Steel-framed V&A East opens to the public

After nearly 10 years in the planning, the V&A East Museum, which forms the centrepiece of the East Bank cultural quarter in Stratford, London, has officially opened.

Built as a legacy to the 2012 London Olympics, the museum features two free permanent Why We Make galleries with more than 500 objects on display, which highlight global art, architecture, design and fashion.

Working on behalf of main contractor Mace, Bourne Steel erected 1,500t of steelwork for the building’s main frame.

The structure’s façade is the most striking element of the building and is inspired by Nick Veasey’s X-ray of a 1955 silk taffeta evening dress by Cristóbal Balenciaga, which is in the V&A’s collection.

The pleated façade accommodates the vertical circulation between floors, reminiscent of the boning which supports the sculptural dress.

A series of seven steel nodes, weighing up to 12t each, were erected to support the unique exterior precast and glazed cladding.