Lego Architecture
![]() | It has been suggested that this article be merged with List of Lego themes. (Discuss) Proposed since October 2012. |
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Sub‑themes | Landmark Series Architect Series Discovery Series |
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Subject | Buildings |
Availability | 2008–Present |
Total sets | 17 |
Official website |
Lego Architecture is a sub-brand and product range of the Lego construction toy, which aims to “celebrate the past, present and future of architecture through the Lego Brick”.[1] The brand includes a series of Lego sets designed by ‘Architectural Artist’ Adam Reed Tucker, and each contain the pieces and instructions to build a model of a famous architectural building in micro-scale.
Development
Adam Reed Tucker earned a degree in Architecture at Kansas State University in 1996.[2] Whilst there, he sought a method to join his two passions of art and architecture, and hit upon the idea of using Lego bricks. From this, he founded Brickstructures, Inc., and began to design and build models of famous landmarks. His work was noticed by the Lego Group, and together they formed a partnership to release some of his models as commercially available Lego sets under the Lego Architecture brand.
Sets
By the beginning of 2010, six sets had been released in the range, under two ‘series’. Within the 'Landmark Series' are models of the Willis Tower (21000), John Hancock Center (21001), the Empire State Building (21002), and the Seattle Space Needle (21003). Within the 'Architect Series' are models of the Guggenheim Museum (21004) and Fallingwater (21005).
In the beginning of July 2010, a seventh set, the White House (21006), was released. An eighth set (21007) was released in November 2010: New York’s Rockefeller Center. The ninth set (21009), Farnsworth House (Plano, Illinois), was released in April 2011. A tenth set (21008), The Burj Khalifa, was released in June 2011. An eleventh and twelfth set, the Robie House (21010) and the Brandenburg Gate (21011) were released in September 2011.[3][4]
In January 2012, it was announced that the next Architecture set would be 21012 Sydney Opera House. The set was released in March 2012.
In June 2012, the Big Ben (21013) was released. In July 2012, The Namdaemun Gate (Renamed Sungnyemun Gate (21016) was released. In September 2012, the Villa Savoye (21014) was released. The Eames House (21015) was scheduled and then canceled, as it never came out as a set.
In June 2013, The Leaning Tower of Pisa (21015) was announced for the Lego Architecture series. Its set number (21015) replaced the original Eames House after it was canceled. United Nations Headquarters (21018) then came out in the Lego Architecture series. In October 2013, the next architecture set, Marina Bay Sands was announced. Also, in October 2013, the Eiffel Tower was announced.
Impact
The product range has been reviewed favourably by many commentators. Journalist Jenny Williams said "The scale on these kits is pretty small, though, so don’t expect exquisite detail. But creating with Lego bricks is quite a fun way to pay homage to great architects".[18]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
References
- ^ "About Lego Architecture". Lego Group. Retrieved 29 December 2009.[dead link]
- ^ "Brickstructures". Retrieved 29 December 2009.
- ^ Official Announcement: 21010 Robie House, 13 July 2011
- ^ Sarah Firsheinn (8 August 2011), Lego to Eternalize the Brandenburg Gate in Architecture Series, Curbed Network
- ^ "Sears Tower now named Willis Tower". CNN. July 16, 2009
- ^ "Release of two Frank Lloyd Wright Collection sets from LEGO Architecture". Lego.com. May 9, 2009
- ^ "Release of two Frank Lloyd Wright Collection sets from LEGO Architecture". Lego.com. May 9, 2009
- ^ "The world’s tallest building in LEGO® bricks". Lego.com. May 25, 2011
- ^ "Modernist architectural icon immortalised in LEGO® bricks". Lego.com. April 4, 2011
- ^ "Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House Joins LEGO® Architecture series". Lego.com. September 19, 2011
- ^ "Sydney’s revered opera house immortalized in LEGO® bricks". Lego.com. February 21, 2012
- ^ "LEGO® Big Ben celebrates Victorian London’s greatest landmark". Lego.com. April 18, 2012
- ^ "Le Corbusier’s French masterpiece becomes a LEGO® Architecture model". Lego.com. August 31, 2012
- ^ "A Korean landmark recreated as LEGO® Architecture". Lego.com. May 14, 2012
- ^ "Revisit the Imperial Hotel with LEGO Architecture". Lego.com. March 1, 2013
- ^ ". BrickExtra. May 15, 2013
- ^ ". Brickset. June 29, 2013
- ^ Jenny Williams (23 May 2009). "Frank Lloyd Wright + Lego = Awesome". Geekdad. Wired.