The Judges Awards

06.4 Neues Museum, Germany, by David Chipperfield Architects and Julian Harrap Architects

Built in the mid-19th century and destroyed in the Second World War, the Neues Museum's recent renovation is a lesson in contextual sensitivity. Originally completed by architect Friedrich August Stüler in 1859, the museum was designed to house some of Germany's most important archaeological artefacts. After years of abandonment, the contract to restore the site was awarded to David Chipperfield Architects in 1997. Working alongside Julian Harrap (best known for the Royal Academy's Sackler galleries in London), Chipperfield has paid attention to every fragment of the ruined original, restoring remaining structures and decoration including colonnades and fragments of frescoes. Meanwhile, the newly created elements are quite distinct from the old, respecting Stüler's original volumes without replicating his highly decorative style. A key instance of this complementary approach is the main staircase - made from utterly modern precast concrete, it occupies a similar space to the destroyed original, while displaying Chipperfield's signature slick, contemporary style. In this accomplished restoration, both Chipperfield's and Stüler's voices can be heard amid the vast swathes of concrete and marble and, despite their differences, they exist harmoniously.

Location: Museum Island, Berlin
Architect’s previous projects: Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, US, 2009; ‘Veles e Vents’ America’s Cup building, Valencia, Spain, 2006; Figge Art Museum, Davenport, US, 2005

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www.davidchipperfield.co.uk

www.julianharraparchitects.co.uk

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