MODs: Enlarged Grand Emporium and Fire Brigade

[cimddwc]

B-OM-17D & B-PM-01E

Just a quick presentation of my take on enlarged official modulars, after you could already see the (simple) taller Green Grocer next to my Emerald House.

Here's my revised "Great Grand Emporium" and the Fire Brigade with a second upper floor; next to them a sneak preview of MOCs to follow (and the aforementioned houses on the right)...

That's the old "Great Grand Emporium" that I had built 2 years ago:

Now I was wandering how I should add another floor: Just add an identical one? Might be boring. Add one of the same size on top of the ledge? Or add a recessed floor? I chose the latter.

Also note that I removed the small section on the left because I needed to save some space in that direction.

The recessed top floor leaves space for a nice café and a small outdoor presentation (tent and backpacks) on the left. The top corner decoration was inspired by this photo GRogall posted here; I originally thought about a simple flat top.

One floor below, there's the Lego section and a little repair shop in the corner:

Down to the second floor – virtually unchanged from the 2010 GGE, though I shifted the escalators to the right:

Ground floor: Also the same as before, only added an Alien Conquest brain sucker mask. (Wondering if that's a real one after all... beware of the aliens! They even have trains now!! ;) )

And finally the Fire Brigade's extra floor – not completely identical to the original, but with a little balcony where we see a fireman who just woke up, ready to start his shift:

Inside: Shower and toilet on the left, beds (one used, one unused), and a few lockers in the wall in between (not really visible from this angle):

[lightningtiger]

I the modifications to the GE, finally up and down escalators - AWESOME - also the Death Star model in the toy department - a huge for that one.

The fire house expansion is nice too.

Keep up the AWESOME redesigning there 'cimddwc' and Brick On !

[Cunctator]

Very good mods!

The fire brigade with an additional floor looks really good

I remember your huge project, if the buildings will be this size your layout will be really wonderful

And that butcher’s shop with that nice plate’s work looks really promising…

[The Joker1]

Wow now those really are huge. And I thought the originals were big.

[The Blue Brick]

These are wonderful MODS. I can't wait to see what they look like with your snot roads.

[Miller]

These are wonderful MODS. I can't wait to see what they look like with your snot roads.

Wunderbar! I love the top floor of the great grand emporium, makes me feel a little jealous with my standard G E :D

[Redhead1982]

I love what you did to both GE and FB. Changes in GE are fantastic, the terrace on the top with the cafe is amazing and has a great view of the town. On the other hand, FB has an additional value with a sleeping/resting area and a bathroom and could be a real floor in the official set. Amazing altogether. Well done!

[wooootles]

I especially just love what you did to GE.

That top floor design is boss

[Ecclesiastes]

Great job on the GE, looks like a real warehouse!

[Vindicare]

Wow, that is a brilliant GE. I love how you kept it a corner building, but completely reworked the shape. The addition on the roof also is a great idea. You really have great building skill. I eagerly await your next two buildings. I spy a butcher.

[L@go]

Hops? :)

I love what you're doing with your modulars. The top floor/roof solution for the GE is fabulous, and I've always felt that it was a bit unfair that the FB only had two floors when all the other modulars have three. So, top notch work! And that butcher's shop / police station (nice combo) does indeed look very promising.

[ER0L]

A great "Great Grand Emporium"! I especially like the café (and its name "Hops", of course, although I don't get the reference).

Fantastic work, as usual, I like it a lot.

[Dakar A]

Great mods Cimddwic! I really like the recession=balcony on top of the Grand Grand emporium! The chaachter of the waking Fireman is great as well. As a matter of fact, both are great! I don't think my collection could handle modifications of that scale.

Beautiful, and you might see this on a certiant blog in a few days...

Dakar

[Andy D]

I really like what you did to the GE!

The roof top cafe is great! The up and down escalators are great!

I really like what you did to the streetside entrance and the floors above it.

Is it an open atrium all the way up?

Andy D

[cimddwc]

Thanks, everyone!

Why "Hops"? I just thought it's odd to have a shop sign just say "shop", so I changed the letters around to say something that could be the owner's name; you can't really buy hops there. :) (I did actually try to brick-build something that looks like a hops seed cone for the corner top decoration, but couldn't find a solution. Pity, since I could have called that a hint to where I'm living: in the Hallertau, Germany's big hop production region...)

[SeanM]

Nice GE. I really like the roof top cafe.

[Johan the Yellowhead]

I really like what you did with the GE. It makes me think instantly about a certain warehouse here in the Netherlands where I often go for lunch. It looks exactly like this. A smaller floor as upper-floor where one has the opportunity to sit outside and have a look over the city! Magic!

[Vincent Kessels]

The enlarged Grand Emporium (old and new enlargement) looks great. The new recessed top floor looks very good. The stonework on the roof floor corner is a great detail. The central entrance with the row of windows and the green dome on top is brilliant.

I really like what you did. You didn't just add an additional floor, but you've taken the original model and taken it to the next (larger) level.

[Solscud007]

I hope you dont mind me copying your idea? Did this MOD use two Grand Emporiums?

I'm looking at getting a second one today for a great price and I hope to MOD my exisiting Grand Emporium like yours. Mind sharing details?

Thanks

Nick

[mrlegoman]

Loving the modified GE! The top floor cafe is awesome.

[cimddwc]

Thanks again, everyone!

I hope you dont mind me copying your idea? Did this MOD use two Grand Emporiums?

The first modification – i.e. without the top floor – was done with two GE sets some time ago; I bought a third one before building the top floor, but of course there were many parts left unsused. I can't really say if two GEs are enough, though I guess there aren't enough windows and log bricks.

[Solscud007]

Thanks again, everyone!

The first modification – i.e. without the top floor – was done with two GE sets some time ago; I bought a third one before building the top floor, but of course there were many parts left unsused. I can't really say if two GEs are enough, though I guess there aren't enough windows and log bricks.

Thanks. I will just give it a try. Do you have more pics of the wider GE? Im curious what the "extension" at the far end is? It looks like an overhang?

[cimddwc]

Do you have more pics of the wider GE? Im curious what the "extension" at the far end is? It looks like an overhang?

You mean in the old version without the top floor? I had some photos of that on MOCpages, but I see now that they still haven't recovered them after their crash-with-stupidly-insufficient-backup quite some time ago. I'll re-upload them elsewhere soon, but it might take a couple of days...

[Solscud007]

You mean in the old version without the top floor? I had some photos of that on MOCpages, but I see now that they still haven't recovered them after their crash-with-stupidly-insufficient-backup quite some time ago. I'll re-upload them elsewhere soon, but it might take a couple of days...

Yep the one with out the cafe. Thanks. The pics I saw did not show off the extension completely.

[KotZ]

I always love seeing modifications to modular buildings, and yours look great! I like the LEGO store addition, and the idea of a cafe, roof-top for the GE. Great job!