Pearls, V&A.

Exhibition: 21 September 2013 - 19th January 2014

Gallery size: 370m2

Budget:£250’000

Role: Lead Designer from Concept to completion

Curators: Beatrix Chadour - Sampson

Graphic Designer: Clara Sancho, V&A (in-house)

Project Manager/QS: Fraser Rundell

Lighting Designer: DHA

Build Contractor: The Hub

The V&A partnered up with the Qatar Museums Authority to explore the history of pearls from the early Roman Empire through to the present day. Part of the brief was to accommodate 20 existing original East India safes refurbished as showcases, previously used by Qatar Museum. The main concept was to create a space focusing on the various textures found on oysters and shells, treating the walls with various finishes including a rough texture made with a mix of sand and looking at colours taken from the fishing nets of the divers that go find pearls.