7 June 2022 · By Richard Waite

The RIBA and Victoria and Albert Museum are to end their 20-year partnership, spelling the end for the institute's architectural showcase at the museum

The South Kensington museum has been displaying models, photographs, and original drawings from the RIBA Drawings and Archives Collection since 2004 following a joint initiative set up by the organisations five years earlier to ‘promote the understanding and enjoyment of architecture’.

The decision to officially end this agreement in 2027 will see the RIBA’s artefacts transferred back over the next five years to join the institute’s existing collections, which are stored at four other locations.

It is understood that some could be rehoused at the institute’s listed central London headquarters. The 66 Portland Place building is set to become a new House of Architecture following a £20 million ‘comprehensive refurbishment’ by Benedetti Architects.

The combined collection, which includes the V&A’s own materials, boasts more than 600,000 drawings, more than 750,000 papers and paraphernalia, and more than 700,000 photographs from around the world.

According to the museum: ‘Together they [formed] the world’s most comprehensive architectural resource.’

‘This is sad news because I believe the relationship between one of the biggest institutions of culture and the RIBA is a positive one’

The news of the deal’s termination follows recent rounds of cost-cutting at the RIBA as it strives to tackle an annual £8 million budget deficit.

In a joint statement, the institute and the museum said the decision to end the deal ‘was made by mutual agreement’.

It read: ‘After over 20 years of fruitful collaboration, the strategic priorities of both institutions have shifted.

‘The RIBA is focused on the creation of a cultural hub at 66 Portland Place in the form of the House of Architecture, while the V&A now has a department with a dedicated team of architecture and design curators who are working with architectural collections across the museum’s sites at V&A South Kensington, V&A East Storehouse and V&A East Museum.

‘The V&A and RIBA trustees have therefore determined that the architecture partnership will run for a further five years before concluding in 2027.’

The statement continues: ‘The V&A will continue to share its passion for architecture through a revamped permanent architecture gallery in South Kensington and by providing access to the V&A’s collection of architectural drawings and models via the V&A Study Rooms and V&A East Storehouse.

‘The RIBA will focus on the House of Architecture and on developing new ways to bring together and present the institute’s own outstanding, but currently dispersed, collection to the public and to the architectural profession.’ 

The lengthy wind-down will allow both partners to 'bring all aspects of the partnership to a satisfactory conclusion, including settling any financial obligations'.

It is understood that each year the V&A draws down an amount representing an annual rental payment from a sum of more than £3.35 million paid over to the museum by the RIBA nearly two decades ago.

Around £121,000 is released annually from this pot to the V&A. As of March 2021 this fund stood at £1.65 million. It is unknown what will happen to any remaining monies once the contract comes to an end.

A permanent architecture gallery will remain at the V&A after the RIBA partnership is terminated.

Responding to the news, the RIBA Board's former honorary treasurer John Assael said: ‘I've been a very loyal supporter of the RIBA drawings collection. It’s the most important collection of architectural artefacts in the world. And I’ve put my money where my mouth is, spending in excess of £50,000 in annual grants to the RIBA to catalogue the amazing collection of Erno Goldfinger.

‘I'm very disappointed to hear the RIBA is terminating its partnership with the V&A. This is sad news to me because I believe the relationship between one of the biggest institutions of culture in the UK and the RIBA is a positive one.

‘I hope RIBA Council can review this decision and reverse it.’

Tags Archive drawing House of Architecture RIBA V&A

I agree with John Assael, this is sad news. If the RIBA is to fullfill its charter mission for “the promotion of civil architecture” the V&A partnership is a vital link with the public. To provide a gallery of equal capacity at 66 Portland Place, particularly for the model collection, would be beyond the finacial capabilities of the Institute.

And how many visitors will “new” RIBA have as compared to the footfall at the V&A?

Slightly confusing piece/situation, though the V&A were never that keen on architecture (I was lucky enough to see the Frank Lloyd Wright Kauffmann office for the few years it was emplaced), and the newly-republic’d ‘House of Architecture’ still has a confusing brief in terms of exhibition spaces.

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