The flagship Scottish Design Galleries within the Kengo Kuma’s new Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum of Design in Dundee will be designed by ZMMA, an international studio specialising in museums and arts projects.

The galleries will exhibit V&A collections and loans from other collections in Scotland and abroad that tell the story of the country's design achievements over the last 300 years – from intricate 18th century metalwork to catwalk fashion using traditional Harris Tweed.

ZMMA have previously designed galleries for the UK’s National Railway Museum, the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the National Museum of Scotland and the V&A’s Europe 1600-1815 exhibition halls in London.

V&A Dundee director Philip Long said: “As well as covering all the practical considerations of displaying both historic and contemporary design in appropriate conditions, ZMMA’s design approach combines clever use of light, space, materials and interpretative techniques to create gallery displays that are sure to inspire.

“We look forward to working with them to create these permanent galleries which will showcase the most exciting Scottish designers working today, as well as presenting objects from our outstanding design heritage, many of which have not been previously seen.”

ZMMA – who were appointed after an open competition process – will work with the V&A Dundee team to design the galleries over the next year. Director of the practice Adam Zombory-Moldovan said the final result will “be a stunning place and an astonishing Scottish design story, with a fantastic collection” that “presents the inspiration and importance of Scottish design – historic and contemporary – to local, national and international audiences.”

Opening in 2018, the V&A Museum of Design Dundee will be located on Dundee’s revitalised waterfront. It will host major exhibitions, celebrate design heritage, inspire and promote contemporary talent, and encourage future design innovation. Its permanent collections in the Scottish Design Galleries will be accompanied by international touring exhibitions from the V&A, making Dundee the only location in the UK outside London to receive these.

The project is being developed by Design Dundee Ltd, Dundee City Council, the University of Dundee, Abertay University and Scottish Enterprise.

In an exclusive interview featured in the latest issue of CLADmag – hot off the press this week – Kuma said he hoped the museum will introduce a new type of design culture “which stimulates architecture and design in Scotland.”

He explained that his vision for the museum – which is inspired both by the Scottish cliffs and the famous Antarctic research ship RSS Discovery – was “to combine nature and the city centre so we can achieve the kind of connection that allows the city to get energy from nature.”

Construction work on V&A Dundee scheme to start in August

FEATURE: Interview – Kengo Kuma