ZMMA win competition to create Scottish Design Galleries at V&A Dundee
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.”
V&A V&A Design Dundee ZMMA Kengo Kuma architecture design Scotland


Construction work on V&A Dundee scheme to start in August
FEATURE: Interview – Kengo Kuma


BIG's designs Prague concert hall to be vibrant centre of life

Mather & Co-designed Gretna Green Experience opens to the public

Project to save last major bellfoundry which cast bells for St Paul's and Washington National Cathedral

Perkins & Will reveals designs for net-zero sports and cultural centre in Toronto

World’s first living waterslides announced for Therme Manchester

Heatherwick reveals Volcano-inspired opera house designs for Hainan

Natural history museum planned for Abu Dhabi

Controversial London music venue, MSG Sphere, gets full planning permission

Clifford's Tower opens to the public after £5m redevelopment

Clifford's Tower opens to the public after £5m redevelopment

Glasgow's iconic Burrell Collection reopens after five-year, £68.5m revamp

SB Architects delivers Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Costa Rica with tree-house spa and private residences

Ole Scheeren designs vertical jungle resort complex in China

Designer Brian d’Souza launches Swell to create evocative soundscapes for physical environments

Basalt Architects create geothermal Forest Lagoon in the wilds of Iceland

Hot Pickle design £73m Guinness visitor attraction for Diageo in London

Amsterdam's new digital art centre Fabrique des Lumières will use tech to bring art alive

Pharrell Williams to launch tropical Bahamian beach resort

Banyan Tree curating solar-powered wellness retreat on private Mozambican island

Dubai Expo hits 10 million visits

Foster + Partners designs Dorchester Collection's first hotel in Middle East

Neil Jacobs reveals Six Senses Places concept for major cities

Orient Express returns to Italy after 46 years with six trains designed by Dimorestudio and new Rome hotel

400-year-old mineral spring will power Preidlhof’s €2m medicinal bath experience

Universal Beijing Resort reveals expansion plans for second phase

Pop-up stadium built with shipping containers opens ahead of 2022 World Cup

Playfulness will inspire Serenbe’s new wellness community, Spela

John McAslan + Partners-designed M7 cultural hub and museum opens in Doha

LPO Architects and GrecoDeco create vast subterranean wellness retreat for Oslo
