MOC: Department Store

[LAKAbricks]

After almost two years here on Eurobricks, it must be time I present a MOC of mine.

For a long time I have had my eyes on the Grand Emporium. But times are not to buy it. But I would like my (future) city to have a department store, so when I got the chance to place a PAB order, I finished my ideas for the building, and came up with this. I am quite happy with the result.

It is not a modular building, as I do not have got any for the time being. So all my buildings are in the classic town style. It will be an integral part of the city centre.

Exterior

The front of the department store. Even though we have passed the seasons, I have decorated the building for Christmas.

Interior

The interior of the department store. It is a temporary interior, I have not made the final version. I will browse the forum for inspiration (Lightningtiger, I might "borrow" from you ). But the departments are placed where I would like them to be. From the ground floor and up, you find: Jewelery, perfumes and clothes; home and glassware; and on the top floor toys and a cafe.

Thanks for watching. C&C are welcome

[chemistry master]

I am glad you showed this to us. You did a nice job!

[lightningtiger]

It totally has that classic town feel 'Iaka'.......I it, the exterior is very nice using those grille bricks.

Brick On 'Iaka' !

[Redhead1982]

It has a very classic feel. The building itself could be more decorated in my opinion. The walls are bare, and I'd add some details/overhangs on the facade (if your collection allows it). The interior is much more alive. I like the glass fence on higher floors.

[jimmynick]

This had a great classic town feel, laka! The lights coming out of the roof (as well as the chandelier) are nice touches to a good building.

[Kristel]

As others have said, this has a very classic town feel to it. I like the way the grill brick trim at the front frames the building, particularly on the ground floor and first floor. At the roof level, I think this would have looked even better if it was more rounded , like the trim on the winnows at the roof level.

On the inside, I like how you have done the chandelier and the glass barriers.

[Luke Styer]

I love the arch in front. On the inside the open "column" up the middle complete with chandelier is the highlight.

[LEGO Guy Bri]

Very nice work laka. This would fit in well with most of my old city

[LAKAbricks]

Dear all,

First of all, thank you very much for your very kind replies. I am really happy with the result, but really appreciate all your comments and suggentions.

It totally has that classic town feel 'Iaka'.......I it, the exterior is very nice using those grille bricks.

Brick On 'Iaka' !

It has a very classic feel. The building itself could be more decorated in my opinion. The walls are bare, and I'd add some details/overhangs on the facade (if your collection allows it). The interior is much more alive. I like the glass fence on higher floors.

As others have said, this has a very classic town feel to it. I like the way the grill brick trim at the front frames the building, particularly on the ground floor and first floor. At the roof level, I think this would have looked even better if it was more rounded , like the trim on the winnows at the roof level.

On the inside, I like how you have done the chandelier and the glass barriers.

I am particulary satisfied with the grill bricks, forming the two "columns" on the facade. The are supposed to break the relatively bare front. Regarding the centre "arch" on the roof, I have raised it by one brick, so it is taller than the windows. It makes it look even better. I will, though, consider to make it more rounded (but it has to wait until a later PAB order).

I am also happy for the chandelier. I really admire the one of GE, but obviously, mine has to be smaller. And I managed it. Maybe you cannot see it on these pictures, but the lamps on the front of the building have got the same shape as one side of the chandelier, but a little smaller.

/laka

Edit: Forgot to write that my immediate inspiration was the former Hertie Kaufhaus in Görlitz: http://www.flickr.co...imo/6653006297/. As you can see, it is not a much decorated architechture.

Edited January 15, 2013 by laka

[kevin8]

Iaka, some very nice details... I think you should try to convert it into a Modular. You would have more space to display interiors!

I love the facade.

[LAKAbricks]

Thanks, kevin8, for your comments. I have no immediate plans to convert it into a modular building, as my preferences are for classic, open-back buildings. But I do get your point, and I am now considering if I should make the building a little deeper. It is 8 studs now, maybe 10?

The interior, I want to change. Hopefully I can soon spend some more time on figuring out how it should be. - For the ground floor, I want a floor in a pattern of different colours.

[LAKAbricks]

Very soon the department store will open its doors to a bigger store with even more goods to sell.

A small preview of the expanded department store. The ever popular golden platter of course is part of the assortment.

It's expected that the department store will open Sunday - pictures will follow.

[lightningtiger]

Oh, just some tease shots eh ?

Looking good......more 'Iaka'......please !

Brick On !

[LAKAbricks]

Oh, just some tease shots eh ?

Looking good......more 'Iaka'......please !

Thanks, LT. Yeah... Couldn't resist, though I was on my way to bed.

Here follows a few more pictures from the grand opening.

The facade is slightly changed. A few details have been added, but the top of the centre piece has change quite a bit. It has become taller. But why? Could it be hiding something? (On a side note, I am not all too happy about the result, but until I find a better way, it will stay like this.)

Yeah! It does. A brandnew skylight. Built of what I had at hand. No new BL-orders has been placed. Yet.

Down at street level a view through the windows reveals that World Cup is near. And it seems the department store is ready.

More pictures will follow in the new week. Thanks for watching. And sorry for the picture quality. Not the best.

/Laka

[Darthluke824]

Nice work! Is there a way for the figures to access each floor though?

[fatmui11]

Nice one , laka

[lightningtiger]

Keep going 'Iaka' , if you need any advice on how to deck it out with shop fittings just ask okay ?

Brick On 'Iaka' !

