"Kaufhaus Lamarr"-Nativity: New Exhibit for the Folklore Museum
A miniature model of René Benko’s unfinished Kaufhaus Lamarr project, reworked as a Christmas nativity scene, has sold at auction for €3,300. The winning bidder remained anonymous, with all proceeds going to Gruft, a Vienna-based homeless shelter run by Caritas. The auction took place on 15 December 2025 at Dorotheum in the Austrian capital.
The model was created by PR agency HFA-Studios, transforming the abandoned department store plans into a festive scene. Originally envisioned as a grand retail complex, the Kaufhaus Lamarr building on Mariahilfer Straße now faces demolition. The site’s redevelopment will include shops, flats, a hotel, and a rooftop terrace open to the public.
Meanwhile, the Austrian Museum of Folk Life and Folk Art secured the miniature for its collection. The piece reflects both the project’s unfulfilled ambitions and its unexpected cultural afterlife. The auction’s charity focus adds another layer to the story, linking the model’s sale to local support for vulnerable communities.
The demolition of Kaufhaus Lamarr marks the end of an era for the site, while the nativity model ensures its legacy lives on in a different form. Funds from the auction will directly assist Gruft’s work with homeless individuals in Vienna. The museum’s acquisition also preserves a quirky piece of the city’s recent history.
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