An exhibition by the DAM – Deutsches Architekturmuseum

Every child knows Legos. But before the Danish company captured the international market, there were hundreds of firms that produced construction kits—about 900 in German-speaking countries alone.

Graphic designer Claus Krieger’s private collection of about 150 construction kits was the inspiration for a hands-on exhibition for children ages 4 and above. Its premise is that the diversity of the playsets is less the result of pedagogical intentions, but rather that a kind of “evolution of the bricks” brought forth this cornuco-pia of construction kits. Countless firms had tried to achieve what Lego ultimately succeeded in doing: devising a stable connection between the pieces.

The exhibition ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCTION KITS has ca. 40 kits from 1890 to 1990 on display, many of them as built models. At several stations the play pieces can be tried out.
Prof. Andreas Kretzer from the Stuttgart Technical University of Applied Sciences (HFT) and his students have recreated the precious original building blocks of the “Ingenius,” “Bâtiss,” and “Skyline” sets 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” produced in East Germany (GDR), await all those who enjoy constructing.