The Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM) in Frankfurt, Germany, has launched a comprehensive interactive exhibition showcasing 100 years of architectural construction kits. The exhibition, titled "Architectural Construction Kits 1890-1990. Plenty to Play With!" runs from October 25, 2025, through February 8, 2026, offering visitors an immersive journey through the evolution of building toys and their relationship to architectural culture.
Developed through an extensive collaboration between DAM and multiple academic partners, the exhibition brings together expertise from various fields. The project involved graphic designer Claus Krieger, Professors Andreas Kretzer and Philipp Reinfeld from Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences (HFT), their students, and the broader DAM curatorial team. Together, they have assembled approximately 80 construction kits spanning the century from 1890 to 1990, creating a comprehensive survey of how toys reflected and influenced architectural thinking.
The exhibition's innovative approach extends far beyond static displays. Many of the historical construction systems have been recreated at enlarged scales, allowing visitors to engage directly with the building concepts through eight central interactive play stations. Digital technology enhances the experience further, with virtual reality model worlds programmed specifically by HFT students. These VR environments allow visitors to explore architectural possibilities that extend beyond the physical limitations of the original toy sets. Dozens of completed models throughout the exhibition demonstrate the full range of architectural ideas and styles represented across the various kits.
Beyond its nostalgic appeal, the exhibition raises profound questions about how toys have historically reflected and shaped architectural culture. Many early construction kits directly echoed the dominant architectural styles of their respective eras. The Anker stones, for example, embodied the richly ornamented forms characteristic of the Wilhelminian period, while the innovative Ingenius kit of 1924 anticipated the futuristic, expressionistic urban landscapes that would later be immortalized in Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" (1927).
The curators have also examined how these toys framed the concept of architectural play itself. Instructions accompanying these sets were often remarkably complex, demanding significant patience and perseverance from young builders. Surprisingly, many kits rarely encouraged the free experimentation originally advocated by educational pioneer Friedrich Fröbel. Despite being marketed primarily to children, these construction sets seemed designed to promote serious, almost adult-like concentration and precision.
The exhibition also addresses issues of gender representation in these historical toys. Many sets explicitly cast boys as "little builders" while placing girls at the margins of construction play. To address these historical biases and make the experience more accessible to contemporary audiences, DAM has introduced uniform, IKEA-style instructions for all play stations, providing clear and inclusive guidance for visitors of all backgrounds.
Among the special construction kits featured in the exhibition, several stand out for their unique characteristics and historical significance. The Architecto-Baukasten, produced by Keller & Sohn in 1944, is displayed as a monumental 3.2-meter felt cathedral. This impressive installation was made possible through the support of insulation manufacturer Impact Acoustic, which provided over 4,000 components for the scaled-up assembly.
The American Skyline kit from Elgo Plastics Inc., dating to the 1950s-60s, introduces visitors to a skeleton construction system that differed dramatically from the solid-block logic typical of other sets. This innovative approach enabled surprisingly rapid assembly of early 20th-century U.S. skyscrapers, reflecting America's distinctive approach to high-rise construction.
The exhibition also features the GDR-era Mentor kit "Wir bauen auf!" (We Build On!), a rare example tied to the brief phase of Socialist Classicism in East Germany before state policy shifted toward industrialized prefabrication in 1954. This kit represents a unique moment in architectural history when political ideology directly influenced toy design and construction concepts.
Other notable items include the Plaspi "Little Large Block Builder" from around 1980, whose plastic components were specifically designed to replicate GDR prefabricated building types. The Bâtiss-Baukasten from the 1930s-40s stands out for its unusual metal-rod connections, while the historically significant Anker-Steinbaukästen, developed from Fröbel's educational principles, remains in production today.
Visitors can also explore the 1920s Ingenius system, which was originally promoted as a versatile tool for both children's play and professional film-set design. The Projektor kit represents an interesting case study in industrial competition, as it was designed to emulate Ingenius while circumventing its patent through an innovative dual tongue-and-groove connector system.
Complementing the main exhibition, DAM has launched a public competition titled "How Small Can Architecture Be?" This initiative invites participants from around the world to submit miniature architectural models for display alongside the historical collection. The competition welcomes entries ranging from detailed miniature city replicas to entirely original fantasy structures.
Participants may use LEGO or other compatible brick systems, following specific guidelines designed to ensure fair competition and display compatibility. The rules include a maximum footprint of 16 x 16 studs, a maximum height of 30 centimeters, and a prohibition on glued elements to maintain the spirit of modular construction. Interested entrants must first submit a photograph for preselection, after which chosen models will be shipped to DAM between October 24 and December 31, 2025.
Selected works will remain on display through February 8, 2026, and will also be featured on the museum's social media channels, extending their reach to a global audience. The competition concludes with a democratic voting process where participants themselves determine the top three designs. Each winning entry will be honored with a custom T-shirt featuring an image of their respective model, creating a lasting memento of their architectural creativity.
The exhibition is accompanied by a comprehensive catalog that documents the full collection, providing detailed information about each construction kit's historical context, design innovations, and cultural significance. This publication serves as both a scholarly resource and a nostalgic journey through the intersection of play and architecture over the past century.
