Potsdam's Brauhausberg campus plan draws 77 submissions as expert reports begin
City and state authorities have received 77 formal comments on the development plan for a new university campus at Potsdam's Brauhausberg, while expert assessments on traffic, environment, and ground conditions get underway.
Public participation milestone
The development plan for the future university campus at Brauhausberg in Potsdam has attracted 77 submissions from citizens and public bodies, the Brandenburg state chancellery announced. Of these, 36 came from authorities and the remainder from residents. The comments will now be evaluated and incorporated into the ongoing planning process.
The great interest of the citizens shows how much the development of the city and the Brauhausberg is close to their hearts.
Expert assessments underway
Simultaneously, a series of specialist reports are being prepared. The studies cover mobility and traffic, drainage, species protection, soil and ground conditions, noise, and air quality. The formal draft of the development plan is scheduled for the second half of 2026, with a vote by the city council expected in 2027.
Campus vision and expansion
The project is driven by software billionaire and SAP co-founder Hasso Plattner, who intends to build a new campus through his foundation by 2035. The expansion will enlarge the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI), which focuses on artificial intelligence research, and aims to strengthen Germany's position in international AI competition. As part of the reorganisation, the law and social sciences faculties will relocate from the Griebnitzsee campus to the new site near Potsdam's main railway station.
Our goal is a sustainable and lively campus that opens up to the city, radiates into it, and thus becomes an enrichment for all of Potsdam.
Historical backdrop
The Brauhausberg building has a layered past. Until 2013 it housed the Brandenburg state parliament, and during the GDR era it served as the SED district leadership, earning the nickname "Kreml". After standing empty for years, plans for residential and commercial conversion were abandoned following a major fire in August 2023 that caused the roof to collapse. The site has also suffered repeated vandalism.
Timeline
Key milestones stretch from the building's political history to the campus completion target.
- Brandenburg state parliament sits in the Brauhausberg building.
- A large fire destroys the roof structure of the listed building.
- Formal development plan draft to be prepared.
- City council expected to approve the development plan.
- New campus to be completed, expanding HPI and relocating law and social sciences faculties.
