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An aerial view of the Jewish Museum Berlin and its powerful modern addition

The New Building at the Jewish Museum Berlin, designed by visionary architect Daniel Libeskind

A clear night's view of the Glass Courtyard and its seemingly invisible walls and roof

The all-glass walls and roof transform the Old Courtyard into a dramatic place of celebration

The Glass Courtyard of the Old Building is now a highly symbolic year-round event space

An abundance of daylight and distant views retain the essence of the original Old Courtyard

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Jewish Museum Berlin

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Style: Social Gatherings

Daniel Liebskind’s design for the new wing of the Jewish Museum Berlin is a bold, immensely symbolic architectural statement, in strong contrast to its Baroque neighbor.

Since its completion in 2001, the “New Building” at The Jewish Museum Berlin has attracted much attention. It continues to attract visitors from around the world, each with their own interpretation of this dramatic and indelible architectural statement. The architect is Daniel Libeskind, whose work on civic, public and commercial projects spans the globe.

There are multiple symbols contained “Between the Lines,” as Libeskind says in the “Libeskind Building”. The design concept for the architectural framework was intended to invoke a very individual experience for each visitor. The building exterior is comprised of zinc-coated metal walls with fragmented linear recesses. The locations of windows and floors are visually obscured, and the museum entrance is from a tunnel connecting to the original Baroque building.  Inside the museum there are three horizontal “axes” (walkways) symbolizing realities in German Jewish history, and a series of “voids” that are concrete cavities that run vertically through the building. The museum is exited from these axes, through the “Garden of Exile”. The garden is defined by a permanent display of olive trees planted atop white concrete, squared pillars. The olive plants symbolize hope.

The new building sits boldly adjacent to the older original museum building. It is a beautiful Baroque civic building designed by Philip Gerlach, dating to 1735. The “Old Building” serves as the main entrance and the only access point to the New Building. It also contains supplemental exhibits, a restaurant and museum offices.

In 2007 Liebskind added a glass enclosed courtyard (the “Glass Courtyard”) to the Old Building. The concept of this space was to symbolize a place of gathering and for meals. The irregularly placed steel beams suggest the wooden branches of a “sukkot,” a temporary structure erected for a Jewish festival holiday.

The Glass Courtyard can be rented for meetings and corporate receptions as well for social events.

Image source: Jewish Museum Berlin