The highly anticipated Museum of Modern Art at Berlin's Kulturforum cultural complex is finally taking visible form, with the shell construction of the "berlin modern" nearly complete. The building, designed by renowned Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, is positioned strategically between iconic structures including Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Neue Nationalgalerie, Hans Scharoun's Philharmonie concert hall, and the historic St. Matthew's Church. The project has sparked intense architectural debates, and the public will get their first opportunity to explore the construction site on October 18-19.
The emerging structure reveals the distinctive silhouette of Herzog & de Meuron's deliberately simple, archetypal design featuring a prominent pitched roof. This conscious decision to create a building in classical form has divided critics and architectural enthusiasts. While some praise the reduced, minimalist approach, others have already dubbed the austere structure the "Kulturscheune" (cultural barn), highlighting the controversy surrounding its understated aesthetic.
Architect Jacques Herzog of Herzog & de Meuron has defended the design philosophy, explaining that the team chose to create "a HOUSE, not an abstract form, because it could not become purer and more perfect than Mies van der Rohe's National Gallery. Also not an organic, playful composition, because it would always be in conflict with Scharoun's Philharmonie." Instead, the architects opted for "an independent, natural and open form that puts people and their encounters with art in the foreground and connects the existing buildings into an urban whole." Herzog emphasized that the museum should become "a house for everyone," embodying something both ordinary and everyday while simultaneously representing something sublime.
The building's facade design demonstrates careful consideration of its prestigious neighbors. The north facade will feature sand-gray clinker bricks that create visual connections to both St. Matthew's Church and the base of the Neue Nationalgalerie. Combined with the dark photovoltaic roof, this material choice aims to establish an optical bridge between the prominent neighboring structures. The east and west sides will incorporate subtle incisions into the facade serving as discrete entrance areas.
The museum's lighting strategy showcases innovative architectural thinking, particularly on the east facade, which combines closed wall surfaces on the ground floor with light-permeable perforated masonry on the upper floor. This design allows natural daylight to filter into the gallery spaces during the day, while transforming the building itself into a luminous beacon during evening hours. The interplay of light and shadow is intended to enhance the visitor experience and create dynamic visual effects throughout the day.
Central to the museum's design is a platanus courtyard surrounded by carefully planned amenities including a restaurant, beer garden, and landscaped recreational areas. According to Jacques Herzog, nature should "surround and penetrate" the building, serving as an extension of the surrounding Tiergarten park. The project includes extensive new plantings designed to integrate the structure seamlessly with its natural environment.
However, the ambitious project has faced significant challenges. Construction delays have pushed the expected opening to 2028 at the earliest, representing a 12-month postponement from the original timeline. The financial impact has been even more dramatic, with construction costs escalating from the initial budget of approximately 364 million euros to an estimated 526.5 million euros. These increases stem from delayed completion of the shell construction, coordination problems, and necessary adjustments to the construction process.
Despite these setbacks, anticipation continues to build for the museum's completion. The upcoming public opening on October 18-19, 2025, will offer the first glimpse inside the raw structure. Visitors will enjoy guided tours through the building and witness a special performance by renowned American artist Joan Jonas, providing a preview of the cultural programming that will eventually fill the completed space. The event represents a significant milestone in the project's development and an opportunity for the public to form their own opinions about this controversial yet ambitious addition to Berlin's cultural landscape.
