V&A Museum

London

The courtyard at the centre of the V&A is a pivotal space forming the core of the Future Plan for the whole museum. The design is based on the traditional simplicity of a garden courtyard with the drama and flexibility of a stage set. A central ellipse creates a calm centre to the garden and is framed by liquidambar and fig trees. Lush plantings of hydrangeas, echiums and euphorbias soften the building borders.

The stepped ellipse is picked out with jets of water and bands of light. It is filled with water to create a shallow reflecting pool that can also be emptied in less than an hour to become an arena for special events.