A number of individual measures and strategies were involved in the refurbishment of the war-ravished ruins of the Neues Museum originally built by Friedrich August Stüler in 1859 and since 1999 has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The renovation seems to have strictly adhered to the Heritage Charter of Venice: new, precisely formulated components and fixtures form a clear contrast to the historical structure that has been meticulously restored and visibly appended.
A closer examination and understanding of the project reveal a much more complex relationship between old and new.
The inconspicuous but rather extensive changes to the historic fabric were realized with a high level of craftsmanship and using historical materials from existing demolition objects to achieve a harmonious impression of the overall space, allowing the qualities of pre-existing, aged, and preserved original to fully unfold.
The historical patina given to the recycled, exposed brick walls and the reconstructed mosaic floors bring out the best in the new building elements.