Sony Center

The Sony Center is a Sony-sponsored building complex located at the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany designed by Helmut Jahn.[2] It opened in 2000 and houses Sony's German headquarters.

For the Sony Centre stores in Europe, see Sony Centre. For the live theatre in Toronto, see Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.
Sony Center
Sony Center displays a "cyberpunk corporate urban (futuristic)" aesthetic.[1]
General information
Town or cityBerlin
CountryGermany
Groundbreaking1995
Construction started1995
Completed1998
Opened14 June 2000 (2000-06-14)
Design and construction
ArchitectHelmut Jahn Peter Walker (landscape architect)
Architecture firmPWP Landscape Architecture
Structural engineerOve Arup & Partners
Services engineerJaros, Baum & Bolles (JB&B)
Website
Sony Center Official Site (EN)
Central forum of the Sony Center
Sony Center outside

History
See also: Potsdamer Platz

The site was originally a bustling city centre in the early 20th century. During World War II, it was the location of the infamous Nazi People's Court. Most of the buildings were destroyed or damaged during World War II. From 1961 on, most of the area became part of the No Man's Land of the Berlin Wall, resulting in the destruction of the remaining buildings. After the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989, the square became the focus of attention again, as a large (some 60 hectares), attractive location which had suddenly become available in the centre of a major European capital city. As part of a redevelopment effort for the area, the space was developed. The space was designed by Helmut Jahn and Peter Walker as landscape architect and construction was completed in 2000 at a total cost of €750M. In February 2008 Sony sold Berlin's Sony Center for less than €600M to a group of German and US investment funds, including investment bank Morgan Stanley, Corpus Sireo and an affiliate of The John Buck Company.[3] The group sold the Sony Center to the National Pension Service of South Korea for €570M in 2010.[4][5]

Attractions

The Sony Center contains a mix of shops, restaurants, a conference centre, hotel rooms, luxurious rented suites and condominiums, offices, art and film museums, a Legoland Discovery Centre, and a "Sony Style" store. Free Wi-Fi is available. During major sports events like the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the centre also had a large television screen on which the games were shown to viewers sitting in the large open area in the middle.

The Sony Center is located near Berlin Potsdamer Platz railway station, which can be accessed on foot. A large shopping centre, Mall of Berlin, is nearby, as are many hotels, Deutsche Bahn central offices, and an office building with the fastest lift in Europe.

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References
  1. Suzuki, David (2003). Good News for a Change:How Everyday People Are Helping the Planet. Greystone Books. p. 332. ISBN 978-1-55054-926-3.
  2. "Architecture Sony Center". www.sonycenter.de. Retrieved 2018-04-15.
  3. Berlin's Sony Center Sells for Bargain Price | Germany | Deutsche Welle | 28.02.2008
  4. "NPS Acquires Sony Center in Berlin – News & Views – Hines". Hines. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
  5. Berlin, Berliner Morgenpost -. "Südkoreaner kaufen Berliner Sony Center". www.morgenpost.de (in German). Retrieved 2016-12-05.
The glass roof over the Berlin Sony Center

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