Tag Archives: Ayrlego

Storage wars in the 1700s

I’ve had a soft spot for white-washed buildings guarded by red- or blue-coated troops in tricorns and shakos ever since I got LEGO Pirates 6267 Lagoon Lock-Up for Christmas around 1991. This supply depot by Ayrlego tickles that nostalgia, while bringing it up to date with much more detailed building. My favorite part of this build, though, is that Ayrlego has figured out the perfect use for all those yellowed and dirty white bricks that are probably floating around in your collection. While they’re normally unsightly and probably relegated to the filler-brick bin (or worse), they’re on prominent display here and couldn’t look better as the weathered stucco on this colonial-inspired structure.

Supply Depot

A sky-high scientist’s sanctuary.

Look up into the sky and you might spot a man looking even further up into the sky. Herschel’s Observatory by Ayrlego is an academic’s retreat floating aloft in the clouds. It’s the perfect vantage point for stargazing. Ayrlego has done some really impressive building here. The texture of the roof is sublime. And I love the way the cobblestone gives way to vegetation, which in turn gives way to the stone that keeps them up in the sky. I’d love to see what kind of aircraft soars up to that dock.

Herschel's Observatory

An outpost from the past

This Pioneer Outpost by Ayrlego recycles the cabin from an earlier north-western themed build and a tower from an even earlier effort. Builders enhancing their earlier works is nothing new, but even recognizing the “seed builds” doesn’t diminish the achievement here. The cabin is now elevated well above the water line, fully integrated into a dense forest of greenery. Are those pink flamingos lawn ornaments or actual wildlife? Maybe one of each? But look beyond those pops of color and you can find great details like the vine on the roof – that looks like a cut up sprue from around the 3-leaf LEGO plant element. That’s some unusual part usage – and a great way to recycle.

Pioneer Outpost, Camp Isaac

Love immersive scenes like this? Check out our achieves for more vignette goodness!

When you want to build a Castle, but you only have pieces in white

Castles and knights are cool, but they are not the only ones who need impressive fortresses. What about grenadiers? These guys know a thing about pretty fortified buildings. Ayrlego and Evancelt Lego combine their love for historical-era creations to collaborate on a couple of sweet-looking military buildings. First, Arylego recreated the grenadiers’ parades outside their barracks in the Corlander settlement of Queenston. And it’s the massive corner tower that reminded me of the classic LEGO castles! In white, it looks stunning, bringing us to a very different place and era (compared to fantasy).

Grenadier Barracks, Queenston

Meanwhile, Evancelt Lego goes with a different layout for his armory but sticks to the distinctive architectural style of the barracks. It took me a moment to notice a totally unique design for trees: they fit so well, I nearly left them unnoticed. And, of course, the combination of various shades of yellow and orange on the walls is so good. The weathering effects bring these builds to a whole new level.

Armory, Queenston - Overview

Building and worldbuilding in Queenston

With the creation of the new settlement of Queenston, Ayrlego has begun to populate the site with all sorts of colonial LEGO constructions. The latest of these additions is the East Terran Trade Company office and warehouse, and boy does it look spiffy! First, there’s that palette heavy in tans, browns, and greens, which do so much in conveying the area’s affluence, resources, and even climate. Vegetation plays a key role here as well. With the unkempt wilds right next to the building, Queenston must still be coming together. Yet the climbing vines along the walls of the structure give the building age, showing that it was likely repurposed from some other intent. Finally, Ayrlego never skimps on the structural detailing, like the bare wood beams and that perfect ceramic roof. But the high point of the build for me has got to be the two-piece bell in the top of the white tower.

East Terran Trade Company, Queenston

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

Eyes right for an interesting Villa build

In this LEGO build,  Ayrlego takes us back in time with this Colonial scene of patrolling troops passing a white-washed villa. I enjoy learning from other people’s builds, and there’s some nice take-aways in the composition of this scene. We’re treated to some lush vegetation framing the building, and the palms are really well-executed, bookending the build. In addition to the palms, the undergrowth to the front and sides are great examples of adding fauna to any scene.

