BAM Construction has reached a construction milestone on the £80 million V&A Museum of Design Dundee project.

The upper floor of the development has been completed and the scheme is on schedule for completion in 2018.

The upper floor contains an extensive public area which will house galleries, learning spaces and a restaurant. On the ground floor, V&A Dundee is made up of two separate buildings connecting on the second floor, with the Michelin Design Gallery located in the centre.

The Gallery will exhibit the achievements of V&A Dundee's learning and innovation programme, aimed at families, schools, community groups, adults, children, businesses and creative professionals. It will take on the Michelin name for a 25-year period due to support given towards the project from the Michelin Corporate Foundation.

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Work will continue later this year to develop the V&A Dundee's curving concrete walls to their full height. The structures are cast in bespoke moulds, which are then removed to allow 2,250 cast stone panels to be hung on the walls.

The horizontal panels will create the appearance of a cliff face as designed by architect Kengo Kuma, with each panel weighing up to 3,000kg each and spanning four metres.

Philip Long, Director of V&A Dundee, said: "It is thrilling to see the completion of our galleries floor, revealing for the first time the space which will host the V&A's touring exhibitions and showcase the outcomes of our learning programmes.

"The Michelin Design Gallery is central to this, and will be a very inspiring space for community participants of all ages to see what they design showcased within an international museum."

John Reid, factory manager at Michelin Dundee, said: "The backing from the Michelin Corporate Foundation will allow us to develop really strong, long-term links between the factory and V&A Dundee.

"We are very keen to be at the heart of a resurgent Dundee, and the £54 million investment we are undertaking at the factory here will help that process.

"The V&A Dundee project is a massive contribution to regeneration in the city and we're very proud to be involved."

Cllr David Bowes added: "This is yet another exciting milestone in the construction of the V&A Museum of Design Dundee building."

(LM)