London-based design studio Carmody Groarke, (directed by Join Kevin Carmody and Andy Groarke) was selected over a shortlist that included other international practices as David Kohn, Universal Design Studio, SHH Architects, and FAT, offeried a design that is "loose, relaxed" and "conversational" for members in a new space on the museum's fourth floor that overlooks the courtyard being created as part of the Exhibition Road project, Amanda Levete.
David Bickle, is design director of V&A, had been appointed head of design at the South Kensington museum in May last year. David Bickle said that "Carmody Groarke’s proposal created a stage not the performance, responding to our brief and the heritage of the Museum in a loose, relaxed, conversational way, creating a comfortable room for the Museum’s broad member constituencies and a framework for creative programming."
''The international architectural competition has created a renewed interest in and curiosity of the structure, collections and social relevancy of the Museum into the future by a group of talented and thoughtful architects and designers. We are looking forward to welcoming Members old and new to a refined but adaptable space'' added David Bickle.
The contract is for the new members' room £156,000 and Carmody Groarke will now develop the scheme from RIBA stage 1 to 7. Carmody Groarke undertakes process-led work of widely varying typologies in the UK and abroad for private, commercial and public sector clients. This year Carmody Groarke is the recipient of the RIBA Regional Award and the RIBA London Small Project Award, both for their Filling Station.
