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London’s Victoria & Albert Museum has just released images of its major new exhibition and collection spaces at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford. Scheduled to open in 2023 (subject to final planning approval), the museum is hoping to revolutionise the area with a five-storey waterfront museum plus a collection and research storage space.
Internal render view of the central public collection hall in the new V&A collection and research centre at Here East. © Diller Scofidio + Renfro, 2018
The storage facility will make use of what was the Olympic broadcasting centre and will provide a home for 250,000 objects.
Internal render view showing a performance taking place in the central public collection hall in the new V&A collection and research centre. © Diller Scofidio + Renfro, 2018
Unlike most museum and gallery storage spaces, the Here East building will be used for performances and other public events. It will also have room to display rarely seen treasures normally stored in rolls, including beautiful theatrical backcloths and tapestries.
Internal render view of the new V&A museum at Stratford Waterfront. © O’Donnell + Tuomey / Ninety90, 2018
The announcement of the V&A East plans follows hot on the heels of the opening of V&A Dundee in September 2018. As with the new Scottish venue, the planned museum in Stratford will have a unique identity separating it from the iconic V&A in South Kensington.
External render view of the new V&A museum at Stratford Waterfront. © O’Donnell + Tuomey / Ninety90, 2018
The new museum is to be co-curated with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. The opening exhibition will be a joint show with the American organisation, after which it will work on one in four shows at V&A East.