This public market style bike shop by adotnamedstud uses the metal gate element to attach shingles along different angles for a great weathered look. The addition of a small utility pole, a satellite dish, and rooftop foliage adds visual interest. I also like the compact tool drawer in front, made with modified tiles.
The Micropolis standard enables big cities to come together at LEGO conventions, but more than that, building at microscale also presents a challenge to builders, encouraging them to push their creativity by working with parts largely designed for minifigures. Take this charming Japanese micropolis block by Ids de Jong, which makes clever use of minifigure accessories as foliage. A roller skate element works well as a roof-mounted utility, and the red part, commonly used as a fire extinguisher handle, is used to create a traditional arch. The choice of building, including a convenience store, colorful vehicles, and cherry blossoms, completes the scene very nicely.
In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders worldwide, The Brothers Brick brings you the best LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the 5th week of May 2025.
TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS Reviews this week were all over the place, from Lord of the Rings to Technic to Botanicals. We even had a surprise collaboration with Nike announced, but perhaps the most anticipated new set is the classic Luxo Jr., the lovable spring lamp made famous by Disney Pixar animated films. For even more news, reviews, and features, be sure to check out last week’s Brick Report.
TBB FEATURES & INTERVIEWS Overview
There are so many LEGO-compatible products and accessories out there, so it makes sense that builders would find fun and interesting ways to use them in their own creations. Kevin H has done just that using a Nintendo DS case that includes some attachment points to decorate as the central element in this fun, sci-fi tower. The use of some stickers to add more detail was a great choice, as well as using a largely monochromatic palette of blue to match the case with some light green and transparent parts thrown in. Another fun detail is a pair of spring-loaded shooter bricks with dual-colored sides at the base, and those gray pyramid pieces add to the brutalist look at the base of the tower.
Inspired by the stump of a felled tree in the forest, cimddwc created a mysterious Elven castle nestled among the trees and surrounded by tall jagged cliffs. This seemingly inaccessible locale reminds me of the colorful Rivendell hidden in the foothills of the Misty Mountains. The limited palette of the white castle with sand green domes lets the castle stand out among the many trees and plants, while the arid landscape around the base is a stark contrast. The castle features some very clever parts usage, such as the wands left in their sprue forming the main gate.
An overhead view reveals more details, like the sheltered lake behind the castle fed by the river flowing from the waterfall to the right. Also, a spooky red glow can be seen below the water.
When it comes to colorful and highly detailed microscale builds, Jeff Friesen stands out as a true master. He wrote the book (several, actually) on creating clean builds that capture cities, castles, and fantastic worlds in miniature. Jeff’s latest build started as a study of hedge gardens, like the one seen in the foreground. However, once he started adding a building to the background, his imagination took over, and it grew to become an amazing sprawling castle structure that reminds me of campuses like Harvard and Cambridge.
One of my favorite tree builds is the upside-down eggshell used for what looks like a willow tree, and, of course, a green minifigure hairpiece makes the perfect shrub. A few tall pine trees provide a nice contrast to all of the much shorter trees and plants.
In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders worldwide, The Brothers Brick brings you the best LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the 4th week of May 2025.
TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS While this last week may have been a bit slow for news and reviews, we’ve got you covered with a few noteworthy items, along with our growing features section. If this week leaves you craving more, be sure to check out last week’s Brick Report!
TBB FEATURES & INTERVIEWS We cover a few topics in our features section this week, including a spotlight on two newly hired LEGO Designers from the community, congratulations Jiwoo Seon and Dominique Boeynaems! TBB asked our staff and the LEGO community about their favorite non-brick memorabilia, and we talked with Iron Builder and frequent TBB featured LEGO builder Tim Goddard.
Read all the rest of the LEGO news from around the web
TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS
TBB FEATURES AND INTERVIEWS
Read all the rest of the LEGO news from around the web
The Imperial probe droid floating up above the snow drift in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back with its long limbs unfolding like a nightmare spider was terrifying enough, but this microscale model by Tim Goddard of the heavy viper droid seen in Solo: A Star Wars Story took that fright to a new level. Armed with more firepower and more armor, these droids really put a damper on the plans of our heroes, Han Solo and Chewbacca. The details on this tiny nightmare capture the sense of menace quite well.
Sometimes constraints can inspire creativity, and limiting yourself to 101 pieces is certainly an interesting challenge. We’ve featured a few 101-piece LEGO challenge builds recently, and this cute wizard built with 101 parts by Syrdarian really makes me smile. The big round eyes and small smile, made from a single rounded tile, give major Adventure Time vibes. The staff that is almost as tall as him is also a great touch, and that little bookmark ribbon poking out the top is just magical.
In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders worldwide, The Brothers Brick brings you the best LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the 2nd week of May 2025.
This week has been a busy week for news, with new sets announced in many themes from Harry Potter, to Icons, to Disney, and even a bit more Star Wars. We even had a few reviews from some of the same themes. If you get to the end of this week’s Brick Report hungry for more, be sure to check out last week’s Brick Report for even more LEGO news.
We continue to add new kinds of content as regular features. This week, we’re adding a discussion-oriented featured called “TBB Asks” — head over and answer our weekly question!
Read all the rest of the LEGO news from around the web
Many Star Wars characters, vehicles, and fighters were relegated to “legends” status after the purchase of the franchise by Disney in 2012. But that hasn’t stopped fans of the wider universe from building their favorites in LEGO, like Thomas Jenkins who has created a stellar reproduction of the TIE/D or TIE Droid fighter, a fully automnomous fighter from the reborn Emperor’s shiny new fleet. The long tuning fork prongs attached to the small orb give off major Magnamite vibes.
The scale is deceptive. Look closely at the red dots on either side of the central bar, those are minifig roller skates!