Lego Architecture

Lego Architecture (stylized as LEGO Architecture) is a Lego theme, which aims to “celebrate the past, present and future of architecture through the Lego Brick”.[2] 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 or city skyline in micro-scale.

Lego Architecture
SubthemesLandmark series
Architect series
SubjectBuildings
Licensed fromThe Lego Group
Availability2008–present
Total sets66[1]
Official website

Development

Adam Reed Tucker earned a degree in architecture at Kansas State University in 1996.[3] While 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.

Architecture sets

According to Bricklink, The Lego Group has released 64 playsets as part of the Lego Architecture theme.[1]

Sets in the product line contain a premium booklet, that – besides the build instructions – also includes various information and pictures of the building itself.

By the beginning of 2009, six sets had been released in the range, under two 'series'. Within the 'Landmark Series' are models of the Sears Tower (21000), John Hancock Center (21001), the Empire State Building (21002), and the 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. The Willis Tower (21000) was also released in 2011, this kit was a re-issue of the original Sears Tower kit; the only change was the printed tile to reflect the building's renaming.

An eleventh and twelfth set, the Robie House (21010) and the Brandenburg Gate (21011) were released in September 2011.[4][5]

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, 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) and Glass House were scheduled and then canceled, as it never came out as a set. The company tried to add the Eames House in again with set number (21025), but nothing could be done to put it in production.

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) came out next. In October 2013, Marina Bay Sands and the Eiffel Tower were both announced.

SetSeriesNameLocationReleasedNumber of piecesRetiredImage
21000LandmarkSears Tower[6]United States Chicago2008692014
Willis Tower2011
21001LandmarkJohn Hancock CenterUnited States Chicago2008692012
21002LandmarkEmpire State BuildingUnited States New York City2009772015
21003LandmarkSeattle Space NeedleUnited States Seattle2009572016
21004ArchitectSolomon R. Guggenheim Museum[7]United States New York City20092082014
21005ArchitectFallingwater[7]United States Mill Run, Pennsylvania20098112015
21006ArchitectThe White HouseUnited States Washington, D.C.20105602017
21007ArchitectRockefeller CenterUnited States New York City20102402014
21008LandmarkBurj Khalifa[8]United Arab Emirates Dubai20112082014
21009ArchitectFarnsworth House[9]United States Plano, Illinois20115462015
21010ArchitectRobie House[10]United States Chicago20112,2762014
21011LandmarkBrandenburg GateGermany Berlin20113632016
21012ArchitectSydney Opera House[11]Australia Sydney20122702015
21013LandmarkBig Ben[12]United Kingdom London20123462017
21014ArchitectVilla Savoye[13]France Paris20126602016
21015LandmarkThe Leaning Tower of PisaItaly Pisa20133452016
21016LandmarkSungnyemun[14]South Korea Seoul20123252014
21017ArchitectImperial Hotel[15]Japan Tokyo20131,1882016
21018LandmarkUnited Nations Headquarters[16]United States New York City20135972016
21019LandmarkThe Eiffel Tower[17]France Paris20143212019
21020LandmarkTrevi Fountain[18]Italy Rome20147312017
21021 (limited edition)LandmarkMarina Bay SandsSingapore Singapore20146022016
21022LandmarkLincoln Memorial[19]United States Washington, D.C.20152742017
21023LandmarkFlatiron BuildingUnited States New York City20154712017
21024LandmarkLouvreFrance Paris20156952019
21026SkylineVeniceItaly Italy20162122018
21027SkylineBerlinGermany Germany20162892018
21028SkylineNew York CityUnited States United States2016598-
LEGO NYC 21028
21029LandmarkBuckingham PalaceUnited Kingdom London20167802019
21030LandmarkUnited States CapitolUnited States Washington, D.C.20161,0322020
21031LandmarkBurj KhalifaUnited Arab Emirates Dubai20163332018
LEGO Burj Khalifa 21031
21032SkylineSydney[20]Australia Australia20173612019
21033SkylineChicago[20]United States United States20174442019
21034SkylineLondon[20]United Kingdom United Kingdom2017468-
21035LandmarkSolomon R. Guggenheim MuseumUnited States New York City20177442019
21036LandmarkArc de TriompheFrance Paris20173862019
21037
(Lego House exclusive)
LandmarkLego HouseDenmark Billund, Denmark2017774-
21038SkylineLas VegasUnited States United States2018487Replaced[lower-alpha 1]
21039SkylineShanghaiChina China20185972021
21041LandmarkGreat Wall of ChinaChina China20185512020
21042LandmarkStatue of LibertyUnited States New York City20181,685-
21043SkylineSan FranciscoUnited States United States20195652021
21044SkylineParisFrance France2019649-
21045LandmarkTrafalgar SquareUnited Kingdom London20191,1972022
21046LandmarkEmpire State BuildingUnited States New York City20191,7672022
21047SkylineLas VegasUnited States United States20185012021
21050Studio[21]20131,2102019
21051SkylineTokyoJapan Japan20205472022
21052SkylineDubaiUnited Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates20207402022
21054LandmarkThe White HouseUnited States Washington, D.C.20201,483-
21055 (European markets only)LandmarkBurj KhalifaUnited Arab Emirates Dubai20193332022
21056LandmarkTaj MahalIndia Agra20212,022-
21057Skyline[22]SingaporeSingapore Singapore2022827-
21058Landmark[23]Great Pyramid of GizaEgypt Cairo20221,476-
21059TBATBATBA2023TBA-
21060Landmark[24]Himeji CastleJapan Himeji20232,125-
  1. Due to the 2017 Mandalay Bay hotel massacre, the Mandalay Bay was replaced by Bellagio and released as set #21047.
Special editions
SetNameLocationReleasedNumber of piecesComments
4000002LOM MouldingMexico Monterrey2011174Given to employees.
4000005KOM MouldingDenmark Billund, Denmark2012315Given to employees.
Kornmarken Factory is the first and largest LEGO moulding and production factory.
4000006Kladno CampusCzech Republic Kladno2012250Given to employees.
4000009HMV ProductionDenmark Billund, Denmark2013285Given to employees.
HMV is the name of the packing factory at LEGO Billund, which this set is based on.
4000010LEGO House[25]Denmark Billund, Denmark2014250Only sold in Billund.
Lego House opened in Billund in 2017.
4000011Nyíregyháza FactoryHungary Nyíregyháza2014327Given to employees.
Lego model of the Nyíregyháza Factory.
4000015LOM Moulding BMexico Monterrey2014215Given to employees.
Additional packing building, which expands the footprint of the existing facility.
4000016Billund AirportDenmark Billund, Denmark2014281Only sold at Billund Airport.
This set was made for the 50th anniversary of the Airport.
4000018Kladno CampusCzech Republic Kladno2015412Given to employees.
Kladno campus is the name of building C at the Czech Lego factory, which this set is based on.
4000023Jiaxing FactoryMainland China China2016407Given to employees.
Set of the Lego factory in Jiaxing, China.[26][27]
40199Billund AirportDenmark Billund, Denmark2018286Only sold at Billund Airport.
New edition from 4000016.
4000038LEGO CampusDenmark Billund, Denmark20221,494Given to employees.
Released to celebrate the grand opening of the LEGO Campus on April 5, 2022.

