There were a whole lot of amazing LEGO mosaic artworks at Brickworld Chicago in 2022, and one in particular that seemed extra special to me. Say hello to Carmen, a crowd favorite build by Lydia. Beyond being an adorable image of the family pet, what makes this art impressive is the age of the builder. She was nine. (Well, 11 now, but pandemic-related show delays are a thing.) It’s good to know that the future of the LEGO art world is already in capable hands.
From near and far, this world and any other, all are welcome at the luxurious and grand Station Hotel. Builder Andrew Tate delivers yet another lushly decorated building, this time in the form of an ornate, four story hotel inspired by Victorian-era architecture. Built at modular scale but sure to dwarf most other buildings that LEGO has designed, this massive corner hotel’s interior may remain a mystery to most looking up at its windows but for those that take up residence within its halls, it is sure one of the most luxurious accommodations Earth has to offer. Black roofing atop the penthouse suite contrasts the dark red brickwork while complimenting the golden filigree and details worked in above the street windows.
As the intrepid young traveler we see approaching the entrance has learned, not every Earther is welcoming to extraterrestrial guests such as himself. Thankfully, he’s stayed at the Station before and has known most of the staff, including Howie the doorman, for many cycles. On top of that, since the fountain outside of the hotel’s entrance is a common gathering spot for locals and tourists alike, he’s enjoyed becoming part of such a welcoming community.
Looking at the rest of Andrew Tate’s work, I can tell that he’s great at exteriors and interiors alike. As such, I hope one day we’ll get to see the interior of this beautiful hotel. Minifigure me can always dream of his own life of LEGO luxury, can’t he?
Something that’s great about LEGO and it’s many unique pieces is the wonderful geometry when they come together. Builder Dan Ko demonstrates this beautifully with these four knights waiting for their turn in the joust. Each of these knights have their own distinct armor and look, and it’s all so satisfying to see. The first knight, from left to right, is mostly curves, their neck craning forward. The second knight is tall and lanky, though their big shield more than covers them, something that’ll help in the competition. The third knight has scale armor, providing more than enough protection and maneuverability over their opponents. The fourth and last knight reminds me of a clockwork figure with that gear for their pauldron and the round textured brick of their arm. If you stand with the knights in their gradient line maybe they’ll tell you stories of their grand exploits and adventures.
When Tim Goddard sees a new LEGO piece, a new droid can’t be far behind. Tim’s put the recent 1×2 round brick with center bars to use as the torso in this adorable bot that’s full of life. The bend in the abdomen helps convey a sense of motion, while the dark turquoise and pearl gold create the perfect pops of color against the mostly gray robot body.
As part of LEGO’s AtoZofAwesome campaign, Dave Schefcik constructed a 16×16 vignette to celebrate the letter C, for Coming Out. Dave’s done a lot of impressive building in this small space, from angling the house, to the framing of the whole scene in a variety of plants offering up a rainbow of blooms. And the selection of minifigure pieces perfectly captures the feelings Dave was looking for.
“Discovering your identity is a lifelong process, and coming out can be a defining moment. In this build, I’ve tried to capture the feeling of coming out–the moment of tranquility when I finally accepted who I was. To me, coming out represents a new beginning to a beautiful journey, stepping forward into a more colorful world full of possibilities.” – Dave, New York
I think it would be best to admire this beautiful LEGO BioCup 2022 build by Eero Okkonen from afar. After all, kaiju can be very dangerous up-close. The moth monster is absolutely the star of the show here, with so much intricate feathering on its legs, abdomen, and antennae. But the lighthouse is no slouch either, with brilliant details like the little gray staircase leading up to its door. I also especially like the use of the Constraction torso pieces in white as rocks at the base of the structure.
