23 August 2011

New V&A will be a beacon for design in Scotland

Edinburgh festival goers will get a chance to go behind the scenes of one of Scotland's newest cultural spaces - before it has even been built.

A panel of top curators and architects working on the new £45million V&A at Dundee will gather at the Festival of Politics at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, 25th August to share the inspiration behind the iconic building, which is due to open in 2015.

Philip Long, the recently appointed Director of the V&A at Dundee, said, 'The V&A at Dundee will be international in ambition. It will create an outstanding public space that celebrates the vital part Scotland has played in design history, as well as being a focus for design-led innovation and opportunity in our country.'

Peter Bowman of cre8architecture, the Scottish architects partnering with the Japanese practice Kengo Kuma & Associates to deliver the building, said, 'We are thrilled to be part of this project. The building is a world-class design and could become one of Europe’s most iconic buildings. It is great tribute to the city’s maritime heritage.'

Other speakers taking part in the panel discussion include Moira Gemmill, Director of Design at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Mike Galloway, Director of City Development at Dundee City Council, Maurizio Mucciola of Kengo Kuma and Associates, and Alan Taylor of the Sunday Herald.

Behind the Scenes at the Museum: V&A at Dundee, 16.00-1700,

Festival of Politics, Scottish Parliament, 25 August 2011.

Admission by free ticket from Hub Tickets. www.festivalofpolitics.org.uk

Facebook - www.facebook.com/festivalofpolitics

Twitter - #fop11 hashtag on Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/FestOfPol

NOTES TO EDITORS

The V&A at Dundee will be an international centre for design housed in a world-class building at the heart of Dundee's waterfront. It will celebrate Scotland’s design heritage, showcase contemporary design talent, and encourage design innovation for the future while providing a venue for major international touring exhibitions from the V&A and other providers.

The project is being delivered by Design Dundee Ltd, a ground-breaking partnership between the Victoria and Albert Museum - the world’s greatest museum of art and design - and Dundee City Council, the Universities of Dundee and Abertay Dundee, and Scottish Enterprise.

Philip Long and Peter Bowman are available for interview. For further information please contact Tara Wainwright at V&A at Dundee on 01382 385131 or mobile 07815 389 769.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277