Amanda Levete's V&A plans approved
V and A: illustration of proposed courtyard
Source: Amanda Levete Architects£41 million project includes new underground gallery
Amanda Levete Architects has received planning permission for a new underground gallery and courtyard at the V&A museum in west London.
The £41 million project, which also includes a new entrance from Exhibition Road, was approved by the planning committee at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Levete, principal of ALA, said: “We’re reimagining the dialogue between the V&A and Exhibition Road and in doing so, creating a new public space in the cultural and learning heart of London. It’s made particularly special by the V&A collections having inspired so much of our work.”
ALA won the project in March 2011 following an international design competition, seeing off practices including Heneghan Peng, Snøhetta and Jamie Fobert.
Richard Rogers praised the “outstanding design”, adding: “ALA’s design is an important and elegant step in the evolution of the Museum; it helps continue the programme of opening up the V&A to everyone, whilst revealing the previously unseen historic façade.”
David Adjaye, a former V&A Trustee, said: “ALA’s scheme considerately embraces the original Victorian architectural and decorative fabric of the Museum while unlocking the Exhibition Road side of the V&A with an impressive and welcoming public space, with dramatic state-of-the-art underground galleries.”
Construction will start in 2013 and the building should be open to the public by 2016.
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Readers' comments (4)
There seems to be a problem with Architects in this country getting beyond bland generic forms. What's wrong with just continuing the style that the V&A is already built in. Does it have to stand out so the Architect can say, 'I did that' and be recognised even it it doesn't fit in particularly well. Perhaps, getting to the standard of Architecture the V&A is built in is too high for today's Architects to reach? They can only do basic shapes, volumes as they like to call it.
OK, I know this has nothing to do with architecture, but doesn't Amanda look good for her age?
I prefer to remember Jan.
It's quite a nice design overall but I do think the floor pattern needs re-visiting. It's got a certain 'computerised repetition' about it, akin to the cladding on the Strata tower and Park House. For Amanda to talk of being inspired by the V&A collections, which display organic crafted patterns, and then contrary to those collections for her to offer such a poor floor pattern seems to me to say that she doesn't really understand the collections and is only paying a PR style lip service to them. Don't talk about being inspired by the collections, show evidence that you've learnt from them in your work! Is that harsh or am I missing something here, like maybe it will look better (sea-like) at ground eye-level?