Berlin’s James-Simon-Galerie: Backlash as Design Catalyst

The James-Simon-Galerie, designed by David Chipperfield Architects to serve as an entrance and visitor services building for Berlin’s Museumsinsel, opened in 2019. Preceding its inauguration, however, were nearly three decades of contention. In this talk, graduate student Amelia Hansen will chart the discourse and moments of backlash which unfolded at multiple scales across institutions and publics in an effort to untangle their rhetorical power and its impact on the James-Simon-Galerie's design.