Dundee is a city with more than its fair share of architectural regrets.
From the devastation wrought during the “English” Civil War, to the tearing down of the Victorian Dundee West rail station, to the destruction of great swathes of its medieval built heritage, the city seems to suffer the loss of its greatest treasures all too regularly.
The Seventies and Eighties waterfront developments built over the old harbours were simply hideous and the decision to replace them laudable.
Even more laudable was the decision to replace them with something spectacular because it’s about time Dundee did something brilliant with its architecture.
The V&A is just that thing.
This paper has reported on the problems with the rising costs associated with this building and that is of course entirely right. It is our duty to report the facts with neither fear nor favour. The public must be able to formulate informed opinions based on reality.
However I am going to say something that it seems no one has said of late.
The fact is that no matter how much the costs of the V&A have risen the figure is not enough.
It should have cost more.
The original plan pictured above had a building of design brilliance, built almost entirely over the River Tay, the costs of which would almost certainly have dwarfed the present £80m.
It could have cost £120m – £150m.
No matter because we’re worth it. It’s about time a serious sum of money was spent on Dundee.
The city has huge problems of deprivation and poverty. It needs a radical turn around, a new vision and this was it.
Such a beautiful building could have been the centre piece of a regeneration that provided the jobs and drove the economic growth we need.
I doubt we’ll regret building the V&A for £80m, and I think it could drive some of that growth we so desperately need.
At the very least it will be a stunning addition to our beautiful city. The city will be transformed by it.
However we could have had a building on another level of greatness. We should have had a building of utter, devastating genius.
The V&A Dundee may well cost £80m, but it should have cost more.