Tag Archives: Modular

LEGO released 10182 Cafe Corner in 2007, setting a new standard for large-scale modular buildings. Since then, LEGO has continued to release new structures in the modular building series — 10190 Market Street, 10185 Green Grocer, 10197 Fire Brigade, 10211 Grand Emporium, 10218 Pet Shop, and 10224 Town Hall as of 2012. Meanwhile, LEGO fans have adopted the “Cafe Corner standard” and built hundreds and hundreds of beautiful buildings that fit with the official sets. See some of the best here on The Brothers Brick.

Cafe and pizza, Mediterranean-style, in a towering LEGO modular

Mediterranean architecture — like Mediterranean living — has a unique flavor to it, sun-kissed and rooted in tradition. Andrew Tate has captured a beautiful slice of it with his latest modular-style creation. While Andrew mentioned some of the really difficult connections (the SNOT shutters offset ever so slightly), so much of this building is very “normal” LEGO. Relax and take in those pleasing right angles! Even with new LEGO elements that come out every season, never underestimate the beautiful work that can be done with a standard LEGO brick. For an extra old-world touch, rather than use tiles for the sidewalk, Andrew uses the brick-embossed brick for the entire base…or as we call it in our house, the “brick-brick.”

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This LEGO market square makes up part of a massive modular medieval metropolis – with over 14,500 pieces!

The last couple of LEGO builds we’ve featured from Sandro Damiano have all been just small parts of a greater whole. Slowly but surely, Sandro is building up an enormous modular castle world. It’s a rapidly-growing settlement! This is already the 5th segment, and number 6 is apparently on its way too. What’s impressive – aside from the modularity – is how all the sections stand as great models in their own right. The latest addition is a medieval market village. This portion is well over 100 studs long! And that means there’s plenty to explore…

Click here to take a tour around the market!

Castles in a modular forest

We recently shared a round-up of LEGO castles by master mason Ben Hauger, but we turned around for a minute and not only did he make a few more castles, he changed the foundation. Yes, these two new castles have all the great features of his previous ones, but now, we get a modular base.

See more of Ben’s latest castle

“Top 5 LEGO record stores in the modular style, go.”

Dana (virginia_bricks) is best known as the co-host of #MosaicsOnMondays on Instagram, but for this build, she breaks free from the frame with a charming record shop modular. Built as a corner unit for her LUG’s collaboration at the upcoming Brickfair Virginia, the building captures American Main Street charm with an exposed brick apartment over a brightly painted storefront. The shop could just as easily be a beloved institution going back decades or a part of a modern downtown revival. My favorite details are the awning, which cleverly evokes a keyboard, and the subtle facade texture under the window. And of course, any old brick building becomes infinitely more cozy with dense flowering vines climbing up the side!

The music shop windows look even more inviting at night with custom lighting setting it aglow.

DeRa celebrates Kitano Ijinkan-gai landmark Weathercock House with LEGO modular masterpiece

Japanese builder DeRa has created some of the most spectacular MOCs of recent years, such as this entrancing LEGO tiger and brick-built Godzilla. But while mecha and monsters have been the builder’s calling card, DeRa’s academic focus as a university student is architecture. For their latest build, DeRa brings an AFOL’s perspective to the iconic Weathercock House from Kobe Japan’s Kitano Ijinkan-gai, a neighborhood where foreign residents created magnificent manors of Western design in the early 20th century.

Sticking to LEGO modular conventions, DeRa builds atop a 32×32 and 16×32 stud plate while allowing between 4-6 studs for sidewalk space. This pushes the build into stylized space, with both exterior and interior designed around minifig scale. But DeRa’s design holds another secret.

Like an ornate puzzle box, this modular slides apart into 12 separate modules!

Read on for details on the build process and pictures of the interior

Jen Feeny: On building community and bringing Pink City to life [Interview]

For builders of LEGO habitats, Jen Feeny is a familiar and beloved face. The Halloween Habitat challenges and other themed events she hosts throughout the year have become pillars of the online LEGO community that came together during the pandemic to connect with others through bricks. As an organizer with WMLUG, Jen’s latest project is a large-scale collaboration called Pink City that combines modulars, minidolls, whimsy, and a whole lot of pink bricks! We checked in with Jen to learn more about her journey and this latest delightful project.

