How did the New National Gallery in Berlin organize its exhibition spaces?

The New National Gallery in Berlin, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, utilizes a distinct spatial organization that separates its functional areas. While the ground level serves as a glass-enclosed pavilion containing the lobby and ticket-sales point, nearly all of the gallery's exhibition spaces are located underground.1

The main visible structure is a square, steel-framed pavilion characterized by its minimalist elegance and flexible interior, which is illuminated by sunlight filtering through floor-to-ceiling glass walls. In total, the museum provides approximately 53,820 square feet (5,000 square metres) of exhibition space dedicated to major 20th-century art movements, including Cubism, Expressionism, Bauhaus, and Surrealism.12