Synagogue centre, Potsdam

In the heart of Potsdam, an impressive new sacred building has been constructed in just under four years – a structure that harmoniously combines modern architecture and technology with the centuries-old tradition of synagogue construction.
The new building, which cost around 17.5 million euros and was designed by architect Jost Haberland, has been rising since 8 November 2021 under the direction of the Brandenburg State Office for Real Estate and Construction (BLB).
The site is the grounds of a former office building belonging to Potsdam's water management authority, located in the middle of a historically sensitive urban area between the New and Old Market Squares. 
It was therefore crucial that the synagogue blends elegantly into the existing cityscape while remaining recognisable as a striking building in its own right.

On 4 July 2024, the Synagogue Centre was officially opened in a ceremony attended by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Since then, with its gross floor area of 2,031 m², it has served as a lively religious and cultural meeting place for the Jewish communities in the region.

The new Potsdam Synagogue Centre not only impresses visitors, it also won over experts and was awarded the 2024 Architecture Prize by the Brandenburg branch of the Association of German Architects (BDA). 

Source:   www.blb.brandenburg.de (Brandenburg State Government)
              www.german-architects.com


Modersohn produced and supplied precast fixings, Scaffold anchors, angle suppoer brackets and horizontal connections for the new building, as well as blanks and edge profiles with a total value of over €90,000.

The brackets were manufactured from corrosion-resistant Stainless steel of Corrosion resistance class (CRC) III.

With the new synagogue centre, Potsdam will have its second newly built Jewish place of worship since the Shoah, following the opening of the Small Synagogue on the university campus at the New Palace in August 2021. 
The centre will bring together social, cultural and religious activities under one roof.
This will create a place where locals can experience Jewish culture, history and ethics first-hand, while immigrants can more easily connect and participate in society.

In doing so, the Potsdam Synagogue Centre is sending a strong signal for visible Jewish life in the city.
It promotes the sustainable integration of immigrants and actively contributes to the development of an open, welcoming culture.

Source: www.zwst.org (Central Welfare Office of Jews in Germany e.V.)