Pan Noda just wowed us with a pair of houses traveling on sneakers, but now they’ve gone the other direction and made a mobile camper into a more permanent domicile. This busted RV has been upgraded with a ramshackle second and third story to become the perfect wilderness estate. There’s lots to do, from enjoying a meal around the campfire, to hanging the laundry on the roof, or playing on the world’s most precarious swing. For our younger readers, the mismatched colors and patchwork construction might call to mind the Weasley’s Burrow, but I’m reminded of the junkyard home of The Cadillac Cats from Heathcliff… You know, Hector, Wordsworth, and Mungo? No? Ugh, you kids today. No respect for the classics.
You might have heard of Baba Yaga – a witch of eastern European folklore, who famously lived in a house that walked on chicken legs. Pan Noda has built a walking hut sporting a more modern choice of footwear — look at those sneakers! Whatever witch or wizard lives here certainly has taste. Perhaps they’re travelling long distances and don’t want their home getting sore feet. Either way, they’re certainly practically minded: The outhouse has been granted a pair of legs as well; I guess it means less plumbing to worry about. Even the mail box has walking appendages! This mobile home family is full of character, and with little context for the build we’re free to imagine our own fantastical story for them. Personally I like to think they’ve escaped from a Far Side comic strip – the whole scene is quite Larson-esque!
Way back in 1995 LEGO came out with the Model Team 5541 Blue Fury set and hot rodding enthusiasts were revved into high gear. It’s sort of like how normies are thrilled whenever a cool Star Wars or Batman set comes out. LEGO must have heard the roar of our engines because they released it again in 2004 and we once again lost our collective shiznit. Clearly BHBricks knows what I mean. They have crafted the Blue Fury II, a modern homage to the classic set. The front tires are from the new Vespa set. I’m loving the engine and the sick pipes, but then again I would. And you really can’t go wrong with that iconic blue and red.
If you’re loving Blue Fury II as much as I am, then check out what the other sick LEGO hot rodders have done, including a few pretty old offerings from yours truly.
This latest model by builder LEGO Monkey certainly provides some challenges moving level to level. Adorable, spindly castles are perched on floating islands connected by cascading waterfalls. The whole thing reminds me of a level from Kingdom Hearts 2 that I remember playing through back in 2006. Where’s Sora, Donald, and Goofy when you need them? While they’re out protecting the universe with Mickey, I hope you have Glide Lvl 3 unlocked for this tour of the castles’ grounds. Horns and minifigure accessories adorn a variety of light bluish grey elements to make delightful towers and halls which come to a cute, curved point. Angled and sloped pieces are used in dark bluish grey to create each of the floating islands, while different shades of green elements make up the lawns and foliage. Vines stretch between each block and blue flame elements are wedged together to make microscale waterfalls reaching down to the trans-blue and clear tiles of the sea below.
Honestly, I’m not sure how each of these islands is staying up but I love the results in this edited photo. Whatever spooky actions LEGO Monkey used to keep them in the air, I hope they can keep the magic going.
I love seeing castle-themed builds that are a bit different. Francis Wiemelt (Hubba Blooba) has built this charming residence for a mediaeval bard, and there are so many cool little details! The most striking aspect is the roof, which has a very satisfying colour gradient using various shades of purple. The walls are also nicely done, with a neat cross beam at one end of the house. Light aqua pieces are judiciously placed to stop the pristine white making the place look too nice. It is the middle ages, after all; this place looks like it would be found in a clearing on the edge of town, it’s probably not easy to get decorators out that far. There’s plenty of life around this little cottage, including the bard herself with cuffs on her sleeves using 1×1 round plates. Take a look down to the bottom left, though – the tree has mushrooms growing on the side, in this case, tiles held on by clips; and best of all, there’s a little snail down there as well!
Microscale LEGO sets like the skyline architecture series proved that you don’t need a lot of parts to capture great architectural details, and fans have been building miniature versions of their favorite sets over the years with amazing results. This miniature model of the LEGO house by aido k is a fantastic example. The terraced section in the back uses small wall panel parts set on their side, and a printed tile from the DOTS theme makes the perfect accent. Overall the model is instantly recognizable and a perfect replica of the official LEGO Architecture set.
