How Glass Turned a Courtyard Into a Gallery: The Victoria and Albert Museum Project in London

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Today, glass is not only transparency and light, but also strength, safety and impression. One of the best examples is glass roof at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London that combined architectural daring with engineering prowess.

What did they do?

Previously, the courtyard of the museum remained unused. But after reconstruction, it was transformed into a space for new expositions, covering 370 m² glass roof. The project was implemented by architects from MUMA in cooperation with engineers Dewhurst Macfarlane.

Feature — use laminated glass (triplex) together with double-glazed windows fixed on Glass Beams up to 10 meters long! The beams themselves are part of the supporting system — no hidden steel reinforcements, no extra supports. This is both about aesthetics and about challenging traditional designs.

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Why is it important?

• ‍Transparency and minimalism: in the city center, among the historical architecture, the roof looks almost invisible. The space remains open but protected.
• ‍Security: thanks to the triplex, the structure retains integrity even in the event of local damage. All possible scenarios of loads and deformations were calculated at the design stage.‍
• Tightness: special silicone sealant at the edges protects museum exhibits from rain and moisture.

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What inspired this project?

This is an example of how modern materials allow you to rethink space. Glass roof at the same time:

• technologically complex
• visually light
• functionally reliable.

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Architectural glass opens up new possibilities for creating objects where aesthetics and engineering work together.We also work with such solutions, developing designs that combine beauty and reliability.