The V&A said it had already raised £25m of the budget and aimed to start full construction of the boiler house yard extension.
Lend Lease is project managing the job with Arup acting as geological and civil engineering consultant for the AL_A designed project.
The proposal approved by Kensington and Chelsea Borough planners will see a new public courtyard off a newly landscaped Exhibition Road through the screen erected by Sir Aston Webb in 1909 to hide the museum’s boilerhouse yard.
The underground gallery space will be accessed by a staircase from the yard at ground level.
Existing boiler house yard site
New courtyard with entrance from Exhibition Road
Architect Amanda Levete’s new courtyard
New underground gallery space allows refurbishment of South Court galleries
Martin Roth, Director of the V&A added: “This is a significant moment for the V&A and we look forward to progressing AL_A’s exceptional designs which will provide a dynamic and exciting space sympathetically set within the V&A’s beautiful historic facade.
“We’re thrilled to we have now secured £25m, which sets us in a good position to embark on the project.”
Construction of the new underground exhibition space as part of the Exhibition Road project will enable the V&A’s historic South Court galleries to be restored and reinstated and in time, display some of the Museum’s most popular permanent collections.