Campaign Planning, Port Woodhouse

There are some really nice touches to be found in the building itself too — some I’m sure to use myself in the future! I’m particularly fond of the aged white bricks used amongst the newer white pieces with other subtle details such as the white profile brick. The Micro Figure nestled into the wall, suggestive of a shrine, and the logs that serve to hold the upper level really elevate this whole scene. I think you’ll agree that Ayrlego has done his homework in constructing this one.

Visiting a Venice-like Vacation

LEGO builder Ayrlego has stunned us with this incredible Venitian-style vintage building and dock.

L'incontro sul Balcone

What’s not to like about this build? The windows caught my eyes first, as their simple design carries so much implied detail. It’s impressive that Ayrlego was able to replicate the window design not once, not twice, but seven times. Harder to spot is the stair railing, which is made up of cheese slopes and eyeglass pieces. So simple, yet the paired brick choice is flawless for how well it works here. I love the pattern of the rounded and square tiles scattered throughout the build as well.

Ayrlego has been featured on The Brother’s Brick several times before. Check out his builds here.

Send my mail to Stormhaven

In the tiny settlement of Stormhaven, there is a post office built on platforms that raise above mangrove flats on wooden stilts. It’s like the opening line to a really great pirate novel, isn’t it? That is the kind of adventure Ayrlego has in store for us with this charming LEGO creation. He alludes that there has been a pirate raid last year but you wouldn’t know it as the denizens here seem quite at peace. I love the textures of the roof and siding. The raised docks and aforementioned mangrove trees are both excellent touches. I want to live in this world for a little while, even if just to collect my mail at this amazing little post office. Fanciful historical architecture and incidentally more than a few post offices seems to be Ayrlego’s thing. Settle in to see what I mean in our archives.

Post Office, Stormhaven

A really cool tree next to a nice house

Yes, the building is a work of art but have you seen this incredible tree? LEGO builder Ayrlego shared a recent creation with us, the Villa. Plant life, thy name is beauty. Just look at that tree! It might take the cake as the most realistic LEGO deciduous tree I’ve ever seen. The vine work is also fantastic with the way it crawls across the roof. I also admire the small potted plants and the garden shrubbery. It’s all a testament to Ayrlego’s skill with bricks.

Villa, Terraversan Interior

Of course, where would this creation be without the villa itself? I mentioned that it’s a work of art because it truly is, incorporating styles from American Colonial to Spanish Mission. Though the lore behind Ayrlego’s creation is fantasy, one could easily see such a villa existing somewhere in the early days of North American settlement.

Mill with waterfall in a fictional LEGO world

We’ve covered the work of LEGO builder Ayrlego many times; Ayrlego has been developing vertical builds, some of which are connected to the fictional East Terran Trade Company (ETTC). The latest in this theme is focused around a guarded mill with a waterwheel inspired by Isaac Snyder. A lot of detail was put into the brickwork and vegetation, adding good visual interest to the tall scene.

The Crimson Mill, Westface

A well-seasoned guard tower

It’s that time of year again for some, particularly those who are already wishing it was autumn due to hot and humid weather. Well if you’re one of those people, you are sure to love Ayrlego’s model guard tower standing nice and tall in an autumn forest.

Autumn Watchtower

For the guard tower build itself, a number of brown and grey elements are utilized to render the stone and wood structure. Tiling is especially key to this build with the salmon-colored and tan tiles used at different elevations to render wood roof shingles. A couple of the old wavy flags in green and yellow are hung at the front of the building, denoting the city colors. This LEGO tower rests on an elevated brick-built terrain consisting of tan and olive green tiles, plates, and bricks instead of a baseplate. Of course, where there is a built structure, there should be some creatures around, and here we’ve got a couple of minifigures and the coveted LEGO goat hanging around the area. Lastly we have the brick-built trees displaying some crisp bright light orange tree branch elements. I can almost smell the autumn air through this build.