Tag Archives: Architecture

LEGO provides the perfect medium for recreating the buildings and landmarks of the world — LEGO has even released a line of official LEGO Architecture sets. Check out our coverage of the official sets, and don’t miss all the gorgeous architectural models created by LEGO fans from around the world.

This one isn’t quite on the level

In spring 2010 the Danish architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) received a commission to bring “a new residential typology” to Manhattan. They delivered 35 stories of twisty goodness in VIA 57 West. The tetrahedral shape is a pretty far cry from a typical blocky facade you might expect to see.

Builder Nicolas Carlier rendered this unique shape in LEGO, and did a solid job of not being constrained by typical building styles. Long runs of plate ascend at unexpected angles, propped up by tiles and cheese wedges. The interior’s plaza makes good use of modified 1×1 round plate and 1×1 cones to fill out the greenery.

VIA 57 WEST

Just like the real building, this model has a very different feeling when viewed from the other side. Even in LEGO form, you still get a good feel for how the residential needs of the building are being met. A beautiful building still needs to be functional, after all.

VIA 57 WEST

Live the Parisian life on the Boulevard des Lumières

It’s always a beautiful day on the Boulevard des Lumières, an extremely impressive first time LEGO build by LepraLegoMocs. The builder was influenced by the Haussmann style of architecture which can be see in many parts of Paris and exemplifies what many of us think of as the “Parisian Style”. The angled corners of the building creates an elegant feeling and make for a beautiful roof shape featuring dormer windows. I really love the window treatments which are simple but very effective with repetition. The use of white and brown on the lower floor creates a nice contrast and keeps the whole building from being one big expanse of tan. The addition of the rounded poster display on the corner really adds to the Parisian flavor of the entire piece.

Boulevard des Lumières

Keep reading to see the detailed interior

TBB cover photo for February 2020: Taking in the sights

From the incredible detail to the creative forced perspective execution, this build from collaborative team Grant Davis, Eli Willsea, and Micah Beideman, does not disappoint. With every glance, you’ll notice something new (oooh, look at that AC unit and that awning made of 1×1 cones), which is one of the many reasons we chose it for our February cover photo. Read our original article to see how this trio used LEGO to bring a painting to life.

The Painted City

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Check out this incredibly huge and detailed LEGO diorama of the Eternal City, Rome

It is rare for a LEGO build to make my jaw drop and leave me drooling on my keyboard, but that is just what this stunning layout of Imperial Rome by Rocco Buttliere did. I have a Master’s degree in Classics, primarily in the Latin language, and so anything and everything Roman is right up my via, but there is a lot of great information to learn in the descriptions of the photos, even for one with an advanced degree in a tangential field. In fact, I could spend hours looking through all the pictures, and have already spent the better part of one skimming through the descriptions. It is fascinating stuff. And the build! It is huge, about 1×2 meters in size, with 66,000 bricks going into its construction. And not one is wasted or superfluous. So let’s take a brief tour of the Eternal City, shall we?

SPQR - Imperial Rome

See more of this masterpiece of LEGO architecture

Meet me down by the shipyard for some good old antifouling!

Having spent a few years at sea, KMBricklab has stirred my olfactory bulb and amygdala with this shipyard diorama. Those are the two parts of the brain responsible for nostalgia, and mine are tingling something fierce with memories of briny air, seagulls squalling, and a quick welder’s spark. Dry dock is the only time to see a vessel in it’s full glory and often it can seem both mighty and vulnerable. This old fishing cutter is getting some much needed antifouling of its hull.

4

Click to see more of this detailed maritime scene.

Notre Dame before the fire.

I was recently challenged to recreate Notre Dame Cathedral in microscale and it sounded like a fun challenge. From the start, I knew I wanted to incorporate an Arkenstone and 2×2 Tie Fighter windscreen dish, so that gave me a specific scale. Then I looked online to see what others had done. From there, I just started test building different portions of the cathedral. Half an hour later, I came up with this. The idea to use droid arms as flying buttresses came from someone else’s build and I was impressed at how well they tie the whole thing together. I’m quite pleased with how it all came together so quickly, and especially proud of how well the Tie Fighter pieces work as rose windows, as well as the pentagonal jumper plates as arches.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

What goes on under the dome of The Apple Square Research Center?

