V&A ends project rejected by Lottery
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Your support makes all the difference.A radical spiral extension planned for the Victoria & Albert museum was formally abandoned yesterday due to a lack of funds. The architect Daniel Libeskind won a commission to build the Spiral Gallery in 1996, but a series of funding problems have plagued its development over the past eight years.
The project, described as futuristic and radical, was designed to create a bold new space in the museum dedicated solely to contemporary artwork. Failed funding bids for the £70m project from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Arts Council earlier this year left the future of the extension in doubt.
The V&A scrapped the entire project after a board meeting yesterday. It was emphasised that the decision was directly attributable to the lack of Lottery funding and emphasised that the trustees had abandoned the project with "great regret".
Mark Jones, the V&A's director, said: "This is a sad loss for the V&A and I believe for London. We remain grateful to Daniel Libeskind for his vision, his unfailing commitment and passion for the V&A.
"He is one of the world's most outstanding architects and the Spiral would have been one of the most exciting and exceptional buildings in London."
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