Impact

The product range has been reviewed favorably 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".[28]

A near-exact replica of set 21006, The White House, appears in the eight story arc of the Japanese manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, JoJolion, where it used by the villain character Poor Tom to activate his "stand" power, "Ozon Baby".[29][30][31]

References

  1. "About Lego Architecture". Lego Group. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  2. "Brickstructures". Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  3. Official Announcement: 21010 Robie House, 13 July 2011, archived from the original on 22 July 2011, retrieved 11 August 2011
  4. Sarah Firsheinn (8 August 2011), Lego to Eternalize the Brandenburg Gate in Architecture Series, Curbed Network, archived from the original on 2 October 2011, retrieved 11 August 2011
  5. "Sears Tower now named Willis Tower" Archived 2010-10-09 at the Wayback Machine. CNN. July 16, 2009
  6. "Release of two Frank Lloyd Wright Collection sets from LEGO Architecture" Archived 2014-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Lego.com. May 9, 2009
  7. "The world's tallest building in LEGO® bricks". Lego.com. May 25, 2011
  8. "Modernist architectural icon immortalised in LEGO® bricks" Archived 2012-04-22 at the Wayback Machine. Lego.com. April 4, 2011
  9. "Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House Joins LEGO® Architecture series" Archived 2012-04-22 at the Wayback Machine. Lego.com. September 19, 2011
  10. "Sydney's revered opera house immortalized in LEGO® bricks" Archived 2012-03-14 at the Wayback Machine. Lego.com. February 21, 2012
  11. "LEGO® Big Ben celebrates Victorian London's greatest landmark" Archived 2012-06-08 at the Wayback Machine. Lego.com. April 18, 2012
  12. "Le Corbusier's French masterpiece becomes a LEGO® Architecture model" Archived 2012-09-07 at the Wayback Machine. Lego.com. August 31, 2012
  13. "A Korean landmark recreated as LEGO® Architecture" Archived 2012-05-30 at the Wayback Machine. Lego.com. May 14, 2012
  14. "Revisit the Imperial Hotel with LEGO Architecture" Archived 2013-03-05 at the Wayback Machine. Lego.com. March 1, 2013
  15. " Archived 2014-11-02 at the Wayback Machine. BrickExtra. May 15, 2013
  16. Lego Architecture: Der Eiffelturm – das ist Spitze Ukonio.de 14 Oktober 2014
  17. BREAKING: Trevi-fontein wordt volgende Lego Architecture set Archived 2018-08-21 at the Wayback Machine Madpac.nl 13 January 2014
  18. Série LEGO® Architecture incluirá o Lincoln Memorial e o Edifício Flatiron Archdaily.com
  19. "Architecture | 2017". Retrieved 2016-09-11.
  20. " Archived 2013-12-03 at the Wayback Machine. Brickset. June 29, 2013
  21. "Soar into the Singapore skyline with LEGO Architecture". Brick Fanatics. 1 January 2022.
  22. "LEGO Architecture 21058 Great Pyramid of Giza officially revealed". Brick Fanatics. 10 May 2022.
  23. "21060 Himeji Castle revealed!". Brickset. 26 June 2023.
  24. Exclusive: 4000010 LEGO House Brickset.com 17 March 2014
  25. "Newsroom - About Us - LEGO.com". www.lego.com.
  26. Ruijter, Michiel de (28 November 2016). "Exclusieve LEGO 4000023 Jiaxing Factory set - Bouwsteentjes.info".
  27. Jenny Williams (23 May 2009). "Frank Lloyd Wright + Lego = Awesome". Geekdad. Wired.
  28. Araki, Hirohiko (2017). Escape from Mount Hanarero. Shueisha. ISBN 978-4-08-881443-8.
  29. Araki, Hirohiko (2018). North of the Higashikata Household. The Orchard. Shueisha. ISBN 978-4-08-881452-0.
  30. Araki, Hirohiko (2018). Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Wu Tomoki. Shueisha. ISBN 978-4-08-881596-1.
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