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 8, 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.

Microscale Competition: How small can architecture be?

A microscale competition will be held parallel to the exhibition.

Both replicas of buildings and cities as well as your own fantasy constructions are welcome.

Terms of participation

• No minimum size. Whoever creates a building with as few bricks as possible: Bravo!
• Maximum base area: 16 x 16 studs (12.8 x 12.8 cm)
• Maximum height: 30 cm
• You can build with LEGO® bricks as well as with bricks from other manufacturers
• Gluing the bricks is not allowed, only sticking!
• First send in a photo to DAM.Digitaltools@stadt-frankfurt.de (from now on), then send in the model by post after the DAM team has preselected it (between 24.10.2025 and 31.12.2025—the sooner, the longer it will be on display)
• The selected works will be exhibited in the museum until 8.2.2026. Each work will also be presented on the DAM’s social media channels
• The return shipment will be made by the museum from 9.2.2026 (no guarantee can be given for any transport damage)
• The best three works will be voted on by all participants—the prizes are T-shirts with the three highest-placed models

Guided tours (from Oktober 25th, 2025)
every Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m.