Tag Archives: Cyberpunk

Keep an eye out for the latest in LEGO cybernetics!

Ever wondered what cybernetic enhancement you would get if you lived in the future? Rocket feet, perhaps? Or a brain that can access the internet? As someone with seriously shoddy eyesight, I would settle for some functioning eyeballs. Jan Woźnica has got me sorted, it seems! This product is simply titled “Eyeball, Mk2”. I like what I see! Dots bracelets for optic nerve cables, and part of General Grievous’ wheelbike for the iris. Mind you, that part is now giving me an idea of the scale… I’m not sure I can fit one of these in my skull, let alone two. Perhaps it’s best to wait for the Mk3, or 4, or 5. I’ll keep an eye out for those…

Eyeball Mk2

Visions of a dystopian flat-pack future

If the first thing that pops into your mind when thinking of dystopian futures is flat-pack furniture, well, you must be Cecilie Fritzvold. She decided to bring a touch of Scandinavian flair to the colossal cyberpunk city of New Hashima. You’d be forgiven for thinkin that Swedish minimalism and might not mesh that well with the often gritty cyberpunk aesthetic, but the concept works remarkably well. Little touches like the Japanese signage and neon decor make it look right at home.

Ikea at New Hashima

Camera shopping in dystopian District 7

Clad in the octagonal LEGO bricks from the Aquazone theme, the Nakano Camera Corner by Ids de Jong is a beautiful bit of cyberpunk cityscape. The seamless integration of such an awkward part is very well done here, as are all the little details accompanying the famous “NCC.” All the essential pieces of cyberpunk are present. Stripes of tiled kanji adorn the agglomeration of shops, each one created in its own style. Technological tubing and futuristic adverts are peppered throughout. Even the minifigs are tricked out for the depicted dystopic future!

Nakano Camera Corner

While the view from the corner is quite impressive in all its yellow glory, I appreciate this alternate angle of the model even more. It really showcases all the fine details Ids crammed into this urban chunk-ola. The gutter pipe that snakes down this side of the structure is absolute genius! Color changes showcase the haphazard wear on the conduit, and the elbow that’s now supporting some plant life feels so natural amid the jumble of this decaying metropolis.

Nakano Camera Corner - right

Who knew a computer bug could be a good thing?

This excellent LEGO insect built by Duncan Lindbo is one of my most favorite fan builds in recent history. Set atop an enlarged computer chip, it totally sells the idea that this is some sort of cyber bug. It even has a realistic name: “Cyberoptera Digitalis”. But apart from simply looking cool, it utilizes some awesome part techniques such as 3-pointed “rock crystals” for eyes, crowbars for feet, a screwdriver for a proboscis, and Uruk-hai swords for wing-tips. Speaking of wings, they even articulate and fan out!

Cyberoptera Digitalis

If you like this, check out some more awesome models by Duncan Lindbo, as well as all sorts of cyber creations. And don’t forget the insect builds well you’re at it!

Can androids skateboard?

It’s fascinating the stories that can be told with nothing more than a little LEGO scene. Abe Fortier (Hypolite Bricks) tosses us into a not-so-distant future with this dystopian look at life in a cyberpunk construction. The decay of the concrete is superb, especially when coupled with the small vegetation breaking through the cracks. The details in the general clutter on the street are wonderful, including the pair of arcade games and the duo of vending machines next to the stairs. But most of all, I love the androids Abe has created here. They use some printed 1×1 tiles to convey such expressive feelings. It reminds me of some TV-faced robos from pop culture like Prince Robot IV from Saga or Mr. House’s security force from Fallout: New Vegas. More than anything else in the creation, they really bring the dystopia home for me!

LEGO Cyberpunk Skate Shop

The tree of knowledge

LEGO builder Ted Andes brings us a more upbeat take on the dystopian cyberpunk future with a gorgeous sculpture he calls the Shrine of the Cyber Tree. The tree is made of stacked Vahki head elements from Bionicle, and their angular lines and matte finish creates a striking use for that rarely used piece. The sculpture is surrounded by a simple but elegant stone garden wall, which has great details like one broken egg post cap. 

