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European Architectural Heritage Intervention Award Presented for the Restoration and Refurbishment of the Neue Nationalgalerie in Keeping with Historical Preservation Guidelines

06.06.2023
Neue Nationalgalerie

Mies van der Rohe’s Neue Nationalgalerie, which is considered an icon of Classical Modernism, was thoroughly restored and refurbished from 2015 to 2021. The project carried out by David Chipperfield Architects has now been honoured with the European Architectural Heritage Intervention Award in Barcelona.

The restoration and refurbishment of the Neue Nationalgalerie in keeping with its status as a listed building was honoured with the European Architectural Heritage Intervention Award in Barcelona. The prize awarded biannually by an association of European participants in the field of architecture honours exemplary architectural cultural heritage projects. Out of a total of 241 projects, the international jury led by architects Dikkie Scipio, Susana Valbuena and Kimmo Lintula chose the Comprehensive Refurbishment of the Neue Nationalgalerie as the winner in the Built Heritage category.

The jury statement said that through careful intervention, the building had been restored to its original condition, “as if nothing had ever happened”. The restorative structural work was carried out meticulously down to the last technical detail and yielded a powerful architectural statement “representing architecture, heritage and intervention at the highest level”.

The Neue Nationalgalerie belongs to Mies van der Rohe’s late work and is considered an icon of modern architecture. It opened in 1968 and has since housed the Nationalgalerie’s collection of 20th century art. The building was refurbished between 2015 and 2021 by David Chipperfield Archtitects according to strict preservation standards. Work focused consistently on refurbishing and reusing the historical components and materials. New building substances were only employed in exceptional cases. During its refurbishment, the building underwent diverse, fundamental modernisation, for example to its air conditioning and security systems, making it fit for the demands facing a museum in the 21st century.