Tag Archives: space exploration

Exploring strange new worlds

The universe, much like LEGO, is full of possibilities for all sorts of amazing and mind-bending wonders. Bart De Dobbelaer captures this well in this alien landscape build. The strange new world is full of bright and bizarre plant life growing up wherever. Using bright pink and green pieces, the alien plants come to life and stand out against the white and greys prevalent in the build. Technic, Bionicle, and Hero Factory pieces give the large formations on the planet’s surface an otherworldly appearance, twisting and turning every which way. Who knows what other wonders these explorers will find on their adventures!

Exploration

And everything under the sun is in tune

Every once in a while we get a build that is out of this world. Not only because of techniques or parts usage, but because it is a work of art made with LEGO pieces. Ring-Rise by Tom Loftus (Inthert) is exactly that. A colourful painting. A cinematic shot with perfect framing. Just an astronaut and his cat, all alone on a monochrome alien world, looking out on the colourful rings of a planet. A simple idea, flawless execution.

Ring-Rise

Tom knew he wanted to incorporate the famous basalt columns of Iceland into a build. The Alien Landscape category of the yearly Space Jam contest was the perfect opportunity. Layering them in shades of grey (black to dark grey to light grey) give the impression of light coming in from the space-scape beyond. The planetary ring uses Simon Pickard’s intricate curving surface technique that few have mastered. Tom spiced it up by making it as colourful as he could, evoking the psychedelic hues of nebulae and other heavenly bodies.

Check out more builds by Tom here!

Microscale Tales of the Space Age in LEGO

Humanity didn’t make it to space all at once. Like a ladder to the stars, our journey to the moon and beyond took many small steps. Each necessary part of the adventure, the good and bad, helped our species step out into the cosmos. Celebrating this era of discovery, builder Jan Woznica brings us a series of builds that are truly works of art. Each model evokes elements of exploration underlining our adventures in our solar neighborhood. Clever parts usage and pleasing color gradients give each of these a satisfying appeal worthy of displaying. Let’s take a closer look while you debate which would look best in your office or home.

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That’s definitely no moon...

If you’ve seen portions of this LEGO space station by Tim Goddard, then it may be because we wrote about it back when it was just Platform 7. As minifig-kind continues exploring the vastness of space, so grows Tim’s elegant outpost. I like to think that the oil rig-like Platform 7 was just the start of an expansive exploration colony. Tim built a hexagonal landing pad as the second module of the space station, and I eagerly await the next sections.

Bringing it all together

Looking at the aesthetics of this sci-fi playground, it has the usual colour scheme of realistic space stations, but Tim makes it interesting with a masterful balance of smooth whites and grey greebles that only he can achieve. While it is different from the retro feel of most Classic Space builds, this station conveys a futuristic look. This is all thanks to the new torsos provided by recent Creator sets and collectible minifigures. After all, space exploration can only move forwards.

Complete structure

Be sure to check out more space-y stuff by Tim Goddard, and if you want a fun story to his Classic Space builds, he also wrote LEGO Space: Building the Future with fellow builder and LEGO IDEAS Exo Suit designer Pete Reid.

Tim, Pete, if you’re reading this, please write a sequel!
xoxo, Mansur “Waffles”

“Houston, this is Platform 7”

From a galaxy likely not too far away comes a creation from LEGO sci-fi building genius Tim Goddard.
Platform 7

This is incredible. The amount of detail here is off the charts! Just look at those stairwells (yes, the external stairs and the internal yellow stairs), the airlocks, the lines on the landing pad! But that antenna on top, that takes the cake. Clearly, it can send messages all the way from Pluto to Earth.

Also, is that the Death Star as a fuel tank?

Platform 7
You’ve done it again, Mr. Goddard. Keep up the great work!