The curtain continues to rise on a new Berlin. The metamorphosis of the city is taking place at a fast pace. With sweeping futurist architectural projects, Germany’s new capital is juggling with its past to reinvent itself and recover its old energy from the Crazy Years. Shut off for fifty years, the city assumes a double challenge: affirm its status as capital and take back its central role in Europe. The transfer of the government from Bonn began the era of the “Berlin Republic” and consecrated its central role in German politics. The recent arrival of Ex- Eastern Block countries to the membership of the European Union opens new perspectives for it . Geographic Proximity and economic interests oblige, Berlin plans to play on these advantages to shift Europe’s centre of gravity eastward. Twinned with Prague, Warsaw, Moscow and Budapest, Berlin has many assets to its advantage for becoming a cultural and political crossroads, the link between West and East.According to Jan van Daalen, “Berlin is heading in the right direction. The increase in number of rooms will only be offset if the development of tourism and conferences continues.” In the next five years Berlin will celebrate its 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, the finale of the FIFA World Cup in 2006, followed by the World Athletics Championships in 2009. The world’s eyes will be glued to Germany’s capital. A welcome spotlight for stimulating tourism spin-offs.Berlin proves its will to durably position itself as “The” competitor of the two major European metropolises of London and Paris. The city– rich with many universities– is taking a radical turn, breaking away from its industry to redirect itself towards the tertiary sector and innovative technology. The City of Science and Technology at Berlin Adlershof is considered one of the...