Marcon complete ground-breaking permanent Gallery fit outs for V&A East Museum
Marcon Fit-Out have completed the fit-out of two major “Why We Make” galleries and retail areas at V&A East Museum, a landmark cultural project celebrating creativity, heritage, and innovation in East London. The new galleries are housed in a new building, V&A East Museum, designed by renowned architects O’Donnell and Tuomey.
The “Why We Make” galleries, set at the heart of the museum’s visitor experience, explore the transformative power of art, design, and making through a dynamic, thematic display spanning two floors. The galleries delve into contemporary issues and creative practices that shape the world, which V&A East Museum’s curatorial team shaped with and for its audiences, with displays focusing on themes like “Breaking Boundaries,” “Caring for Ourselves,” and “Reimagining Traditions.”
Marcon were responsible for the fit-out, overseeing the intricate design and installation of gallery walls to the precise coordination of exhibition lighting, AV hardware, showcases, graphics and security systems.
As Principal Contractor, we coordinated multiple work packages, ensuring collaboration between the various teams and stakeholders involved in bringing the galleries to life. Our role included handling all technical responsibilities such as drawing coordination, sampling, prototyping, and the creation of “as-built” final drawings.
The two retail areas also play an important role in the project. The main shop, located on Upper Ground, offers ticketing, memberships, and V&A East–specific merchandise. The temporary exhibition shop, located on Level 2 is dedicated to the temporary exhibition gallery, enhancing the visitor experience with unique and curated items.
The V&A is a global family of museums dedicated to celebrating the power of creativity. The award of this prestigious project demonstrates our expertise in creating world-class museum environments and our ability to deliver on a project of this scale and complexity. As V&A East Museum becomes a new cultural hub, Marcon’s work helps ensure it becomes a global destination for visitors eager to explore the intersection of creativity and culture.
