What might have been: the Victoria and Albert Museum's never-built tower

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) once dreamed of building a landmark to dominate the London skyline. That was in 1868, when Henry Cole, the museums first director, personally designed a 250ft-high octagonal tower with an external spiral staircase.
Coles watercolour plan is on show at the museum as part of a special display tracing the history of its buildings from the 1850s to the present (Designing the V&A, until 31 December). The image also appears in an accompanying boo