This 19th Century Dresden Museum Received a Careful Makeover 🤩How Did They Build That? | Smithsonian
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In 2001, Daniel Libeskind was hired to design a tasteful extension to the Bundeswehr Museum of Military History, in Dresden. His vision was an ingenious feat of architecture that managed to be both modern and respectful of the city’s tragic past.
To Germany now, where deconstructivism is transforming the face of the historic city
of Dresden. In this case, a 135-year-old neoclassical palace and what appears to be
a crystal shard rocket ship fallen from space. The result, I am sure you will agree,
is out of this world. Built in 1876, this building has been an armory, an army museum,
a Nazi museum, and a Soviet museum, before closing following the reunification of Germany.
Then, 15 years later, it rose like a phoenix from the ashes to become one of the country's
most extraordinary buildings. This is the Bundeswehr Museum of Military History.
In 2001, the city decides the old Dresden building will become Germany's biggest and
important military history museum. Architect Daniel Leibskind is known for his daring approach
to sensitive projects, such as Berlin's Jewish Museum. As a Polish-American of Jewish descent,
this project strikes a chord with Daniel. Daniel's architectural vision will strike at the heart of
the old 19th century institution. The center of the building will be stripped back and reinforced
to prepare for what's to come. A mega five-story, 15,000-ton wedge of glass, concrete, and steel
will cut through the classic 135-year-old brick facade. Inside this awesome extension,
a gallery of new collections will bring the story of Dresden up to date.
At its peak, an 82-foot-high viewing platform will give a breathtaking look out onto the modern city
and point to Dresden's tragic past.
When construction starts in 2004, the first challenge is making sure the 128-year-old
building isn't destroyed by the new 15,000-ton addition. As well as carefully removing part of
the building, the engineers need to strengthen the foundations where the new structure will be built.
A network of more than 100 slimline steel reinforced piles is sunk 10 feet under the
building, ready for a huge new reinforced concrete slab to be laid on top. Now they can turn their
attention to the extension's concrete shell, featuring 100-foot-high walls set at extraordinary angles.
The engineers use 3D computer modeling to calculate how thick these great angled walls need
to be. Then they're built from reinforced concrete, while huge temporary steel beams hold the whole
thing up. The heavy new structure is carefully built around the old stonework arches.
Now all that's left is to create the imposing 100-foot steel exterior,
with the awe-inspiring viewing platform pointing towards Dresden.
It needs to protrude from the front of the old museum, without destabilizing the fragile
19th-century façade. Using a master stroke of illusion, the new addition barely touches the old.
It's a big success, as 21st-century steel meets 19th-century brick,
and Liebskensketch becomes a living building. After seven long years of construction,
the Bundeswehr Military Museum finally reopens to the people of Dresden.