Caruso St John Architects

Neue Pinakothek

Neue Pinakothek

Munich, Germany 2016–present (under construction)

Client: Freistaat Bayern, Staatliches Bauamt München 1 BIM-Award Bavaria 2025 - Existing buildings

Caruso St John has been working on the refurbishment of the Neue Pinakothek art museum in Munich since 2016. The building, open since 1981, is one of Germany’s most important post-war museums and houses the 19th-century art collection of the Bavarian state. The project is being undertaken in collaboration with the Munich-based practice Hild und K.

Existing building 1

Historic photograph by Waltraud Krase

Existing building 2

Historic photograph by Waltraud Krase

Existing building 3

Historic photograph by Waltraud Krase

Existing building 4

Historic photograph by Waltraud Krase

Existing building 5

Historic photograph by Waltraud Krase

Existing building 6

Historic photograph by Waltraud Krase

Existing building 7

Historic photograph by Waltraud Krase

Existing building 8

Historic photograph by Waltraud Krase

Construction 1

Construction 2

Construction 3

Construction 4

Construction 5

Construction 6

Construction 7

Construction 8

Construction 9

Construction 10

A significant part of the project is the refurbishment of the existing galleries. The existing glass roof was uninsulated and lacked effective daylight control, flat roofs were leaking, fire barriers needed improvement and all mechanical and electrical services required updating. Investigations revealed a comprehensive use of asbestos in the original building fabric. To address these issues, the galleries were stripped back to their bare structure.

A new services strategy reorganises the air supply and extract points and includes the formerly unconditioned roof spaces. The mechanical systems are designed to reduce energy demand and make use of renewable energy through local installations and heat recovery. These adjustments are technical and almost invisible, but they make the exhibition spaces fit for the future.

Galleries Refurbishment 1

Axonometric overview

Galleries Refurbishment 2

Galleries Refurbishment 3

Galleries Refurbishment 4

Galleries Refurbishment 5

Galleries Refurbishment 6

Galleries Refurbishment 7

Reuse is a very big part of this project, informed by the important historic status of the building and the aim to stay close to the original Alexander von Branka design. In the galleries, all timber floorboards in the are carefully removed, cleaned, and reinstalled, while the courtyard stonework is dismantled, cleaned on site, and laid back in place. The existing timber windows are refurbished and upgraded in-situ.

Reuse 1

Reuse 2

Reuse 3

Reuse 4

Reuse 5

Neue Pinakothek wins Bavarian BIM-Award Munich, Germany

Award

Neue Pinakothek wins Bavarian BIM-Award

Munich, Germany

The Bavarian Ministry of the Interior, for Building and Transportation has awarded the project for the refurbishment of the Neue Pinakothek with a BIM-Prize in the category ‘Existing Buildings’.

Project: Neue Pinakothek

Neue Pinakothek Munich, Germany

Under construction

Neue Pinakothek

Munich, Germany

Caruso St John's project to refurbish and reorganise Munich's Neue Pinakothek has started on site. An enormous temporary roof has been constructed above the existing building to provide protection whilst works take place, creating a cavernous new interior on top of the museum.

Project: Neue Pinakothek

Location
Munich, Germany

Date
2016 – ongoing

Client
Freistaat Bayern, Staatliches Bauamt München 1

Area
31,000 m2

Project architects
Steffi Wedde (2016-2025), Timo Keller (2016-present)

Project team
Denise Roth, Kouros Azar, Gabe Brown, Julia Cramer, Chiara Friedl, Niclas Gebhardt, Simon Höbel, Eva Janusch, Yousuf Khalil, Christoph Kuhr, Carlos Peters, Denise Roth, Emilie Sauter, Tabea Stihl, Lieselore Vandecandelaere

Collaborating architects
Hild und K

Site Management
HZO bauen und beraten

Structural engineer
Sailer Stepan und Partner GmbH

Services engineer
Ottitsch GmbH & Co.

Electrical Engineer
IBM-TGA-GmbH

Building physics
Müller BBM GmbH

Fire Safety consultant
Kersken & Kirchner GmbH

Lighting consultant
Lichtvision Design GmbH

Lift consultant
CNW Ingenieure GmbH

Project Manager
Drees & Sommer

Awards
BIM-Award Bavaria 2025 - Existing buildings

Photography
Caruso St John Architects, Waltraud Krase (Historic), Michael Heinrich (Construction)

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