Milestone reached in V&A works

COMPLETION of a cofferdam in the River Tay at the site of the V&A Museum of Design Dundee has marked a major milestone in the £80.11 million construction project.

The V&A Dundee building will protrude out into the River Tay. To enable the land reclamation work to progress, BAM Construction has constructed a cofferdam in the river. This is effectively a temporary watertight structure built around the protruding part of the museum. This allows the area enclosed by the cofferdam to have the water pumped out, creating a dry working environment for the major land reclamation work to proceed.

The cofferdam was completed ahead of the summer embargo of works on the river to avoid any impact on the harbour seal breeding season.

The first tower crane will be erected on site in July with the second and third following in August. That month, the skyline will begin to change as the internal concrete core walls of the buildings are constructed. Work on the external concrete walls starts in September.

Nearly 30 job opportunities for young people have already been created at the site. These include new starts by people who were previously unemployed, redundant or who have completed registered training programmes, as well as graduate and apprenticeship opportunities.

Philip Long, director, V&A Museum of Design Dundee, said, “We are thrilled at the progress and pace of work in the first three months of construction. The project really comes to life when you see the form of the building marked out on site. It will be hugely exciting for all of us to watch its striking physical shape emerge over the coming months and years up to opening. V&A Dundee will be a world-class design museum for Scotland, a place that will inspire and delight hundreds of thousands of visitors from Dundee and far beyond. It will host exhibitions, events and programmes that will celebrate design achievements and innovation in Scotland and the world – a place we can all be proud of.”

Doug Keillor, regional director of BAM Construction in Scotland, added, “BAM is on target with our construction programme to deliver a world-class building that will be a source of pride for the people of Dundee and Scotland.”