Professor Kengo Kuma visits Dundee claiming V&A Museum can change image of City

Mr Kengo Kuma the architect and designer of the new V&A Museum scheduled for 2015 claims in his visit to Dundee University that the building can change the image of the City of Dundee and claims it can be delivered on time and on budget. Mr Kuma is a Professor from Japan’s Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Tokyo. Mr Kuma is in Dundee giving his first ever public address at two sold out lectures at Dundee University where he plans to discuss his winning design and how the River Tay was his inspiration “The location is very special and is a focal point of the water flow” Kuma claims “The museum can become the main attraction in the city and completely change the image of the city” The museum is to be built over the harbour at Craig Harbour east of the Olympia Leisure centre alongside the RRS Discovery. Kengo Kuma’s latticed structure similar to a ship’s bow was chosen as the winning design by an international judging panel for the V& A in November and has been showcased at Abertay University where 15000 people visited the exhibition and even more online. Mr Kuma explained that he wants to create a building that will use the Japanese concept ‘borrowed scenery’ to ensure the museum and the surrounding area compliment one another and help people connect with the environment too. Professor Kuma commented in the ‘Bigness’ and how he plans to use the background of the river to become part of the river and create a unique building.
The design of the building constantly maximizes its amazing location. It’s surrounding promenade providing an excellent vantage point to view the river, the city and the spectacular new museum building itself. The signature restaurant and its panoramic terrace are cleverly positioned to offer views of both the Tay Estuary and the famous Tay bridges. The Scottish Government is expected to meet a third of the cost for the building with the remainder coming from a mix of private and other potential sources such as lottery and other city sources. The V& A Museum is set to create over 1000 jobs over 10 years, generate more than £500m for the Scottish economy and stimulate another £270 million private sector investment in the project. There is a huge amount of interest in what Mr Kuma has to say on the project. The V& A museum is being delivered by Design Dundee Ltd, a partnership between the V&A and Dundee City Council, Dundee and Abertay Universities and Scottish Enterprise. Everyone involved deserves enormous credit for getting this to progress to this stage and Dundee’s waterfront project will completely change the image of Dundee and McIntyre’s can also claim some credit winning a Regeneration Award, Civic Trust Commendation, Dundee By Design Award, British Salon Design nomination and special commendation by the Lord Provost by Dundee City Council when the Union Street flagship Salon opened and helped the regeneration of the Waterfront development. McIntyre’s Union Street hairdressing salon is opposite the Dundee train station and work is expected to start at Union Street. With Tay Hotel planning approved and Dundee train station upgrade targeted Dundee will continue to transform. Dundee has undergone major change in recent years and is fast becoming a ‘City of many Discoveries’ with digital media, renewable energies and other innovative sectors all aided by the fantastic agencies involved in raising its global reputation. Pro rata Dundee has the largest student population in the UK, Dundee is the 4rth largest City in Scotland and claims to be the sunniest city in Scotland. Dundee is also a great central location with over 90% of Scotland’s population accessible within an hour’s travel. Dundee’s City landscape is changing dramatically and we hope that the next phase will finally do justice to one of the best estuaries in Britain and take Dundee’s waterfront to be one of the best in the world.