Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Europe's largest
building site
Top 10 Architects
1 Helmut Jahn
(Sony Center)
2 Renzo Piano and
Christian Kohlbecker
(debis Headquarters,
Musical-Theater,
Spielbank, Weinhaus
Huth)
3 José Rafael Moneo
(Hotel Grand Hyatt,
Mercedes-Benz
Headquarters)
4 Hans Kollhoff
(DaimlerChrysler)
5 Giorgio Grassi
(Park Colonnades)
6 Ulrike Lauber and
Wolfram Wöhr (Grimm-
Haus, Cinemaxx)
7 Sir Richard Rogers
(Office Block Linkstraße)
8 Steffen Lehmann and
Arata Isozaki
(Office and Retail House
Linkstraße)
9 Heidenreich & Michel
(Weinhaus Huth)
0 Bruno Doedens and
Maike van Stiphout
(Tilla-Durieux-Park)
In the 1920s, Potsdamer Platz was Europe's busiest
square, boasting the first automatic traffic lights in
the world. During World War II this social hub was
razed to the ground. Untouched for almost 50 years,
the empty square shifted back into the centre of
Berlin when the Wall came down. During the 1990s,
Potsdamer Platz became Europe's largest building
site - millions of curious onlookers from around the
world came to watch progress from the famous red
info box. Altogether, around 17 billion euros were
invested to create the present square.
DaimlerChrysler House
Moving the Esplanade
The Council of Berlin stipulated that Sony should
preserve the “Breakfast Room” and the “Emper-
ors' Hall” of the Grand Hotel Esplanade, both
protected following destruction in World War II.
Accordingly, in 1996, the rooms were moved -
1,300 tons were loaded onto wheels and shifted
by 75 m (246 ft) during the course of a week.
The historic Emperors' Hall is today incorporated into the modern Sony Center
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