The Neue Nationalgalerie by Mies van der Rohe between Preservation and Minimal Improvement

The Neue Nationalgalerie (1968) is considered an icon of the 20th century and part of the legacy of Mies van der Rohe. Almost 50 years after its construction the building showed some physiological decay; however, it has been considered obsolete due to the changing standards of use and comfort of an international art gallery affected also by a growing flux of visitors.The paper investigates the future of such an icon of modern architecture moving from some open issues of the intervention carried out by David Chipperfield started up in 2015 and now in an advanced stage. The refurbishment is pursuing the modernization of the building, but trying to match the historical values with the requirements of climate control and safety. The binomials memories/requirements and authenticity/form are at the base of the investigation. Although the intervention confirms the continuity of original use and it is aimed at keeping the image of the icon, it imposes transformations that belong to very different strategies, sometimes incompatible with the preservation of material meanings and values. The restoration work on modern heritage outlines how new cultural and socio-economic needs confront themselves with respecting/reproducing the appearance of the monument.