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.

A charmed LEGO cottage

A quaint little stone cabin in the woods is overgrown with vines and flowers. Far from a creepy, stereotypical witch’s home, this project by builder Castor Troy, in collaboration with builder Max Brich, was focused on giving witches a better image. The creatures of the forest seem to love gathering around this witch’s delightful cottage. The builders sought after a more rehabilitated, benevolent witch, emphasizing the magical relationship with nature and their healing abilities, instead of reinforcing negative stereotypes. Wooden accents define the edges of the stonework wall using brown hinges and a little bit of LEGO geometry. Angled roofs snugly cover the home, as a cobbled chimney rises up next to a lovely A-frame roof as tall as the tree next door.

Witch House on Lego Ideas

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The two-horsepower Pig house

Internationally recognized director and creator Hayao Miyazaki has had an inspirational effect the world over through his work at Studio Ghibli. Builder Andrea Lattanzio has been open about how Miyazaki’s films and stories have influenced his own models in the past. His latest model is a tribute to the home Miyazaki had built near Studio Ghibli’s main building back in 1998.  Framed by brightly colored trees that contrast the grey and black tilework covering the building, Andrea shows off his architectural skills in yet another masterful model. Offset tiles help create an effect similar to the original wooden siding while fresh planks and posts in the deck, yet to become green with moss, provide a peaceful place for the famed director to contemplate life.

Hayao Miyazaki and his Nibariki (Citroën 2CV)

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Classical Prussian splendour, realised in Lego

Builder Christian Rau has recreated in LEGO the famous Sanssouci Palace in Germany.
Built to the style of the Architecture line, Christian has captured the opulent villa and its magnificent Gardens.  The terraced walkways are recreated well with a half stud offset allowing a shallower curve to the hedges and pathways. Atop the hill, we find the Sanssouci Palace. To capture the facade of the building at this scale, Christian has employed brackets to allow building in multiple directions which has allowed him to add the narrow yet grand windows.

Sanssouci - Potsdam

Moving to the Gardens at the foot of the build, Christian has captured the marble statues at this scale via two nipple pieces using the flower as a decorative flourish before we reach the pool of water with a trans blue candle flame utilised to add an impressive display without distracting from the magnificence of the Palace above.

I’m enjoying studying this build as the smallest detail is realised in LEGO form here, effortlessly looking the part.

LEGO Architecture 21058 Great Pyramid of Giza: draw back the sands of time [Review]

When a set review for an unknown Architecture set rumored only as “Monuments of the World” arrived last week, the “click” of other rumors falling into place was audible. Here is one monument of the world – specifically, the oldest and only largely intact of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid of Giza! This lovely diorama moves the time span covered by the Architecture series more than 2,000 years further into the past – The Great Wall of China is the only prior set within several millennia of it – and is also the first Architecture set to depict the same structure at different points in time. 21058 Great Pyramid of Giza has 1,476 pieces. It will retail for US $129.99 | CAN $169.99 | UK £124.99, and to be available June 1st in the UK and August 1st world wide. Read our hands-on review to learn more.

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Read our full, hands-on review

This outpost is in vogue

As we’ve seen in the past, Ayrlego knows how to throw together a pretty rad LEGO building. And this new Mokolei Outpost is no exception! But where their previous constructions typically show the wear of time, with nicks in the walls or peeling plaster, this tan and turquoise tower looks fresh and new. Of course, there’s the typical cobbled feel to the terrain. And the other wooden structures bear a weather-worn patina. But all of this comes in stark contrast to the crisp edges and detailed texture work on the outpost, with pristine lion-head sculptures and ornate patterns carved into each wall. It’s a design fit the chicest sheik.

Mokolei Outpost

Flamingos on the terrace

This creation by Noah really makes me want to go on a holiday. It reminds me of previous vacations to Spain, France, and Italy. Vacations where you would wake up by the sounds of the birds combined with the rays of the sun peaking through the curtains. Having breakfast on the terras while still having no plans for the rest of the day. That to me describes a perfect vacation day.

Summertime Terrace

Noah’s latest creation exudes that same vibe. They also display some creative part usage when it comes to the terras chairs and the balcony railing. I love how the floor beneath the terras has an angled wall and the way Noah managed to incorporate the curved window into that same angled wall. Also, have you spotted the insect curtain on the door?

Living room of an Iron Builder

It’s always such a joy following the Iron Builder‘s duels as each entry deserves careful attention. One of Joe‘s first builds was this lovely modern living room. His use of the red windscreen seed part is superb! It’s used to create a variety of objects including couch pillows, drapes, a hot air balloon, and a dress. The rest of the build proves why he is competing at this level. I especially like the glass coffee table in the center of the room! And don’t look too closely or you might just discover an odd portrait of Woody on that wall. Wish Joe well in his fight for the Iron Builder crown!

Modern Living Room

This Roman temple is straight fire!

