BERLIN
Oxford Properties Group (“Oxford”), the global real estate investor, developer and manager owned by OMERS, has agreed a 35,000 sq ft office letting to Superhuman, the AI productivity platform, at Das Center on Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. Superhuman is expected to begin moving into its new German hub at the end of 2026.
Superhuman, previously known as Grammarly, has signed a long-term lease for The Penthouse, which comprises c. 35,000 sq ft of Grade A modern office space across the three storey penthouse of the converted IMAX building.
Originally developed between 1992 and 2000 on a site that was formerly part of the ‘no man’s land’ adjacent to the Berlin Wall, Das Center is an iconic 1.2 million sq ft mixed use campus that was acquired by Oxford in 2017. In 2022, Oxford and its joint-venture partner in the property, Norges Bank Investment Management, began a major €300 million redevelopment to thoroughly modernise the leasable space.
The redevelopment plans aim to improve the asset’s environmental credentials and introduce new tenants while broadening its appeal to local Berlin residents, renaming it “Das Center am Potsdamer Platz”, or “Das Center” in short. Following Oxford’s investment, the building harnesses state-of-the-art technology throughout and a suite of sustainability features including LED lighting and smart energy management.
Das Center comprises eight buildings with over 900,000 sq ft of state-of-the-art workspace; 200,000 sq ft of food & beverage, entertainment, and wellness led retail. There are also 67 residential for rent units. Phase One of the redevelopment completed earlier this year and covered the renovation of 70% of the total asset including 350,000 sq ft of Grade A office, 91% of which has been successfully leased at market-leading rents to occupiers including Deutsche Bahn, which signed a new long-term lease in 2020, as well as new tenants Global Logic, Exolaunch and Egon Zehnder.
Potsdamer Platz has long been a notable tourist attraction in Berlin, attracting over seven million visitors a year. Oxford’s redevelopment marked a reimagination of the asset to reconnect with Berliners. Today, Das Center features new public spaces, amenities and uses that reflect Berlin life. The redevelopment introduces more seating, greenery, natural materials and water features to encourage socialising and length of stay.
The former IMAX cinema space has been transformed into a new food hall operated by London’s KERB and the former CineStar cinema space is now ready to welcome an immersive digital art venue. Das Center also features Germany’s largest 3D screen in the public realm.
A comprehensive events programme is also underway and includes initiatives such as the creation of an Indianapolis Colts fan zone for the NFL Berlin Game earlier this month, and the installation of a c. 6,500 sq ft ice rink during the festive season. The second phase of the redevelopment, a refurbishment of a 172,000 sq ft office building, is already underway with the final refurbishment of a 140,000 sq ft mixed-use building expected to begin next year.
Jay Drexler, Vice President, Asset Management, at Oxford Properties, commented: “We take our role as custodians of one of Berlin’s most iconic landmarks seriously and are working with our partners to reimagine Das Center at Potsdamer Platz for the modern day. Our aim is to bring together best-in-class office space and a compelling mixture of restaurants, retail, and leisure space to create a place that connects with Berliners. With Phase One recently completed and Phase Two underway, we’ve drawn on our global development experience and extensive stakeholder engagement to make Potsdamer Platz feel a core part of the city once again, with local priorities and Berlin’s unique DNA reflected throughout.
“This latest letting is testament to the improvements we have already made and continue to progress, which has allowed us to attract globally recognised brands such as Superhuman to Das Center.”
John Bell, Director of Global Real Estate & Workplace Experience at Superhuman, added: “With our new hub in Das Center, we’re creating a space that fuels collaboration and connection for our fast-growing team in Germany. This new space is designed to give our team members in Berlin an inspiring environment to build innovative products as we bring our new company vision to life. It will also serve as a meeting point for our global teams from across Europe and the Americas to connect in person and collaborate on projects. We’re also excited to host events for Berlin’s tech community in this space in the future.”
JLL acted as Superhuman’s broker on the deal, with legal advice provided by Greenberg Traurig. Monika Jularic, Director of Leasing, and Benjamin Gschnell, Managing Director of Oxford Properties Germany, represented Oxford.