Builder Pete Strege brings us an architectural marvel with his latest building, The Apple Square Research Center. Lately, I find myself enamored with architectural builds, and this one ranks amongst the best that I’ve seen. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time looking at it and still find new things to be inspired by.

There are many standouts to this model but the overall shape, color scheme, and that gorgeous dome are the aspects that leap out first. The triangular shape of the building itself is a difficult task but the builder meets the challenge admirably. The arched window above the door is beautiful and shows another example of mastery over complicated shapes. The color scheme is rich and detailed, utilizing a limited palette to create a cohesive look without devolving into a mess. The combination of the various brown tones on the building with the dark red and gold accents really shows off the beautiful earth blue and black roof.

Read on to see more about the incredible dome

Your guide to 153 new LEGO sets now available for 2020, including City, Technic, Star Wars, Architecture and more [News]

2020 has arrived and the floodgates of LEGO have opened with 153 new sets available today. Fans of Star Wars, Technic, Ninjago, City, Architecture, Creator 3-in-1 and even the new Trolls product line have a lot to choose from. The new modular Bookstore is available today as is a new white baseplate. Nearly every LEGO theme has some new sets–it can be a lot to process!– so we have your complete guide right here detailing each and every new set and item.

Some regions have seen these sets on shelves already, but now they are all available online. There are a few sets that really stand out to us, and you can see the complete list of all 153 sets and items after the jump.

See the entire January 2020 wave of new LEGO sets now available

This huge LEGO microscale city continues to grow

When we last checked in with Christophe Pujaletplaa almost a year ago, he’d just finished adding roads to the microscale LEGO city he calls Microville. It’s now grown to more than 11 meters squared, or close to 100 large 48×48-stud baseplates and gained a waterfront.

Microville 2020 - vue d'ensemble

Christophe has been continuously working on the city since 2010, slowly adding more streets with detailed buildings, along with the occasional larger upgrade. The waterfront section adds new beach real estate and an industrial port next to the airport. Continue reading →

LEGO Architecture 21051 Tokyo skyline takes us to Tokyo Tower, Shibuya, Mt. Fuji, and more [Review]

It’s not often that a LEGO set transports me back home. But regular readers of The Brothers Brick know that I was born in Tokyo and lived in Japan until I was a teenager, so I was incredibly excited when LEGO announced 21050 Tokyo. I’ve enjoyed each of the previous LEGO Architecture skyline sets I’ve built, but how does this one stack up for someone who calls Tokyo their hometown?

Tokyo was revealed as part of the LEGO Architecture skyline series for 2020, alongside 21052 Dubai. Tokyo is built from 547 pieces and will retail for $59.99 USD | $79.99 CAD | £59.99 GBP. Both sets will be available starting January 1st.

Read our hands-on review of LEGO Architecture 21051 Tokyo skyline

When was the last time you danced?

The new Creator modular comes out January first and, while this is exciting news, the general consensus is that it is rather plain. That would not have been said if this creation by Joshua were the new modular instead. This Dancing Modular is part Dancing House by Frank Gehry and Vlado Milunić, part Krzywy Domek and part funhouse mirror. The dizzying, sweeping windows juxtaposed against curving transparent balconies is a compelling sight to behold, and the garden roof terrace brings a bit of nature to what otherwise might be forboding architectural chaos.

Dancing Modular

The interior boasts some brightly lit, yet quaint, well-appointed spaces such as this one. Continue reading →

Hands-on with 21052 LEGO Architecture Dubai [Review]

The LEGO Architecture sets have recently taken us to London, Paris, Shanghai, and New York, amongst other famous world cities, but the latest places to receive the LEGO skyline treatment are Tokyo and Dubai. 21052 Dubai depicts five famous landmarks of the United Arab Emirates’ most populous city, contains 740 pieces, and will be available in January 2020. It will retail for US $59.99 | EU €59.99 | UK £54.99.

Join us as we take a detailed look at this new stop-off on LEGO Architecture’s world tour…

21052 LEGO Architecture Dubai Review

Read our full review of 21052 LEGO Architecture Dubai