Steiff-Fabrik, Toy factory and museum in Giengen an der Brenz, Germany.
Steiff-Fabrik is a toy factory and museum in Giengen an der Brenz, built in 1903 with a distinctive glass facade and large windows that filled the interior with natural light. The modern steel-frame structure of the era created bright workspaces where craftspeople assembled toys by hand.
Margarete Steiff started the business in 1880 making felt toys that quickly gained popularity. In 1902, the first jointed teddy bear was created here, an innovation that transformed the toy industry.
The building became known as the "Maiden's Aquarium" because most workers were women, a reflection of early 20th-century industrial life. These female workers shaped daily production routines that visitors can still sense when walking through the spaces.
The entrance is accessible via sloped ramps along the facade, an unusual feature that provided early accessibility to the building. Visitors can move easily through the manufacturing areas and explore how toy production worked.
The East Hall stands as one of Germany's first curtain-wall constructions, featuring an innovative steel skeleton with fully glazed exterior walls. This building technique was revolutionary at the time and influenced factory design across Europe.
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