31 January 2013

V&A at Dundee architect Kengo Kuma to give public lecture

Kengo Kuma, architect of the new V&A at Dundee, will discuss his approach to architecture and how a new relationship is being formed between people and place at a public lecture in Dundee next month.

Kengo Kuma will talk about his projects around the world as well as updating progress on his thoughts and designs for V&A at Dundee. The `Power of Place' lecture will take place at the Dalhousie Building, University of Dundee, at 6pm on Monday February 18th.

Mr Kuma previously gave public lectures in Dundee in May 2011, when the initial event was so heavily oversubscribed that an extra session had to be added to accommodate over 1400 interested people.

"I am delighted to welcome Kengo Kuma back to Dundee for this public event," said Philip Long, Director of V&A at Dundee. "As he showed during his previous lectures here, he is an extremely engaging speaker and can offer fascinating insights both into his own projects and how architecture affects all our lives."

Tickets for the lecture are free but advance booking is recommended. They can be reserved from the University of Dundee Events office, online at www.dundee.ac.uk/tickets, by emailing events@dundee.ac.uk, or by calling 01382 385564 or 01382 385108.

NOTES TO EDITORS

V&A at Dundee will be the first ever purpose-built design museum to be constructed in the UK outside London. It will provide more than 1700 square metres of flexible gallery space and will be one of the largest dedicated exhibition spaces in Scotland. The galleries will host world-class exhibitions of international design, alongside displays devoted to outstanding Scottish design - historical, contemporary and of the future.

V&A at Dundee 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. The new building is being designed by a team led by architects Kengo Kuma & Associates.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) awarded it a first round pass of up to £9.2m, including £200,000 development funding, in May 2102. The Scottish Government has committed £15m in capital towards the project's £45million budget.

www.vandaatdundee.com.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head. Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07800 581902