REVIEW: 21031 Burj Khalifa

[Bob De Quatre]

Introduction

Hi fellow EB members! I'm back with a review of one of the 2016 LEGO Architecture sets: #21031 Burj Khalifa. I must say that I have a love/hate relation with this building, since I'm very interested in architecture and how those skyscraper are build, but I also suffer from vertigo... So reviewing the (second) LEGO rendition of the tallest building in the world made me anxious before opening the box. Will this set take me to the top of LEGO Architecture or will it makes me want to jump into the void?

Thanks to EB LUG Ambassador CopMike and the LEGO CEE Team and Designers for giving me the opportunity to review this set!

Set information

Name: 21031 Burj Khalifa (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

Theme: LEGO Model Making / Architecture

Year: 2016

Pieces: 333

Price: USD NA, GBP NA, EURO NA

Resources: Brickset, BrickLink

Packaging

The box is as classy as all LEGO Architecture's boxes. The front shows the build on a black background, with some blueprints under. In the top left corner is a big LEGO Architecture logo, and just under it the name of the set in both English and Arabic. Just under is a picture of the instructions booklet and an indication saying that the booklet is written in English and Arabic. Let's talk about it right now: Arabic isn't one of the usual languages we see on LEGO boxes, but this set is most probably made to be sold everywhere in the world, and particularily in the Arabic-speaking countries.

The rear of the box has a nice picture of both the real Burj Khalifa and its LEGO rendition, and a comment about the tower in a few language. It also indicates the size of the final build: 95 mm wide and 390 mm tall.

Content of the box

The box contains the instructions booklet, 5 unnumbered bags and a brick separator. Sadly I lost the picture of those beautiful bags...

Instructions booklet

The 107 pages instructions booklet is very classy and well printed. There are a few pages with informations about the tower and its construction, with lots of pictures. The main problem with the booklet is that due to it using a portrait orientation and being thick, you can't have it stay open without holding it! That's why you can see my hand in the next pictures, and why I almost did all the building with only one hand. That issue ruined most of the building fun.

The instructions are pretty clear and (too) easy to follow, with no fancy techniques, which is either a good or a bad thing, I'll let you decide.

Build

The base of the build is rather simple. It's the only time you'll see a fancy color with the two dark red 1x1 round plate with open stud.

With the first levels of the tower in place, you can see the desert flower pattern of the building... And from now on will start building up and up again!

First stop in the construction, we've reached the 124th floor and the At the Top observatory. You can see that the building to this point is very repetitive, and I even placed the 1x4 hinge plates at the wrong places, as building with only one hand isn't really easy.

We'll then add some plating on the 3 faces, each different.

As you can see the lower part of the outer plating is made of three to one layers of plates and 1x2/3 or 2x2/3 slopes.

And the upper plating is only made of 1x2/3 or 2x2/3 slopes, each attached to a single stud, which may cause them to rotate slightly, which is quite annoying.

Note that there is no (small) Tom Cruise attached to the surface of the tower, which is quite disappointing.

And finally the last stories. The top of the tower is built with a totally diferent technique than the rest, using simple bricks with studs on sides and tiles.

There are not much spare parts for a set of this size, but they are still welcome.

Interesting parts

The part selection isn't great, I could even say it is poor. We got lots of light bluish gray bricks, some with studs on sides, tiles and 2/3 slopes, and a few brackets and curved slopes. But we also get three 1x1 round plate with open stud, and three 4x1 curved inverted slope in light bluish gray, which are exclusive to this set. If you like gray parts, then this set is for you.

Comparison with set #21008 Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa has already been featured in the LEGO Architecture theme. Back in 2011, LEGO gave us the tallest skyscraper in the world in the set #21008. If the height of the tower hasn't changed since then, its LEGO representation has evolved a lot.

Built on the exact same base, the two tower seem to have the same scale. But the similarities between those stops here. The old Burj Khalifa was entirely built with round elements, while the new tries to be more accurate to the angles and proportions of the real tower. The new Burj Khalifa is definitely an improvement over the old one.

Conclusion

Design: 8/10 - Definitely an improvement compared to the previous rendition. The booklet design issue is quite problematic for a standard two handed human.

