Inaugurated in 1964 „Café Moscow“ was one of the most popular restaurants in former East Berlin. The building is located along the second construction phase of „Stalinallee“, the first socialist street in the GDR, and demonstrated the close relationship between East Germany and the Soviet Union. After 1989 Café Moscow was declared a listed monument. However, signs of decay became increasingly apparent. The restaurant had to be closed. In 2007 the Nicolas Berggruen Berlin Three Properties acquired the building and started the conversion accordind to the architects' plans with the reconstruction. Café Moscow is used as conference centre, offering space for events for up to 2400 people. To enable its new function the inner organisation of the building has been completely restructured: the circulation areas have been reorganised, and a new representative entrance has been added to the east side of the building. In close cooperation with the historic preservation agency, all building services have been modernised. Concerning stylistic elements, the architects’ conception for the reconstruction relates to the original design of Café Moscow by the architect Josef Kaiser. Kaiser’s pivotal subjects of design have been seized and advanced: the play between transparency and reflection and the intersection of inner and outer space.
Since November 2009 events and conferences are hosted at Café Moscow.
