanent exhibitions.
- improve the attractiveness of Dundee and its region to business.
It is planned that the V&A at Dundee will open in 2014. The dynamic combination of a landmark building on a superb site and outstanding content will help drive forward Dundee’s Waterfront regeneration and stimulate further Scotland’s creative industries.
NOTES TO EDITORS
A feasibility study conducted by Whetstone Group and Conran & Partners, launched in February 2009 at the V&A at Dundee: Making it Happen conference, concluded the V&A at Dundee would have significant economic and cultural benefits for both Tayside and Scotland. In particular it is estimated that V&A at Dundee would bring an additional 500,000 visitors to Dundee, create up to 900 jobs locally as well as add £5.7m output to the Scottish economy.
The V&A is the world’s greatest museum of art and design with collections unrivalled in their scope and diversity spanning over two thousand years of human creativity in virtually every medium. It has an internationally renowned exhibition programme from major styles shows such as Art Deco (2003) and Modernism (2006) to cutting edge contemporary art and design displays. It has a strong tradition of applied research and curatorial excellence and its curatorial portfolio is complemented by existing strengths in Dundee at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design and the University of Abertay Dundee.
Scottish Enterprise is Scotland's main enterprise, innovation and investment agency. Working in partnership with industry, academia and the public sector, SE aims to help make Scotland a place where business can thrive and key industries can be competitive. Its focus is to help businesses grow, encourage greater innovation and create the right conditions for companies to access property, markets and finance to increase productivity and increase Scotland's ability to compete internationally.
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