VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM AT DUNDEE

The visually stunning Victoria & Albert Museum in Dundee, Scotland was designed by the firm REX Architecture. REX's approach to the design was to throw convention out the window and simply search for solutions, trusting that a distinctive structure would emerge naturally. The museum's form is based on the simple idea of a layer cake, with a level for each function. To preserve exterior public space, only public and staff entrances, loading docks and storage, and a bar and restaurant are located on ground level. The top level is comprised of five exhibition spaces, allowing for an abundance of natural light to minimize energy costs, as well as maximizing roof availability for rain collection and solar energy production. The building's skin is then "shrink wrapped" around its needs and covered in a reflective facade that visually embraces its surroundings, then appears to melt away as the sun disappears and lights turn on inside.