[Off the wall]

The exterior of the building needs more, for lack of a better term, 'texture'. Maybe recess the windows, put some detail around the windows, perhaps the top row of bricks on each floor could contrast, either in color or style, the other exterior bricks. The first floor windows need at least one row of bricks between them and the ground. I think the trim would be better in an earth tone, brown maybe, to go with the primary color of the brick.

The interior is nicely detailed but the floors need to be connected with stairs or an elevator.

Nice move on going with a 32 wide plate.

[gazumpty]

Very nice laka...I love the 'classic' feel you have brought to this build.

I don't want to labour the point...but I agree with redhead and kristel...you need to beef up the top of your grey 'grille' arch and match the same proportions of the columns to the lintel. If it matched the frame detail of the windows, it would bring the whole elevation together!

great work though throughout and cant wait to see more of your creations!

[Artifex]

I think the original model is just lovely, and I love the improvements and how it's getting bigger!

[Zeon]

I love the town/city atmosphere here and for me, it beats the modulars :) There are still place for improvement, but that's the nice about Lego, isn't it? I was wondering what advice to give regarding the exterior, but most of them were mentioned before. A relatively easy and spare part friendly solution could be that you add one extra brick width to one of the floors that would stick out toward the front. (Like with these ones: , but not that drastic, one brick could do it)

It could work with any of the floors, you could play around and try.

Thanks for sharing :)

[LAKAbricks]

Nice work! :thumbup: Is there a way for the figures to access each floor though?

Thank you! As I prefer the classic open-back style of building, so the minifigs have to climb the walls And the design doesn't leave much space for stairs or a lift if I want to keep all the interior details.

Nice one , laka

I think the original model is just lovely, and I love the improvements and how it's getting bigger!

Thanks! After kevin8 suggested it should be rebuilt as a modular, I really began to plan an extension of the building. But I guess it has reached its limit by now. The building is 12 studs deep. If I add further to the size, it might move too much away from the classic open-back style. What do you think?

Keep going 'Iaka' , if you need any advice on how to deck it out with shop fittings just ask okay ?

Thanks, LT! I actually built the interior last week, but haven't had time to modify the pictures yet. I'll do that as soon as possible. But thank you for the offer. I might take it

The exterior of the building needs more, for lack of a better term, 'texture'. Maybe recess the windows, put some detail around the windows, perhaps the top row of bricks on each floor could contrast, either in color or style, the other exterior bricks. The first floor windows need at least one row of bricks between them and the ground. I think the trim would be better in an earth tone, brown maybe, to go with the primary color of the brick.

Thank you for the suggestions, Off the wall! I was actually planning on a different exterior, more close to the department store that inspired me. But as I didn't have the required bricks, I simply stuck with the old design, as I really wanted to make it bigger and fill in the interior. But it doesn't mean, I cannot consider your suggestions. Right now I am thinking about the row of bricks below the windows on the ground floor. The trim lines will stay as they are, as they are part of the floors. I was trying to make the construction differently, so I wouldn't have the grey trim lines, but it didn't work with the bricks I have at hand.

Very nice laka...I love the 'classic' feel you have brought to this build.

I don't want to labour the point...but I agree with redhead and kristel...you need to beef up the top of your grey 'grille' arch and match the same proportions of the columns to the lintel. If it matched the frame detail of the windows, it would bring the whole elevation together!

great work though throughout and cant wait to see more of your creations!

Thank you gazumpty. At the time being, I don't have any rounded bricks that would fit on top of the columns. But I have tried to make the lintel (had to look up that word ) a bit higher so the thickness of it fits the width of the grille columns. It works better, as it's also hiding the tan bricks behind it.

I have another MOC planned (beside the eventual reconstruction of the exterior of the department store). But the time horizon is still far away (BLing, PABing etc.).

I love the town/city atmosphere here and for me, it beats the modulars :) There are still place for improvement, but that's the nice about Lego, isn't it? I was wondering what advice to give regarding the exterior, but most of them were mentioned before. A relatively easy and spare part friendly solution could be that you add one extra brick width to one of the floors that would stick out toward the front. (Like with these ones: https://www.flickr.c...157629748404395 , but not that drastic, one brick could do it)

It could work with any of the floors, you could play around and try.

Thanks for sharing :)

Thank you for the kind words, Zeon! As an admirer of classic open-back style these word really warm me And thank you for your suggestion, it will be part of my considerations regarding the exterior.

Thank you all, for your replies. I read them through the week, but unfortunately, I didn't have the time to respond before now.

/Laka

[LAKAbricks]

Finally it's time to take a look inside the department store.

A look through the door reveals the central area of the ground floor. Also here the football fever is to be seen. - In this area different things will be displayed through the year.

A view down on the skylight and atrium with the chandelier.

On the ground floor you find the clothing department...

- and the jewels and perfumes. It seems someone is going to get very happy soon

One floor up you find the department for electric appliances, cookware and glassware. - Is this guy really browsing coffee machines?

- Hmmm...

"Do you know, this golden platter looks exactly like the one I saw yesterday at the Grand Emporium?"

On the top floor, someone is dreaming.

On the opposite side, freshly made juice is being served in the café.

Thank you for visiting the expanded department store

[lightningtiger]

AWESOME interior 'Iaka'......reminds me of a small MOC I made over four years ago in my early days of MOCing......Brick On 'Iaka' !

[haddock]

sir you have definately captured that classic feel , your work is very good keep it up