Our interview with Jen and pics of Pink City come after the fold

MOCs of the LEGO Masters: Finding joy in friendship and colors

Have you ever tried following the instructions for an iconic LEGO set, only subbing in colors from your own collection? It’s a fun way to experience an iconic build while expressing your own artistic voice (and thanks to LEGO making instructions free to download, you can save money too!) That’s just what Marcella did with this alternate take on the Birch Books modular apartment unit. Marcella’s bright colors bring a funky San Francisco vibe and pair perfectly with the new artist resident. Marcella and her best friend Krista are bringing that free spirit to the new season of LEGO Masters. Best of luck, you two!

This is part of our series on MOCs of the Masters where we preview the work of the newest batch of LEGO Master contestants. Have a look at creations from other builders in the lineup.

This general store is an admirable build

Builder Andrew Tate has a knack for capturing bygone eras in brick form. His latest creation is an early 20th-century building housing a first-floor general store with apartments above. The structure is assembled in various shades of brown, with a few pops of muted greens in both the architecture and the well-manicured plant life, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that has us wondering if there are any vacancies.

The interior is just as charming with goods and sundries to meet all your household needs. Inside, as out, Andrew’s build feels of a kind to official LEGO modulars, while smoothing away nearly every stud.

The Botanical Garden gets a modular makeover with charm to spare

LEGO releases one new modular set a year, but every so often there’s a set that is modular-adjacent that fans of the line wish could better integrate with their collection. The Chinese New Year restaurant, French Cafe, and especially 2023’s lovely Friends Botanical Garden (which predated the minifig scale Botanical Garden which is even more modular-adjacent). Modular builder Melanie found a solution to integrate the Friends garden into her city by turning the conservatory a two-story corner unit using a design by MingBrick. I adore the park bench and cherry blossom tree at the base of the stairs adding a parklet at street level that fits perfectly with the sidewalk aesthetic of other modulars.

Modular Market Street gets a marvelous Art Nouveau makeover

10190 Market Street is the black sheep of LEGO modulars. Part of the pre-Ideas “Factory” line, the set lacked the innovative techniques and attention to detail of its predecessor, Cafe Corner, and subsequent modulars, but it’s a significant part of LEGO’s evolving relationship with fan creations. Marcin Dski revisits the 18-year-old set with an update that reflects the colors and intent of the original while bringing in the advanced techniques of newer modulars like 10350 Tudor Corner. Marcin leans on Art Nouveau as an architectural influence, using arches and SNOT techniques for the round entrances. The market gets an impressive upgrade with added glass paneling replacing the original open air. Even the minifigs mix sees a glow up, including a fellow with a peg leg and hook who might have wandered in from one of Marcin’s other modulars.

Speaking of LEGO’s unique relationship with fan builds, in 2026 Marcin joins the esteemed list of creators joining the Bricklink Creator program with Adventure in Transylvania. Congratulations on an amazing 2024!

Pumpkin spice lattes are the only things steaming in this town

It may be winter where you are, but in the Imperial City of Ids de Jong‘s imagination, fall is still in the air. Ids LEGO scene captures a slice of steampunk life as the leaves turn. The steam-powered mulcher is a nice touch, showing how newfangled technologies are good for more than airships and gyrocars! I’m a huge fan of the steampunk accents on the brick buildings, like those rickety drainpipes, the corrugated metal bay window, and the chunky metal tubes for piping in steam.

Ids built this service station for the annual Wandering Skies competition in the Seasonal Bliss category.

Czech out this Art Nouveau modular of a Prague landmark

Few cities can compete with Prague in architectural beauty, where medieval apothecaries stand alongside gothic towers and modernist marvels. Czech builder poMOCník & dirigent found inspiration in the Prague Municipal Insurance Company building, turning it into a lovely LEGO modular. The building was constructed between 1899-1910 as part of the Art Nouveau and Neo-Baroque movements and features ornate arches, statues, and a colorful mosaic, all of which are captured here in brick. Bionicle and Robo Rider elements in “brick yellow” (better known as tan) are a clever solution for the organic curves of Art Nouveau. I especially like the gold and green used to create the patinaed gate on the ground floor.