Sony Center

The Sony Center is a Sony-sponsored building complex located at the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany. It opened in 2000.

History

The site was originally a bustling city center in the early 20th Century. After World War II, the area suffered a sharp decline and was eventually left abandoned. As part of a redevelopment effort for the area, the center was constructed. The centre was designed by Helmut Jahn and construction was completed in 2000 at a total cost of US$800M. In February 2008 Sony sold Berlin's Sony Center for less than US$880 to a group of German and US investment funds, including investment bank Morgan Stanley, Corpus Sireo and an affiliate of The John Buck Company [ [http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3157354,00.html Berlin's Sony Center Sells for Bargain Price | Germany | Deutsche Welle | 28.02.2008 ] ] .

Attractions

Sony Center contains a mix of shops, restaurants, a conference centre, hotel rooms, luxurious rented suites and condominiums, offices, art and film museums, cinemas, an IMAX theater, and a "Sony Style" store. Free Wi-Fi connections are available for all visitors. During the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the centre also had a large television screen on which the games were broadcast to viewers sitting in the large open area in the middle.

The Sony Center is located near the Berlin Potsdamer Platz railway station for easy walking accessibility. A large shopping centre is nearby, as is a myriad of hotels, the Deutsche Bahn central offices, and an office building featuring the fastest lift in Europe.

References

External links

* [http://www.sonycenter.de/aw/~a/Home/?lng=en Sony Center Official Site (EN)]
* [http://www.sonycenter.de/aw/~a/Home/?lng=de Sony Center Official Site (DE)]