V&A seeks designer for Cast Courts refurbishment

The Cast Courts, which are described by the V&A as ‘among the most dramatic, popular and visited’ parts of the museum, house works including Trajan’s Column and the Portico de la Gloria from the Cathedral of Santiago de la Compostela.

The museum says the refurbishment, which is part of Phase 2 of the Future Plan regeneration project, is taking place as the galleries are ‘in urgent need of repair’ and ‘interpretation is not up to modern standards’.

The work, which will be delivered in two phases, will include restoring original architectural features and recreating the original decorative scheme, including the tiled floor; repairing damaged areas of the roof, ceiling and walls; providing a comprehensive intepretive framework for the galleries; creating new displays of smaller-scale casts not currently on show; and rationalising and improving storage facilities in the upper galleries of the Cast Courts.

The first phase of the development is set to complete by the end of 2011. The deadline for requests to participate is 27 August. The tender is available on http://ted.europa.eu, reference 2010/S 141-217733.