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History
The Neues museum was built between 1843 and 1855 by Fredrich August Stuller, as
the second museum on Museum Island. At that times, the King Friedrich Wilhelm IV
of Prussia envisioned the island to be 'a sanctuary of arts and sciences'.
During the World War II, the extensive bombing left the museum severely damage
hence it was completely closed until the East German Government commenced
some 'restorations' that where soon halted due to the reunification of Germany.
Competitions where held for the design of the museum, with the end goal of
refashioning the Neues Museum as well as the Museum Island as a whole,
into a modern institution, a symbol of rebirth and reconciliation coming out
of a divided time
The south east and northwest parts of the building were completely eradicated, as seen above
the architect's sketch indicates the reestablishment of original form and figure, Stuler's old
plans where almost completely replicated
The reestablishment however is a magnificent example of modern architecture that
doesn't aim to falsify, but to respect the past form; an essential aspect of authenticity.
The southeast corner of the main elevation now stands in contrast to its northeast
twin as a simplified and streamlined version of its former self . On the rest of the
façade, darkly soiled bricks fade in and out of cleaner and newer ones, creating a sense
of continuity, and sets past and future in dialogue by intervening in the very materiality
of the building.
The rectangular, infinity-loop-shaped floor plan has been preserved from , the museum is
organized in a strong framework of two wings, north and south, which are centralized around
two courtyards, the Greek and Egyptian courtyards respectively that cut through the entire
three-story building.
Greek Court Egyptian Court
The decision to Stüler’s original framework, the floor plan, is more
of an intangible preservation of ideas than the actual architecture
Stüler’s ,original vision was for the viewer to move through the
museum in an infinity. The only room additions made where of a
modern functions like the museum shop and café. Chipperfield by
preserving the old plan and rooms maintains the 19th century
narrative of German history in the Neues Museum that was
originally meant to play into nationalist sentiments. However
Chipperfield created a new historical framework through his
interpretive choices thus it doesnt seem to be reiterating the 19th
century Prussian program.
Christina Cogdell, author of
Eugenic Design: Streamlining
America in the 1930’s
rethinks the implications of
Chipperfield’s use of a
streamlined style in the
Neues Museum, suggesting
that as Chipperfield
streamlined the architecture
of the building, he also
effectively streamlines the
history of it, offering the
visitor a more
straightforward or resolved
version of it.
Some rooms are almost all modern, due to complete
destruction
The columns where left in ruin to testify the war
Brick work used to restore vaults and arches
Concrete used to restore full columns
The Neues Museum’s exterior becomes interesting as one notices
the holes and bullet marks that litter the exterior of the building,
haphazardly clustered and scattered across the façade of the
building.
The weathered exterior that endows the building with a sense of age ,the drama of the ruin, which has spoken of in John
Ruskin's writing is strongly felt.
The Egyptian Courtyard in Chipperfield’s restored Neues Museum featuring frescos
of archeological sites from Stüler’s Neues Museum
A demonstration of the analogous restoration of artefact and architecture
Stüler’s Neues Museum’s Main Staircase
Chipperfield's Neues Museum’s Main Staircase
Discourses by the different stakeholders
of the project
The project as any other had various stakeholders, the public being the
most important one in this case.
-The General public: There was a heated dichotomous discourse within the
public sphere, one side accused David Chipperfield criticized for
memorializing damage, while the other side saw the work as an essential
transition for moving past the war wounds. Despite the heated
argumentation, David choose to view the Neues Museum as a dynamic
monument and a teacher, an example of how the built environment could
assist is reinventing our collective identity, the general review of the public
where mostly positive emphasizing the idea that an architect must be
visionary, yet sensitive and careful while mediating change in society.
Discourses by the different stakeholders
of the project