V&A Photography Centre

by Gibson Thornley with Purcell

Award RIBA London Award 2025

The award winner tells us: "Gibson Thornley with Purcell say about the project: "The V&A’s Photography Centre is the most extensive suite of galleries in the UK dedicated to a permanent photography collection. Spanning from global contemporary photography and cutting-edge commissions to interactive displays and themed galleries showcasing the rich breadth and history of the collection, the seven galleries of the completed Photography Centre – five of which are new additions – enable visitors to experience photography and its diverse histories in new ways.

From global contemporary photography and cutting-edge commissions to interactive displays, the seven galleries enable visitors to experience photography and its diverse histories in new ways. The architecture takes a step back in two of the display galleries, minimising visual noise to maximise the impact of larger scale pieces. Simple display cases, a new parquet floor, and track lighting touch the historic shell, giving a feel of openness and volume."

The jury says: "The project started with the restoration of the Grade I listed galleries, returning the five-room enfilade to their original grand elegance. After decades of under-use as offices, stores or simply boarded up, process of opening up revealed the scale of the spaces and provided clues as to the quality and condition of the original features. A programme of repair and reinstatement to plasterwork, mouldings and cornicing, along with sensitive insertion of modern services such as heating, cooling and air-quality monitoring, has returned the rooms to use as elegant galleries.

The project is so accomplished as a programme of conservation and repair that it might have been undiscernible from the V&A’s myriad other gallery spaces, were it not for Room 98. This gallery – a bold and highly crafted insertion to provide a home for the Royal Photographic Society library – proved the major focus of the jury’s visit."

Read the full citation from the RIBA Awards Jury on RIBA Journal

Contractor Quinn London

Heritage and base build Purcell

Environmental/M&E engineer Harley Haddow

Structural engineer Harley Haddow

Lighting design Michael Grubb Studio

Quantity surveyor/Cost consultant Currie and Brown

Graphic designer BOB Design

Gross internal area 565m²