As much Mies as possible – as much BAL as necessary

Refurbishment of the Neue Nationalgalerie

It is done. The restoration of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s architectural icon was completed today when the keys to the Neue Nationalgalerie were handed over to the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin and the Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz.

A significant day for BAL. Especially for our project manager Kerstin Rohrbach – she and her team of twelve professionals   realized the construction management for the restoration with underground extension for David Chipperfield Architects.

Over the last five years the guiding principle “As much Mies as possible” was omnipresent at the construction site. Following this direction has been the greatest challenge. The listed steel glass construction which appears to float weightlessly above the ground had to be preserved in its initial form and altogether adapted to today’s technical requirements to extend its life.

One can only imagine the amount of time, precision, courage, and skill behind the clear   facade, as all the approximately 35,000 original components were removed, inventoried, restored, and reassembled in their initial places. The repaired natural stone slabs, railings, and wooden panels, the 500 refurbished welds of the steel structure, the 1,600 square meters of new glass, and the 196 ceiling grilles will allow the architectural ensemble to shine in new splendor.

“The Neue Nationalgalerie is my second favorite building in the world,” says Rohrbach, so she is delighted to have successfully completed the project.

After all, there are already new, promising projects lined up for the next few years.