2/20/13

The Neues Museum- Old vs. New


Nothing communicates the contrast between old and new more beautifully than the Neues Museum in Berlin, Germany. Because while this building exhibits the contrast between both elements, it simultaneously seams the two together. The structure, built in 1841-1859, was designed by Friedrich August Stuler. However, it suffered a great deal of damage in the bombing of Berlin during World War II, which left the building unfit for use. Finally in 1997, David Chipperfield won the design competition for the museum’s restoration, and in 2009, the building once again open its doors to the public.
The concept behind the renovation was to maintain the existing structure and fill in the gaps with architecture that would respect the building’s history and original intent. Arch Daily says, “The original structure should be emphasized in its special context and original materiality—the new reflects the lost without imitating it.” Chipperfield created new space without overshadowing the existing and without duplicating what was destroyed. He emphasized the old ruins by contrasting them to his contemporary elements.
In this model, I aim to show the conflicting entities of old and new. The white paper represents the old structure, aged and in disrepair, enveloped in the sleek black paper, representative of the new architectural construction. Even though the black covers the white, both have their place. The black exterior molds to the structure of the white, creating a new skin but maintaining the previous form. The white is still present and evident in the interior, preserving the building’s history and former glory. 


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