V&A Dundee lands extra £8m to float on water

AN extra £8.3 million will be spent on landscaping around Dundee’s V&A museum, to make the building look as if it is “floating within pools of water”.
An artist's impression of the V&A Museum at Dundee. Picture: ContributedAn artist's impression of the V&A Museum at Dundee. Picture: Contributed
An artist's impression of the V&A Museum at Dundee. Picture: Contributed

The Scottish Government confirmed yesterday that the funding – which is over and above the £45m building costs – will help transform the waterfront area around the complex. The government has already ring-fenced £18m for the museum to help pay for its construction and running costs on the banks of the River Tay.

But the previous funding, confirmed more than two years ago, does not meet any of the costs of regenerating the waterfront area, which is currently being cleared for development.The extra money will go to the regeneration of a large swathe of land beside Dundee’s railway station and the floating attraction Discovery to create a promenade suitable for special events and temporary art installations.

Hide Ad

It will be created adjacent to a site earmarked for new parks and spaces suitable for major festivals and events. The proposed landscaping, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, will cover around 6,230 square metres in total.

There is still a shortfall of around £10m to meet the construction costs of the museum, which is intended to be a major showcase of international art and design and play host to regular touring exhibitions.

The Dundee V&A, which will be the UK’s first major design museum outside London, is being overseen by a taskforce that includes the Victoria and Albert Museum, Dundee City Council, the University of Dundee, Abertay University and Scottish Enterprise.

However, the proposed timetable for the project, which was announced in 2007, has slipped behind by several years, with the attraction now not due to open to the public until 2017.

Construction work on the building is still not under way, although it is hoped it will start this summer. Finance secretary John Swinney said the additional money, which will come via Scottish Enterprise, will ensure visitors get an “outstanding first impression”.

Mick McHugh, director at Scottish Enterprise, added: “This is a nationally important project which will be transformational for the local and national economies, both in terms of visitor numbers and jobs, with more than 860 net construction, tourism and waterfront district jobs anticipated in the next decade.”

SEE ALSO: