Svelte Posted November 2, 2009 Modular Building - Department Store Before news of the rumoured 10211 Grand Emporium leaked last week, I'd been planning on making a modular building with a predominantly dark tan and dark brown colour scheme :wub: , inspired by the quite imposing Victorian department stores found in the Sydney central business district and the famous London Harrods. Having worked on this for a fortnight, I've finished the exterior, with a detailed interior yet to follow. It is built to the modular standard, although with an expanded footprint, and like 10182 Cafe Corner and 10185 Green Grocer splits into three distinct floors - more middle floors can be added. It was quite a challenge to construct a building in dark tan and dark brown with only the limited palette of bricks available in those colours, but I think I've done a good job of smoothing out the rough edges. I will be interested to see how the 'official' Grand Emporium measures up! Welcome to the Department Store - window-shopping is encouraged! It's a beautiful day to visit the Department Store! At ground level, the townsfolk are happily going about their business: This gentleman's puppy seems intrigued by the toy kitten featured in the window display: This rebellious-looking teen with angry green lippy is probably secretly posting fan-mail to a popular boy-band: A glamorous blonde and her spoiled son leave through the revolving front door, loaded up with the stores distinctive green-and-gold shopping bags. The doorman waves them goodbye - they must be regular customers! The lush potted succulents are indeed impressive: Hidden on the roof of the store is a private garden with water feature, for the exclusive use of the reclusive proprietor. It's invisible from the street! A side-view of the store: A close-up of the window detailing: A side view showing some of the back walls. Unlike the official modular buildings, the store isn't stepped in 8 studs at the rear. This will allow more room for decorating the interior but was also a practical necessity as building a recessed corner using the limited palette of dark brown bricks available (1x8, 1x12 and the 1x2 log brick) would have proved very fiddly: A full-view of the building, minus figs. Discerning eyes may note the small diamond tan tile motif is repeated on the sidewalk and up through the corner walls of the middle floors (it also appears on the roof): Without inverse slopes in dark tan, I used a SNOT technique and regular slopes to get the buttressed effect - I'm very pleased with how these turned out: As I said earlier, the whole modular building splits up like the official models. Here's the ground floor: A look from the rear towards the front, showing the revolving door and the interior colour scheme: The large 1x5x6 panels are removable so you can change the window mannequins around. Practical play-feature! The middle floor has a thread of dark red as a recurring wall motif: The top floor lightens to regular tan as it goes higher so the building isn't overwhelmingly dark (ie, I didn't make it this colour just because I ran out of dark tan ): The roof garden section detaches to allow easy access to the (yet-to-be-built) inside of the top floor: I hope you enjoyed looking at this creation - it was a lot of fun to build, and the job is really only half-done! As Christmas approaches, it will be fun to hang some lights on the exterior and have a store Santa wandering the streets. I do look forward to seeing how this shapes up next to the official 10211 Grand Emporium. Please share your thoughts below! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlueBard Posted November 2, 2009 Let me be the first saying: magnificent job! I really like all the accurated details you included like the windows mannequins, the door (this one is probably my favourite in the MOC ), the plants around the entrance and of course the private garden on the roof! BRAVO! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MetroiD Posted November 2, 2009 I'm totally in love with your great architectural solutions! Most of all, I enjoy the colour scheme - you've managed to make dark tan and brown actually look lively, which is a feat by itself! I love your revolving door too, I was planning on using that approach in some of our future modulars and it's good to know it works so nicely :) Overall, this is one of the most impressive Modular MOCs I've seen. Only nit-pick? I'm sort of missing a staircase... That aside, everything is brilliant and it would be absolutely lovely if the official Emporium lives up to this :) Nice challenge by the way! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Younge Posted November 2, 2009 Great job!!! I really appreciate that you did something that a lot of folks who build the modular MOC's don't do - make every floor a different color and design. If you look at the official sets, they are all this way, and so is yours, and I believe subconsciously that is why your MOC looks so good. Having not seen the official set (if it even exists) I can't see how it could look much different to yours. Again, well done mate!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Quarryman Posted November 2, 2009 Indeed a great job (too bad I'm busy at work, so I can't reply properly, have to return later to do that ) Just have one question that is too pressing: what did you use for the handles on the shopping bags? Did you cut up some antennas or bar 4L or something? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Posted November 2, 2009 (edited) Awesome modular building. The dark-tan and brown color combination works really well. The (dinosaur?) pieces being used as plants is really ingenious, the pot is nice as well. The diamond motif really popping up everywhere gives a sense of harmony to the whole structure. And the inclusion of the revolving door is certainly well-done (much better than TLG's airports). Shopping bags look really exclusive too. Are you considering making a full interior? One thing though: how do you get to higher floors and to the roof? Or is that the privilege of a rich Sheikh in his private helicopter? BTW: I had the same fate planned for the handful of fleshies in my town as your mannequins. Edited November 2, 2009 by Rick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gamer Posted November 2, 2009 Great MOC,I hope the oficial set wil be similar.I really like the colours you used for the building and for the shoping bags.Exelent . Gamer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
filip skywalker Posted November 2, 2009 (edited) Great MOC! But the important question remains, how does it look next to Café Corner and Geen Grocer? EDIT: Something clearly went wrong when I posted... Edited November 2, 2009 by filip skywalker Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simonwillems Posted November 2, 2009 A very beautiful building indeed! Together with Hinckleys theatre one of the best modulars I have seen up to this date. I like the idea of the removable walls of the showcases, it really increases play value... :thumbup: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wooootles Posted November 2, 2009 I like this one a lot. It looks very classy. That's a load of dark tan right there. What pieces are those above the revolving door? (the big white curvy things) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rapseflaps Posted November 2, 2009 It looks chocolatey. Hmmm.... chocolate.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Milan Posted November 2, 2009 I like when I see such a nice building. Details re awesome. Color is perfect. Extra nice MOC! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kris kelvin Posted November 2, 2009 One of the best modular buildings I`ve ever seen. Great job, especially this "flowers" near front door. Dark tan is one of the best lego colours ever Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Topsy Cret Posted November 2, 2009 Most impressive! I'd been wondering where you got that avatar photo from... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
