V&A Dundee wins Wallpaper* Design Award for Best New Public Building

V&A Dundee has won the Wallpaper* Design Award 2019 for the Best New Public Building. 

The building, which is home to Scotland’s first and only design museum was designed by the award winning Japanese Architect Kengo Kuma. 

The inspiration for the design of the building came from the ragged cliffs of North Eastern Scotland, while also incorporating Dundee’s rich maritime history.  The shape of the building is said to resemble the prow of a ship, similar to the V&A’s neighbour RRS Discovery.

Wallpaper* stated: "The highly sculptural V&A Dundee is Japanese architect Kengo Kuma’s first UK building – and Scotland’s first dedicated design museum.

"The ragged cliffs of north eastern Scotland inspired the composition’s distinct shape, clad in some 2,500 sheets of layered horizontal cast stone panelling.

"Yet the concrete structure appears light, bearing an abstracted resemblance to the prow of a moored ship. Kuma wanted this building to welcome visitors with a strong design gesture."

The construction of the building was ground-breaking, with no straight external walls and cladding made of pre-cast rough stone panels.

The Wallpaper* Magazine runs its design awards every year, with the winners being chosen by an elite panel of judges made up of acclaimed architects and designers from all over the world.

V&A Dundee director Philip Long said: “We're delighted to win this prestigious global award.

"Wallpaper is one of the world’s most highly respected design magazines and everyone at V&A Dundee is thrilled to have won, especially when we were shortlisted against such incredible international projects as the Apple Park Visitor Centre in California.

“V&A Dundee has already welcomed over 360,000 visitors, and we are all looking forward to an exciting year with exhibitions on videogames and the future of robots.”

Dundee City Council leader John Alexander said: "This award from Wallpaper* is a tremendous accolade for V&A Dundee. It has put our city at the centre of international attention.

"I am delighted at this award as it recognises the quality of design and ambition at the heart of this building."

V&A Dundee is situated in the heart of Dundee’s regenerated Waterfront, within close proximity of the city centre.  The museum is also within easy walking distance of the Dundee’s train and bus stations.

For more information about V&A Dundee visit: https://www.vam.ac.uk/dundee