ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCTION KITS

Plaspi. Der kleine Grossblock-Baumeister, VEB Gothaer Kunststoffverarbeitung Gotha, DE (Thüringen) ca. 1980, Foto: Sammlung Claus Krieger

ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCTION KITS – Plenty to play with!

October 25, 2025 – February 9, 2026 
Exhibition Opening: Friday, October 24, 2025, 7 p.m.
Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM) >> ground floor

Everyone knows Lego. But before the Danish company conquered the international market there were hundreds of firms that from about 1880 onwards produced a variety of construction kits. The DAM has the unique opportunity to draw on the private collection of architectural construction kits by graphic designer Claus Krieger to realize an exhibition that will break through the “glass barrier” that typically divides exhibits (for conservational reasons) from the visitors. They will be able to play and develop new buildings at about eight play stations integrated centrally into the exhibition.

Prof. Andreas Kretzer from the Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences (HFT) and his students have recreated the precious original building blocks of the Ingenius, Bâtiss and Skyline boxes on an enlarged scale to make them “playable”. Moreover, bricks from the Minibrix, Tetek, and Dusyma systems as well as the “Little Large Block Builder” from GDR production await all those who enjoy constructing. It is also possible to immerse yourself in a virtual model world using VR glasses, programmed by students of Prof. Philipp Reinfeld, also HFT. You can also immerse yourself in a virtual model world using VR goggles. The exhibition presents a total ca. 60 construction kits, which are also featured in an extensive catalog. And of course there will be many dozens of models on display that have been built from the various boxes.

A Lego/BlueBrixx Micro Scale competion will be announced in September.

Catalog (in German): 111 Architekturbaukästen. Sammlung Claus Krieger, Jovis-Verlag, Berlin 2025. 272 pages, 500 images, 38,00 Euros in book stores and at the museum.

A collaboration of DAM with Claus Krieger and HFT Stuttgart 
Generous support by the IKEA Foundation.