Behold, the sacred fire of Vesta! So long as it burns, Rome’s safety and prosperity is assured. Builder Antonio Cerretti uses LEGO to show us how this temple may have looked in its prime. The Temple of Vesta once stood in the Roman Forum at the heart of the ancient city. Dedicated to Vesta — the Roman goddess of hearth, home, and family — it stood for many centuries until it was permanently dismantled in the mid-16th century. We know what it may have looked like from coins and artwork, and here Antonio gives us a marvelous recreation built from LEGO! The temple’s adornments strike with their vibrancy, reminding us that the ancient world was filled with color. Clipped together, barbs and cow horns make up the details on the capitals of the Corinthian columns. Further up, light grey minifigure handcuffs give definition to the blue frieze between the columns and roof. Peer through the open entrance to see the sacred fire, burning brightly to keep the darkness at bay.

Tempio di Vesta B

The temple’s interior showcases the sacred fire and more wonderful columns. Clever usage of croissants make up the capitals of what appear to be ionic columns set into the curved wall. Then, we have the eternal fire in the center of the enclosure! A light brick is cleverly buried beneath loose translucent LEGO studs, giving the fire its warm glow. Simple flame pieces stick out from the embers like the reaching arms of a healthy fire. Undoubtedly, this build gives us a splendid glimpse into an aspect of ancient Rome, grounding the past in the present.

Afrofuturistic sustainability is on the rise

Bright green foliage permeates this dynamic scene, cascading down to the produce stands set up in the square below a vibrant, sustainable stack of apartments. Builder Abe Fortier built this slice of life from an Afrofuturistic city that could fit anywhere in the world. Inspired by different elements of African architecture tied in with environmentally friendly urban planning, these apartments have a spark of individuality that lifts them above the greyscale of the typical city scene. Ladders and stairs provide access to the apartments (though I hope there’s an elevator somewhere, otherwise moving in would be a major pain). Couriers and cleaning drones stick to the street while the residents gather for groceries, enjoy the sights of the city from their balcony, or maybe even get some exercise on the rooftops. There is a lot to notice in this build but the most stand-out portion is the brick-built portrait featured on the wall. The sideways building techniques that Abe used to “paint” this picture are no easy feat, yet he managed to make quite the work of art all around.

The Hills || Futuristic Sustainable Apartment Complex

I’d love to see the rest of this city, or more like it, but hopefully, as time goes on we’ll get to see more real-world examples of the intersection between technology and the African Diaspora. Afrofuturism shouldn’t be treated like “another genre” but as a peek into what our world could one day become with a more equitable and equal society.

This is how the prose build

This modular LEGO bookstore from Lorddan413 is one I’d love to spend some time in! The unassuming storefront welcomes you in with the bright flower barrels and lit sconces. Once inside, the store expands and envelopes, not unlike a story at the opening of a book. The many windows give plenty of light for exploring the shelves full of books and knick-knacks. The books! Were this a shop I could visit, I’d be looking through each and every one of them. Lorddan413 creates the motley tomes by varying the use of plates, tiles, and slopes. The cat in the basement and the mouse hole it watches are a nice touch! In fact, the whole basement area is intriguing, what with the private stash of books and those bottles that seem rather scientific–or even magical. Maybe the shop owner dabbles in arcane physics? A mystery to explore with future visits. As if I needed an excuse to return to a bookstore!

8x32 Modular Bookstore

Intricate and mysterious LEGO cathedral

I am totally impressed by the architectural skills of Lego builder Hobo Sapien and his digital creation titled Cathedral of the Great Visage. This is a fictional cathedral but it’s actually a fairly accurate layout for an Early Gothic-era Cathedral. Who would have thought my art history would come in handy one day? So get ready: I am going to lay down some knowledge like a lintel on a post (sorry). First off, the silhouette of the building is pretty good. You have your giant rose window centered right above the front entrance. Beautiful! The buttresses are flying (as they should be). The designer used ingots and Microfigures in a clever way to recreate the archivolt over the main entrance. The peak at the top is a traditional-styled gable, but you don’t often see them filled with a wizard in handcuffs (though that is some cool creative license). 

Cathedral of the Great Visage

The interior is pretty neat too! Looking across the transept you have a nice view of the altar with the ambulatory wrapping around behind it. The Ionic—actually, I think they’re Corinthian—columns draw the eyes up to the vaulted ceilings. It is all lit by mysteriously glowing candles which provide this really mystical vibe. Man! LEGO bricks are cool.

Cathedral of the Great Visage

St. Basil’s Cathedral is bursting with colour

Koen Zwanenburg has built this incredible recreation of the iconic Russian cathedral. The dark orange with hints of teal are the most prominent colours in the structure, however, it is the spires that really draw in the eye. Each has its own unique colour scheme and design from jagged blocky shapes to smooth flowing textures. Koen has found inventive ways to represent the swirling patterns of the spires as green minifigure arms are even used in one of the peaks.

St. Basil’s Cathedral

Round the back of the display, horned tendrils portray more of the complex designs of the spires. After looking at the building for some time, the structure shares some similarities with gingerbread houses, mainly thanks to the white trim and vibrant colours used in this creation.

St. Basil’s Cathedral