Why does LEGO not make skyscrapers?

[Legoboy22]

Hello EB community,

I am just wondering why Lego never releases a building above 3 stories high. I think even a 6 floor building would look like a skyscraper compared to what is currently available. It would have exellent playability maybe even with a helipad on top and offices or apartments. I am just curious about this do please post your opinions.

Thank you in advance

-legoboy22

[robbzy88]

My guess would be too expensive, I imagine that larger window pieces for example will cost more per part, Also structural rigidity might be compromised a little more (a little more stress on parts possibly)

Edited January 13, 2017 by robbzy88

[koalayummies]

The ~4000 piece assembly square is $280. Imagine what a skyscraper set would cost.

In the meantime enjoy a Eurobricks member's MOC skyscraper, scroll down for a ~14 story high-rise:

 

[Ron Dayes]

On 13.1.2017 at 6:14 AM, koalayummies said:

The ~4000 piece assembly square is $280. Imagine what a skyscraper set would cost.

In the meantime enjoy a Eurobricks member's MOC skyscraper, scroll down for a ~14 story high-rise:

 

An amazing build, indeed the costs must have been massive for this!

Edited January 15, 2017 by Ron Dayes
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[Legoboy22]

That truly is amazing but even a 6 floor office building with 4 walls and a roof would be welcome.

[Ron Dayes]

11 hours ago, Legoboy22 said:

That truly is amazing but even a 6 floor office building with 4 walls and a roof would be welcome.

Well, you can "simply" buy 2 modular sets and stack em - thats probably why TLG made it "modular" and went with that name. It has that purpose... That further excluded them doing skyscrapers, since the easy option is out there and depends on the money you have. With the same piece count and detail, a 6 story building wouldnt be possible for the usual pricing of a modular, or be so narrow that it wouldnt fit well next to the recent ones. From a marketing point of view it wouldnt make much sense i suppose...

For example the grand emporium doubled on top each other would make a nice office building?

Edited January 16, 2017 by Ron Dayes

[monkles]

13 hours ago, Legoboy22 said:

That truly is amazing but even a 6 floor office building with 4 walls and a roof would be welcome.

They probably could sell it for $1000 but I expect once you're getting that large you need an internal elevator-shaft-like structure like a real high rise, which means even more money.

Assembly square proves that Lego is open to a larger modular.

[Ron Dayes]

On 16.1.2017 at 6:02 AM, monkles said:

They probably could sell it for $1000 but I expect once you're getting that large you need an internal elevator-shaft-like structure like a real high rise, which means even more money.

Assembly square proves that Lego is open to a larger modular.

Yeah, since it "only" reached 300 bucks (which some high end sets tend to costs and people tend to afford) - if further serves as a celebration set of the modular line, which is why they made it bigger this one time. I can hardly imagine they'd do that again until its time to -well - celebrate again;) Its literally a gift to fans, imo not something they'd consider on a yearly routine or to even expand and enlargen general modular sets in the future...

 

Edited January 18, 2017 by Ron Dayes

[ThePlasticWerks]

1. Cost (to pack parts) and affordability (for end user).

2. Lack of dynamicism for target audience (children). The building itself might be cool, but imagine an eight-year-old building the same floor six times over, maybe varying the insides. To make a skyscraper set exciting, it should either be on fire (thus making it a Fire set) or come with a lot of interesting accessories, both of which adversely contribute to the first point. Conversely, to include those things and remain cost-effective the detail on the building would have to be immensely simplified, and thus become boring.

3. Lack of appeal for target audience. Kids want Lego so they can act out being a volcano farmer or arctic police scuba officer, not a salaryman (President Business roleplay aside). It's also not easy to play inside a Lego building anyway without taking the roof off, and most children aren't as interested in static display.

4. Practicality for target audience. A six-story building at standard City scale with, say, a modest 16x16 footprint would have a high center of gravity and, barring a very large base, could easily be knocked over (or off its base, etc.). It's one thing if you're pretending to be Godzilla, but it's not always fun when your baby brother knocks it off the play table and it shatters from the drop, or you whack your knuckles on it. It would be about twenty inches tall, and for best stability should probably sit on a true baseplate. That's a lot of real estate that's not easy to carry around..

[AFOLguy1970]

If such a thing did exist, I would imagine there would be a lot of complaints about how repetitive the build is.  It would get boring rather quickly building virtually the same exterior over and over for a very steep price.  They look good as MOCs, but would not be practical as a set.  

[antp]

On 1/16/2017 at 4:12 AM, Ron Dayes said:

Well, you can "simply" buy 2 modular sets and stack em - thats probably why TLG made it "modular" and went with that name. It has that purpose... That further excluded them doing skyscrapers, since the easy option is out there and depends on the money you have.

They intended that indeed, cf the last pages of the instructions of the Cafe Corner:

http://cache.lego.com/bigdownloads/buildinginstructions/4513879.pdf

[monkles]

10 minutes ago, antp said:

They intended that indeed, cf the last pages of the instructions of the Cafe Corner:

http://cache.lego.com/bigdownloads/buildinginstructions/4513879.pdf

One could also just bricklink the middle section of each one a few times. Don't know if that will save money but it's preferable to having 6 of the same minifigures I guess.

[gotoAndLego]

Lego could do a relatively inexpensive skyscraper, but it wouldn't have all the cool details you see in modular sets. The ground floor could but not the bulk of the building.

[VaderFan2187]

It'd either be very narrow or very expensive.

Too narrow = unimpressive, no room for interior, easily breakable

Too expensive = Pricing out many potential buyers

[Venunder]

That Cafe Corner x2  double corner looks great. The x2 for the extra floor seems a bit over the top.

x6 ? Would have to be brick linked, unless you MOC another couple of buildings with the Ground floor and Roof sections.

[CedBricks]

On 13 janvier 2017 at 6:14 AM, koalayummies said:

The ~4000 piece assembly square is $280. Imagine what a skyscraper set would cost.

In the meantime enjoy a Eurobricks member's MOC skyscraper, scroll down for a ~14 story high-rise:

 

On 13 janvier 2017 at 6:14 AM, koalayummies said:

The ~4000 piece assembly square is $280. Imagine what a skyscraper set would cost.

In the meantime enjoy a Eurobricks member's MOC skyscraper, scroll down for a ~14 story high-rise:

 

True that, though we could imagine that Lego develops a skycrapers with just the outside, the facade, and nothing in the inside. That could be a way to limit the number of parts that makes the price. Then each Lego fan could be creative and work on the inside.

 

[Ron Dayes]

2 hours ago, CedBricks said:

 

I think, if you read your sentence again, and look at what TLG currently is doing with the modular line, i wonder how you imagine that to happen? not meant offensive and i wont nail you on it, but TLG leaves nothing to the "creativity" of the buyer. They produce finished products to a reasonable price! I never knew or heard of any kid building the (most often less attractive) alternates or wanting an "empty building" set so they can be creative themselves and fill that with their allready owned (old and perhaps few) bricks. Details like Interiour and stuff is what actually makes any set appealing to most buyers, kids and adults alike! I strongly believe thats why after Cafe Corner, they invested into designing an interiour and to certainly not make it "empty". Allthough to support our own creativity is what those bricks were originally made for, TLG knows they need to make sure that even the least creative person can enjoy an excellent, well balanced build- and if its just for standing around and catching dust. Especially in times were Legos arent the only toy kids play with (PC games etc.), detail, playability and function is more important to them, than even the right look and proportions of something. I find that only logical.

Besides, TLG is getting better and better concerning their amount of detail, parts and building techniques. An empty skyscraper set would be a major step back (remember when old 80ies City buildings almost had no interiour?...)

For AFOLs a set like that wouldnt be "a bad call" from TLG - but ey, thats why we have bricklink etc. and those sites dont really post a threat to them.
Also, we AFOLs and fans arent their biggest market. And if we are serious, do we really want to see an empty modular building again? Keeping in mind that we are able to order the needed parts ourselves or simply buying a few sets of the same type to add height...

If they were to go a step further, TLG could try a modern modular building - which we can then buy to stack until we reach the wanted height ;)
But an empty and high modular building at the standard modular price - i guess we wont ever see that...