Renovation works of Mies van der Rohe’s Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin are in their final phase. Overseen by David Chipperfield Architects, the restoration was much needed after almost 40 years. Set to reopen in the summer of 2021, the concrete, steel, and glass landmark, dedicated to culture and the fine arts, is in fact Mies van der Rohe’s only work in Germany after World War II.
The New National Gallery or Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, designed by Mies van der Rohe, is almost ready for the public after going through a major renovation that started in 2015. Completed initially in 1968, the building is Mies van der Rohe’s only work in Germany after World War II and was in need of thorough modernization after 40 years.
The first images circulating of the museum have revealed a “structural completion of the upper exhibition hall with 1,600 square meters of new glass installed, a new coating applied to 15,000 square meters and 500 weld seams repaired on the steel structure”. In addition, 2500 square meters of natural stone slabs made of Striegau granite were reinstalled after their conservation-restoration. The intervention repaired basically the glass facade, stone terrace, and concrete and steel structure, and introduced new security and fire technology.
Moreover, according to Bundesamt Für Bauwesen und Raumordnung, representative of the client, “the original planting was restored on the terrace and in the sculpture garden with the installation of Gleditschien and silver maples”. Works have begun on the preparation of the urban environment, including the sidewalks. While the structure has been almost completed, the handover of the keys has been postponed to next April next due to the COVID-29 pandemic, and the opening is set for August.
