Dundee’s £80.1 million V&A museum has been named among the UK’s most striking new buildings.
The waterfront site is one of more than 50 sites to be named in this year’s Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) National Awards winners.
The projects will now compete for a place on the Stirling shortlist, which is awarded to the best building in the UK.
A statement on RIBA’s website hailed the Dundee museum’s “unique” design.
It said: “Scotland’s first dedicated design museum is itself an example of the highest level of architectural ingenuity.
“This building simultaneously stimulates, engages and intrigues visitors.
“Its unique geometric forms, sitting between the city and the river, draw on a relationship to the water and form an unstated connection to the historical HMS Discovery docked alongside.
“On approach the building engenders an exciting sense of anticipation as the complex geometry seamlessly reveals the intriguing interior opening out into the voluminous main entrance hall, intended by client and architects to act as a ‘living room for the city’.
“The first floor contains a consummately detailed restaurant area with dramatic views over HMS Discovery.
“The primary areas of this floor provide high quality flexible exhibition spaces housing inspiring examples of both the rich heritage of design creativity in Scotland and the work of contemporary Scottish designers, in the supportive setting of this equally inspiring building.”
Among the other winners are London Bridge Station, Preston Bus Station Refurbishment, and Battersea Arts Centre.
Philip Long, director of V&A Dundee, said: “We are delighted that V&A Dundee has won an RIBA National Award.
“This is a huge honour for everyone involved in designing, building and running Scotland’s first design museum, from Kengo Kuma to our team welcoming visitors every day.
“Kengo Kuma designed V&A Dundee to be a living room for the city, and this award is a major UK-wide recognition of the achievement of everyone involved in making that a reality.”
On this year’s winners, RIBA president Ben Derbyshire said: “Our 2019 RIBA National Award-winning buildings are innovators and mould-breakers – congratulations to every client, architect and construction team for their combined talent and tenacity.”
