sacred silver gallery, v&a museum, london

The concept for the gallery refurbishment took the fabric of sacred architecture as a starting point. Within the body of the church resides a family of sacred and secular objects. Here the relationship between the setting, the sacred artefacts and the ritual suggests meaning. Without any sense of the setting these objects are less able to communicate and reveal their purpose. It was therefore our intention to create an atmospheric ambience in the gallery. The walls and ceiling are painted a dull purplish lead colour with the metal details in bronze and brushed brass. Thus the two linear galleries are understood as an aisle with windows on one side and a solid wall on the other. This inhabited wall becomes the setting for the artefacts which may sit in front of it, be embedded into it or hover in between. The wall is seen as solid stone or render while the showcases are precious boxes anchored into the fabric. Other items such as chandeliers, crucifixes and stained glass may be situated at high level. The window wall is layered with a veil of translucent screens that hold stained glass windows in place. Lighting above the windows shine through the coloured glass enhancing the daylight effect and casting patterns on the ground.