Putting the inner workings of a museum on display is a radical idea, but how can it do so without compromising the integrity of its collection? New York-based architecture practice Diller Scofidio + Renfro, who converted a derelict railway line in NYC into the High Line – a raised public park – that put the Meatpacking District on the map, was tasked with the ambitious task of rebuilding the former London 2012 Olympics (here it will house the former national center and an important collection of broadcast media).
In developing the concept for the V&A East Storehouse, the studio was driven by functionality rather than aesthetics. ‘This isn’t scenography – it’s a working building,’ explains Elizabeth Diller, the project’s partner-in-charge. ‘We wanted people to breathe the same air as the artworks, so we removed the usual prophylactic between the visitor and the work.’
His proposal turned the traditional museum organization on its head, inviting one directly into the collection hall—a 21st-century cabinet of curiosities, if you will—with display platforms extending out onto multiple levels of the atrium, enticing one to approach. The design takes inspiration from the visual language of the museum’s day-to-day operations – roller storage units, shelving, forklifts and rare works – and puts this on display at the back of the house. The inner level exposes the open crate to the public, the middle level acts as a semi-public archive and the outermost level contains private spaces for conservation, research and deep storage.
Principal and project director David Allyn says, ‘To make the project happen, everyone had to step out of their comfort zone. ‘Curators became storage specialists, technical services staff worked as exhibition designers, and we, as architects, learned to be collection managers. As the experiment continues, people are now being asked to find their own way of exploring the V&A’s remarkable collection.’