Shrine of the Cyber Tree

Sail through the skies with some cyber wings

Taking off at the nearest cyberpunk runway is this lovely LEGO plane from Sylon_tw. The build blends the cyberpunk theme with the classic aviation look to get this tight little flyer. You have the more classic aviation look from the 1930s and 1940s in the overall shaping and especially the blue in the front. The rest of it is definitely cyberpunk in theme! I do love the exposed wings to see all those details, and those wingtips remind me of starfighters. This thing looks like it can really move, pulling all kinds of stunts as it flies around. This is some great styling, and I hope to see more in the future.

[cybersky] Tomtit - main

Check out some of the details on this slick jet below, including shots of the cockpit and landing gear.

[cybersky] Tomtit - details

Do you feel the need for teal?

Every now and then, a LEGO cyberpunk build will pop up that is invariably linked to the New Hashima Brickworld collaboration. And judging by how often they pop up, it’s going to be a massive collaboration. There’s no danger of it lacking colour though – not when Simon Liu is armed with his collection of teal bricks! It’s a neat futuristic take on the humble construction crane, even if it is built with tongue placed slightly in cheek. This is a build for something called MARCHtember. Simon’s description has the low-down on the ‘rules’, but I’m particularly drawn in by this one: “it needs to have teal as a significant colour in the build“. Now that’s a LEGO month I can get behind.

CP Crane

A cyberpunk sequel that doesn’t disappoint

Sebastian Bachórzewski previously wowed us with a one block stretch from a cyberpunk city, and now there’s more of the city to explore. The distinctive signage and railing over the street helps keep continuity between the two builds, but this section has a personality all its own. The high-rise hotel makes excellent use of some turntables for texture along the sides, while the street market area is loaded with grungy greebling and terrific techno-bits. We can almost hear the hum of the electricity running through the place.

No Name City - Building No. 1

Something cyberpunk this way comes

Collaborative displays allow builders to create something bigger and more spectacular than one person might achieve on their own. All it takes is a standard that others can build on independently and come together at a LEGO convention to watch the magic happen. The wonderfully detailed cyberpunk module by Ted Andes is going to be part of a collaborative display in Chicago next year. The speeder bike charging station features some sweet rides built using motorcycle chassis, along with an upstairs noodle shop. Colored wedge plates create angled parking spots, with one of the charging stations on the fritz, which is a nice touch. The noodle sign made with Technic plates and stacks of 1×2 rounded plates is positively delicious.

Octan Charging Station / Konbini / Roof Top Noodle Shop

But the fun doesn’t stop there. Ted has another cube for the lower levels of the collaborative city display for folks with a bit more to spend on their transportation. The Tachikoma garage for upgrading your AI-powered four-legged companion looks right out of Ghost in the Shell. The garage includes a smaller speeder bike repair shop around the back.

Tachikoma Garage / Speeder Bike Repair Platform

Riding the rails into the future.

We recently took a look at Blake Foster’s cyberpunk locomotive engine, but why stop there? Blake has posted some of the cars for this futuristic freight train, and each is just as worthy of our praise.

This flatbed car, and the massive cargo-container that it’s hauling, make terrific work of tiles to create a comfy space for hobos of the future to ride. And those angled ingots give a wonderful industrial detail.

Cyberpunk Flatbed Car

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Everything is cooler in the future – including trains

We see plenty of ideas of what the future might look like in LEGO bricks. Cities, spaceships, cars, robots… But what will trains look like tens or hundreds of years in the future? Blake Foster has had a crack with this cyberpunk locomotive. It’s recognisable as a train to us mere present-dwellers, but has enough cool features for that sci-fi look. I especially like strap-like detail around the mechanical parts in the middle — it really sells it as something futuristic. Since this is cyberpunk, I have to assume there’s some dystopian reason for that enormous strap. Perhaps it’s to stop people falling into the loco’s fusion reactor? I hope that’s a preventive, rather than reactive, measure…

Cyberpunk Locomotive