SSDA 2018 A W A R D
NSC
24 October 18
This development at the V&A’s
South Kensington campus provides
not just a large column-free
underground exhibition gallery
with an oculus to allow the influx of natural
daylight, but also an open courtyard and a
significantly improved street level entrance
from Exhibition Road into the museum.
The courtyard also acts as a venue for
installations and events and is served by a
glass-fronted café.
Known as the Sainsbury Gallery, the
new 1,100m2 column-free space is one of
the largest temporary exhibition spaces in
the UK and allows the V&A to significantly
improve the way it designs and presents its
world-class exhibition programme.
Following an international competition,
AL_A, working with Arup, were appointed
as the designers of this scheme. Key to their
success in the competition was the use of
structural steelwork for the concept design
of the folded plate roof. This consists of
a system of 13 triangular secondary steel
trusses, which span from one large 45m-long
primary truss across the gallery, supporting
the courtyard, cafe, and crucially allowing
the changes of existing ground levels to be
fully exploited to fit in a mezzanine floor.
As well as the significant vertical loads
that this structure supports, it is also
resisting significant prop forces as it also
forms the roof level structure of a 15m deep
basement.
During the excavation of the basement,
around 800t of historic Grade I listed
stonework stood on one mega-beam, formed
of four individual steel beams. The megabeam
was temporarily supported on steel
needles, which were then replaced by four
steel columns.
The beams and columns are expressed
within the volume of the stairwell, so when
visitors pass from the entrance to the gallery
they have an understanding of how the
façade above is supported, and where they
are in relation to the rest of the museum.
The steel design fits within the
geometrical envelope of gallery ceiling and
courtyard finishes, which varies across the
site.
Through optimising both the overall
geometry and the shape of the members
making up the trusses, the design team was
able to save 40% of the steel weight from the
initial concept.
Early engagement by Arup with
steelwork contractor Bourne Steel during the
design process meant that the design moved
from one needing extensive temporary
support, to one where the trusses were selfstable,
making the erection process much
easier.
“Steel was the obvious choice for this
development as it could easily form the
shape the client demanded,” says Bourne
Steel Project Manager Craig Galway.
“In addition, it allowed the long spans
to be created, while prefabrication of
many elements minimised our on-site
programme.”
Bourne Steel was responsible for the
connection design, fabrication and erection
of the steelwork, including the 13 triangular
trusses, which each measure up to 25m in
length and weighing up to 14t.
The courtyard steelwork erection process
centred around the 45m-long primary truss
that was position on a large capping beam
sat on top of a secant piled wall. The primary
truss was also angled due to the geometry of
the building.
This important steel element was
supported by one structural column that was
supported from the raft slab. The column
was also manufactured in one piece to a
length of 30m.
Once the primary truss was in position
and locked, the 13 supporting triangular
trusses could be installed.
These trusses were manufactured in one
piece, bolted to the primary truss and then
supported off a concrete wall on either side.
V&A’s Exhibition Road
Quarter, London
The most significant work undertaken at the V&A
museum for over 100 years, this development’s
centrepiece provides a large column-free
underground exhibition gallery.
FACT FILE
Architect:
AL_A
Structural engineer:
Arup
Steelwork contractor:
Bourne Steel Ltd
Main contractor:
Wates Construction
Client:
Trustees of the V&A
© Paul Carstairs/Arup
/Concept_design
/Trusses
/Single_storey_industrial_buildings#Mezzanines
/Facades_and_interfaces
/Design
/Construction#Steel_erection
/Fabrication
/Construction#Site_bolting