so I guess the first rush of visitors is over,
it is of course, the V&A Dundee museum, designed by Japanese architect
Kengo Kuma, at a cost of £80 million,
the design is meant to resemble one of Scotland's notable natural features, so what is the natural feature that Scotland has for this building to reassemble it?
built on reclaimed land, the museum stands at the centre
of a £1 billion transformation of Dundee's former docks, the building is formed
of two angular volumes, these are clad in 2,500 horizontal concrete panels,
which connect on the first floor to form a single building,
the museum extends over the River Tay with a pointed corner that protrudes like the bow of a boat, this prow-shaped space contains the museum's large entrance space, cafe and shop, with timber walls the reference the building's concrete exterior cladding,
V&A Dundee's galleries, which showcase items
demonstrating the importance of design and Scotland's design
achievements, are accessed by a ceremonial staircase in the foyer,
on the first floor, are the museum's 1,100 square metre temporary gallery, and the permanent Scottish Design Galleries,
the centrepiece of the Scottish Design Galleries is the rebuilt
interior of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Ingram Street Tearooms, the interior of the Oak Room, which has been in storage since 1971
when the building was demolished, has been restored and reconstructed
through a partnership between V&A Dundee, Glasgow Museums and Dundee City
Council, Kuma designed the
building to evoke the dramatic cliffs of Scotland's coastline, "The big idea for V&A Dundee was bringing together
nature and architecture, to create a new living room for the city," he
said, "I'm truly in love with the Scottish landscape and
nature," he added, "I was inspired by the cliffs of
northeastern Scotland – it's as if the earth and water had a long conversation
and finally created this stunning shape." so that was it, as soon as I saw the building the first thing I thought of was Scotland's cliffs, I bet you all thought the same! but in any event if ever we find ourselves in Dundee, it will be on our list to visit.
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