Architectural model kits are far older than Lego. The first timber model kits date from more than 150 years ago. They were followed by kits in stone, ceramic, plastic, and even vulcanite. At the highpoint of the craze for architectural model kits, hundreds of workshops produced such toys in the German-speaking world alone, often accompanied by elaborate packaging and incomprehensible instructions. Up until the mid-twentieth century, such model kits continuously reflected the development in the realm of “important” architecture and imitated the most diverse construction methods. In this volume, collector Claus Krieger presents 111 types of kits from around the world in all of their facets. He not only documents the richly detailed individual components but also shows the models in their completed state. The result is a playful journey of discovery through architectural history from a remarkable and singular perspective. With a preface by Oliver Elser Unique documentation of a great collection of architectural building kits Extensive pictorial material—from the boxed building kits, to the printed instructions, all the way to the assembled models Published in conjunction with the exhibition Architekturbaukästen – Die große Mitspielausstellung at the Deutsches Architekturmuseum (October 24, 2025– February 8, 2026)

Architectural model kits are far older than Lego. The first timber model kits date from more than 150 years ago. They were followed by kits in stone, ceramic, plastic, and even vulcanite. At the highpoint of the craze for architectural model kits, hundreds of workshops produced such toys in the German-speaking world alone, often accompanied by elaborate packaging and incomprehensible instructions. Up until the mid-twentieth century, such model kits continuously reflected the development in the realm of “important” architecture and imitated the most diverse construction methods. In this volume, collector Claus Krieger presents 111 types of kits from around the world in all of their facets. He not only documents the richly detailed individual components but also shows the models in their completed state. The result is a playful journey of discovery through architectural history from a remarkable and singular perspective. With a preface by Oliver Elser Unique documentation of a great collection of architectural building kits Extensive pictorial material—from the boxed building kits, to the printed instructions, all the way to the assembled models Published in conjunction with the exhibition Architekturbaukästen – Die große Mitspielausstellung at the Deutsches Architekturmuseum (October 24, 2025– February 8, 2026)