Brockessches Haus

Brockessches Haus stands in the heart of Potsdam as a historic residential and manufacturing building. Carl von Gontard designed it in 1776 for glass cutter Johann Christoph Brockes. Its French château-inspired façade combines stucco with sculptures, including putti linked to glassmaking. King Frederick II funded the façade while supporting Brockes in bypassing the export ban on Bohemian glass.

After Brockes died in 1804, the Prussian state acquired the building for the Oberrechnungskammer. During the German Empire, financial administration continued inside, followed by Deutsche Post after the Second World War. The structure survived the war with only minor damage and remained in postal use until German reunification in 1990.

Restoration began in 2014 and tackled the damp foundation with 329 concrete piles. The work preserved the historic exterior while converting the interior into apartments and adding new buildings. Together, the restored house and surrounding construction provide 103 apartments beside new villas. Above them, the stucco putti keep the original glassmaking story visible on Potsdam’s changing architectural scene.