Parts: 6/10 - No variety in shapes and colors, and too few rare parts.

Build: 7/10 - The build experience is quite boring, with no difficulties.

Price: --/10 - The retail prices aren't published as I write this review. I'll update that score when they are.

Overall: 21/30 (64%) - A nice build and a great rendition of the original tower, but not very interesting to build. The part selection do its job, but isn't really interesting. And please LEGO, test the usability of your instructions booklet.

[KCMatze]

That was a nice review and I enjoyed reading it. Love the Tom Cruise reference joke, too :D

I do not own any architecture sets, but my father does and I enjoy watching those during the building process and mostly the finished builds.

Might think about buying him this one for his birthday now! Although the instruction booklet issue seems to be really annoying. Hum.

Thank you for the review!

Edited December 5, 2015 by KCMatze

[Ceroknight]

Thank you for the review! I must say, it is certainly an improvement to the first one

[Steve309]

Is this coming out in January as well?

4 sets in January?

I like the new set.

Great review

I don't like the portrait style instruction book

But not much else you can do for a very verticle set.

If possible can you put a photo up of both Burj Khalifa's side by side ?

[Bob De Quatre]

Is this coming out in January as well?

4 sets in January?

I like the new set.

Great review

I don't like the portrait style instruction book

But not much else you can do for a very verticle set.

If possible can you put a photo up of both Burj Khalifa's side by side ?

This set will also come out in January, with the 3 cityscape sets.

I don't own the old Burj Khalifa set, so I can't do a comparison shot.

[Steve309]

This set will also come out in January, with the 3 cityscape sets.

I don't own the old Burj Khalifa set, so I can't do a comparison shot.

No worries.

And 4 sets all at once.

That's just ridiculous. I wish they spread it out better.

6 sets in 2016. One ever 2 months is perfect.

[santaends]

Enjoyed it as always! Interesting technique with the hinges and the 1 x 1 round plate with hole.. and that good texture difference between the bottom with SNOT and top with tiling. Definitely better than the original Burj, which was a 1 x 1 round brick parts pack.

[rollermonkey]

We're getting FOUR Architecture sets in January?

Be still my beating heart!

[freakwave]

Thanks for the review!

Going through, I have a bit of an ambivalent feeling about this model. Do you own both?

In my opinion the use of the round parts give a better feeling of the real thing and show a better surface (shadows). However the entrances are definitely better in the new set, those match very good the reality. The tower itself looks a bit too flat not providing the uneven surface of the vertical surfaces of the tower.

The proportions look good, however the wings of the building seem a bit too wide (by scale)

Nevertheless I will get it :-)

and finally, do the introductions in the instruction differ between the both models?

[Staslegomaster]

The creation looks great, it's as high as your building technics level. I live in Russia so in spite of the fact that the MoscowKremlin is blown up in M I -4, I like your joke about Tom Cruise. How about creating a LEGO replica of the famous Chinese Sky City Tower? Do you like the idea?

[contrails]

I have seen this building in person. Its very impressive. Somehow am not digging the 2 lego versions. Am stoke about the other 3 sets though

Edited December 7, 2015 by contrails

[jimmynick]

Are the inverted 1x3 curved slopes relatively new parts?

I think I prefer the old one; there's virtually no texture to this building.

[Bob De Quatre]

Are the inverted 1x3 curved slopes relatively new parts?

It's a 2014 part, and new in that color.

[KlodsBrik]

Thanks for the review, which i find pretty good.

Im not in anyway convinced by this set though. Compared to all other architecture sets ive seen, something is just off with this.

Cant really put my finger on it, but the comparison with the real iconic building just doesnt do it for me.

I think it might be the way its tiled and snotted. Something is just wrong with it.

Again, thanks for the review though.

Oh, i might copy some of your template for my own further reviews, i kind of like how you set your reviews up. Hope its ok

[Bryboy747]

This set is much better than the first one! I like the added detail and extra size! Its on my bucket list to see it in person one day, maybe this set will have to do.

[BrickLord123]

I miss seeing this back home.

[Bricks Assembly]