V&A Museum, London, UK
Enabling one of the world’s premier museums to expand and thrive
The Victoria and Albert Museum is home to some of the world’s finest art and historical artefacts. Over various projects, Arup’s breath of heritage skills has allowed this famous institution to respond with confidence to changing visitor expectations.
We have brought our design skills to bear on several high-profile projects within the Grade I listed museum. These include bringing energy-efficient passive environmental control into the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries, one of the V&A’s most prominent spaces, and enhancing the use of natural light to achieve the desired atmosphere and drama.
Working with architects AL_A, our structural engineers played an important role in the creation of the Sainsbury Gallery, a basement exhibition space, constructed within the confines of a historic courtyard. Despite much of the construction taking place underground, and in some cases below the surrounding listed buildings, the new spaces were created without interrupting the museum’s daily activities.
Separately, we have also provided specialist heritage services for the cleaning and repair of the museum’s façades, including brick, terracotta, mosaics and windows. We have specified the works, obtained listed building consent, and successfully managed the projects to completion.