badboytje88 Posted November 2, 2009 Wow that is a very very nice building! The only thing I don't like is the rippled neck of the little girl. It would look better with a scarf around the neck or a different torso. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tacitus Posted November 2, 2009 (edited) Love it! Quick question, where is the pink "dress" minifigure body from? I don't recognize it. Edited November 2, 2009 by Tacitus Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erdbeereis Posted November 2, 2009 That is simply outstanding Svelte. The design and colors are great. Did you get most of that dark tan from Bricklink? I don't have too much of it from sets... Your idea for plants in the front is ingenious. If you don't mind, I think I'll borrow it soon. You did a beautiful job on this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Cam Posted November 2, 2009 Wow, this is excellent. It looks like a LEGO original set for sure. I love the mannequins, that is such a good idea. This would look right at home next to the Cafe Corner, although it'd be a small block. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
-JD- Posted November 2, 2009 I thought this was the real deal! Stunning job! Even LEGO cannot live up to this! The idea for manakins is great, and the people look like the sort to venture round the shop. Excellent work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Posted November 2, 2009 Geez Svelte...this is a stunner!!! I love the color scheme and the plethora of details rocks my socks. Great work using SNOT to get the dark brown slopes inverted. Very original. The revolving door is a nice touch as is the pool/pond on the top floor. I think my favorite part though is the flowers that flank the main entrance. Not sure what elements those are or how you did it, but they look sharp! Great work here. You continue to amaze me. -Dave Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Svelte Posted November 2, 2009 Thanks for all your kind comments, guys! I won't reply to everyone, just the specific questions Overall, this is one of the most impressive Modular MOCs I've seen. Only nit-pick? I'm sort of missing a staircase... That aside, everything is brilliant and it would be absolutely lovely if the official Emporium lives up to this :) Nice challenge by the way! Thanks, Otter! The intention is to have staircases in the interior, and there are holes in the floors to allow this - you just can't see it yet. The rooftop garden was a late addition so I didn't allow roof access - however, for the moment I've sacrificed functionality for aesthetics as I didn't want a bare hole in the roof when I took the pics. I think it's the glinting gold accents that liven up the dark tan considerably - without them, it would look a lot darker. Just have one question that is too pressing: what did you use for the handles on the shopping bags? Did you cut up some antennas or bar 4L or something? Observant Quarry is observant! I had so many brown paddles left over from the Pirates set in the soft brown plastic which is easy to cut, so I just trimmed a few to 3L. Sadly no crystalline trans-clear corner pieces or green palm trunk pieces feature in this MOC And the inclusion of the revolving door is certainly well-done (much better than TLG's airports). Shopping bags look really exclusive too. Are you considering making a full interior? Thanks for your comments, Rick! Hahaha, everyone hates that Airport set but the door design is a direct steal from it! I even had to go and dig out the set to get the large smooth disc to use as the floor piece What pieces are those above the revolving door? (the big white curvy things) The white pieces are from the Mars Mission set 7645 Crystal Reaper (the digger pieces). I had been wanting to use these as canopy pieces for a while. I also wanted a proper curve to the canopy rather than a brick-built effect. It took a bit of fiddling but I'm quite pleased by the result. Wow that is a very very nice building! The only thing I don't like is the rippled neck of the little girl. It would look better with a scarf around the neck or a different torso. It's a designer jacket, OK? High fashion! I actually like it as is Quick question, where is the pink "dress" minifigure body from? I don't recognize it. The Speed Racers Grand Prix set - a great one for fleshy minifig parts! Your idea for plants in the front is ingenious. If you don't mind, I think I'll borrow it soon. Thanks Erds! I was pretty happy with the design for the pot plants - like the best Lego techniques, it's very simple - the Technic pins from the tail pieces plug straight into the holes in the pot I'd been wanting to use the sand green tails for plant pieces for a while, and I think they look perfect here. The dark tan was mainly from Bricklink, yes. I did a big order a few months ago of dark tan and dark brown so this was a great way to use it up. I think my favorite part though is the flowers that flank the main entrance. Not sure what elements those are or how you did it, but they look sharp! Thanks Dave! The pot plants are just this: with 6 of these plugged in: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Commodore Hornbricker Posted November 2, 2009 Amazing department store! I would buy that if Lego was selling it. Great parts and great colors. You came up with an outstanding design inside and out. Lots of great details without making it look too busy. Very classy. The entrance is just amazing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Posted November 2, 2009 Thanks Dave! The pot plants are just this: with 6 of these plugged in: Now that I see the picture of the 'pot': you could even fix them to the pavement by using using the center hole of the pot on one of those 2 x 2 tiles with a technic pin on top, which should then replace one of the pavement tiles. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JCC1004 Posted November 2, 2009 (edited) Really nice job Svelte! It looks nice with the dark tan bricks. You incorporated some really unusual parts into the building. That definitely adds great detail. The sides of the building are very detailed including the 1X1 tiles. The figures are very nice as will even though you're showing off your rare fig parts. This is one of your best MOCs. Well done! Edited November 2, 2009 by JCC1004 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
andy0002 Posted November 2, 2009 whitefang didnt trick me! i knew immediately LEGO wouldnt use peaches in a city set, although the nice use of minifigs would convince my purchase! i can also see why your a licensed regulator, because theres pieces from so many different licensed themes in there! nice work! this building looks great! --and very much like the picture we saw earlier! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
