Kieran Long appointed design and architecture curator at the V&A

Long is currently architecture critic for the London Evening Standard and is a former editor-in-chief of the Architects’ Journal and Architectural Review. He was also assistant director of this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale.

He says of his new role, which he will take up in the new year, ‘I want to use contemporary architecture and design to reveal new depths to familiar places and things.

‘I think the public already has very sophisticated relationships with the objects, interfaces, architectural settings and so-on that frame their lives, and we should take that engagement seriously.’

Referring to the scope of his role, Long says, ‘Graphics is beyond the stated remit, as I understand it, but it seems to me that the only way to really reflect contemporary practice, and encourage public engagement with it, is to avoid being bound by disciplinary categories.

‘I would imagine that thematic exhibitions would include all of architecture, design, digital, graphics, art and more.’

He adds, ‘The web is a developing area of curatorial practice, and I have a lot to learn about collecting and exhibiting internet-based work.’