VIENNA.- Starting on 7 October, the MAK will present the major interactive exhibition ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCTION KITS 1890–1990, transforming several of the museum’s rooms into an interactive play area for children aged four and up, as well as adults. Around 70 architectural construction kits from the years 1890 to 1990, many presented in the form of fully assembled models, showcase the vast diversity of historical toys. The basis for the exhibition is the private collection of graphic designer Claus Krieger, comprising around 150 items.
Of the once countless toy construction kits—between 1880 and 1960, some 900 companies produced them in the German-speaking world alone—only a few are still manufactured today. While most children today grow up with Lego, there was once a wealth of materials: artificial brick, wood, and metal were used, alongside long-forgotten materials like Galalith and even rubber. Many of these materials can be tried out at eight play stations at the MAK. A major highlight is the cathedral made of 4,000 felt building blocks, on display in the MAK Columned Main Hall.
For the exhibition ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCTION KITS 1890–1990, Prof. Andreas Kretzer of the Stuttgart Technical University of Applied Sciences (HFT) and his students have recreated the valuable original building blocks from the Ingenius (patented in Vienna), Btiss, and Skyline sets at a larger scale, making them easier to play with. In addition, bricks from the Minibrix, Tetek, and Dusyma systems will be available, as well as Plaspi, a set produced in the former GDR. Visitors can also use a VR headset to explore a virtual environment that was designed at the HFT under the supervision of Prof. Philipp Reinfeld.
The exhibition, conceived by the Deutsches Architekturmuseum (Curator: Oliver Elser), draws attention to three main aspects: architectural styles and history, children, and building instructions.
Architectural Styles and History
The construction kits always showcased the latest architecture of their respective eras. This begins with blocks that responded to the richly decorated buildings of the Grnderzeit era (post-1871). Even architecture that was controversial at the time, such as Modernism in the 1920s, quickly found its way into the playroom. The Ingenius set (1924) by architect Wilhelm Kreis, produced in Vienna, anticipates the “Metropolis as Moloch” theme of the famous silent film Metropolis (1927). The construction kits were designed for active play. None were intended for the finished model to simply sit on a shelf. This is a significant difference from today’s Lego models, which often end up as trophies.
Children
Another characteristic aspect is the packaging illustrations, in which the children are often depicted in tense concentration. Playing can be hard work! The instructions are usually highly complex. Are these toys for children or more for adults? Nonetheless, the packaging and instructions are clearly addressed to children. They are treated as miniature adults, encouraged to be “little master builders” or “little architects,” and taught to play patiently. With few exceptions, girls are depicted merely as onlookers, a trend that only gradually began to change in the 1960s.
Instructions
To make things easier for visitors, all the sets at the play tables have been provided with uniformly drawn instructions in the familiar IKEA style. The historical building instructions, on the other hand, are a real challenge. Many sets are completely unsuitable for free play. Without instructions, there is no sense of achievement. This is surprising, because the original building blocks created by reform pedagogue and kindergarten founder Friedrich Frbel (1782–1852) were designed for experimentation and tactile experience.
Supporting Program
Alongside the exhibition, the MAK is offering a workshop program for students and all visitors who love to build. Miniature architectural competitions will be held, and small teams will create designs based on experimental briefs. Participants can experience the fascination of building with historical construction kits as well as plenty of Lego and Bioblo.
Following its initial run at the Deutsches Architekturmuseum, the exhibition will be on view at the MAK from 7.10.2026–14.3.2027.
The exhibition at the DAM was accompanied by the catalog 111 Architekturbauksten: Sammlung Claus Krieger, Berlin: Jovis Verlag, 2025.
In German, 272 pages, 500 illustrations, available in the MAK Design Shop and at MAKdesignshop.at for 38 €.
