Tag Archives: City

This builder prefers to do his own Stuntz

This wacky LEGO cottage built by Thomas Jenkins takes inspiration from an unlikely source. The City Stuntz sets have been entirely passed over by me but in looking over the neat build techniques used in this whimsical cabin, I may have to rethink that short-sighted strategy. He’s used the motorcycle ramps to shape the roof. What a neat use that part! I prefer to leave stunts (or stuntz) to the pros. Why the first time I try skateboarding I’m liable to credit card my gooch or land a gnarly face plant and, at my age, I ain’t about to get in on all that drama. But if you’re braver than I am, then check out our totally dope Stuntz archives.

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A churning river of LEGO influences

Do you know what I love? LEGO builds with a real atmosphere. Builds a bit like Markus Ronge‘s here, in fact. There’s loads of action and dynamism conveyed through the bricks. The trans-clear rods used for streaks of rain combine with the curved slopes of the churning river to make it very clear we’re in the middle of a big old rainstorm. Possibly in a city like Paris in the early 20th century, if I had to guess. Stylistically it reminds me of a combination of anime and Franco-Belgian bande dessinee comics, framed in a very Wes Anderson way. The rat riding out of the sewers even reminds of Ratatouille a bit. There’s something for everyone here!

A cyberpunk sequel that doesn’t disappoint

Sebastian Bachórzewski previously wowed us with a one block stretch from a cyberpunk city, and now there’s more of the city to explore. The distinctive signage and railing over the street helps keep continuity between the two builds, but this section has a personality all its own. The high-rise hotel makes excellent use of some turntables for texture along the sides, while the street market area is loaded with grungy greebling and terrific techno-bits. We can almost hear the hum of the electricity running through the place.

Hooked on minifigure-scale cranes

Hot on the heels of my Mammoet mobile crane, I decided to build another minifigure-scale crane. This time it is a truck-based crane: a Liebherr LTF 1060.

Unlike the Mammoet crane, this one uses a commercial truck chassis built by Scania. This type of cranes typically has better on-road mobility than those that use dedicated chassis. I primarily liked it because it was different and, when I found a yellow one operated by the Dutch company “Kuiphuis” pulling a trailer with accessories, I was hooked.

LEGO’s long history and the quality of the elements mean that there is a vast collection of parts suitable for this type of build. For instance, among the real crane’s accessories are a crane crab and a concrete bucket. And LEGO made a crane grab in yellow. And there is a suitable handle for the bucket, in yellow too. These parts are thirty and twenty years old, respectively.

Every construction job needs a set of these

Even LEGO construction workers need a portable toilet and a trailer for a temporary office while on a job site. Coming from builder Ralph Savelsberg, these two items are no doubt appreciated by the construction worker minifigures, despite their moods. The portable toilet features the ever lovely orange LEGO pieces for that classic look–just don’t be inside it when it comes time to move it…. The trailer itself is small, but there’s enough room inside to have a coffee break away from the elements. There’s a cute little window with shutters to watch the site and a nice step-up so no one has to jump in or out. To keep the trailer steady, since it’s only on two wheels, there are four supports. Between the two items, the color choices are spot on and the designs are keen.

2022 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 24

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Yes, it’s the holiday season, but it’s also the return of our annual LEGO advent calendar extravaganza. We’ll be opening our calendar windows every day in the run-up to Christmas. Our team will also share their thoughts, comments, observations and jokes about each day’s builds!

We have five advent calendars this year, across the City, Friends, Star Wars, Marvel (specifically Guardians of the Galaxy) and Harry Potter themes. It’s Christmas Eve, which means we’ve reached the last of our daily builds! Read on to see what our team makes of this last hurrah, and the calendars as a whole…

Click through the jump to see today’s builds!

2022 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 23

We have five advent calendars this year, across the City, Friends, Star Wars, Marvel (specifically Guardians of the Galaxy), and Harry Potter themes. This is the penultimate day, Christmas Eve’s Eve! Let’s get right into it and see what’s hiding behind the doors of day 23, shall we?

Click through the jump to see today’s builds!

2022 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 22

We have five advent calendars this year, across the City, Friends, Star Wars, Marvel (specifically Guardians of the Galaxy) and Harry Potter themes. Let’s get right into it and see what’s hiding behind the doors of day 22, shall we?

Click through the jump to see today’s builds!

2022 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 21

We have five advent calendars this year, across the City, Friends, Star Wars, Marvel (specifically Guardians of the Galaxy), and Harry Potter themes. Let’s get right into it and see what’s hiding behind the doors of day 21, shall we?

Click through the jump to see today’s builds!