Modular Building Sets - Rumours and Discussion

[Off the wall]

I don't really want a big box, I want something with architectural details that doesn't look as forced as they do on the PR. There are some wonderful modular MOCs. Some with plans available for sale (such as a hospital and a candy store) and some where I don't think you can get the plans (a beautiful Starbucks-Barnes and Noble book store combo). Of course, the examples I site may be too complex to be economically viable for TLG to sell.

Not wanting to disturb the lemmings again, but the PR simply looks out of place along side the other modulars.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Off the wall

[Dharkan]

I don't think we would get a church neither I would find it fitting to LEGO's overall attitude with being neutral.

You can MOC yourself a modular church but LEGO is a multi-cultural toy.

[TheLegoDr]

I think people keep forgetting that 'everything is awesome.'

Basically put some bricks in a box and stamp creator expert and include it with the modular, I will buy it. That's basically why I bought winter market last year. By far not my favorite but I bought it to go with the others. In doing so I can appreciate it for what it is. I'm sure the next modular will go with the rest and be something the same, yet different. I'll still buy it, eventually.

[Dharkan]

Well the thing is,

If everyone becomes the kind of customers who "eventually buys everything", it'll only make LEGO products worse and worse.

[Off the wall]

"Well the thing is,

If everyone becomes the kind of customers who "eventually buys everything", it'll only make LEGO products worse and worse. "

Right you are.........and that's one of the problems.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Off the wall

[scottwb2010]

Not wanting to disturb the lemmings again, but the PR simply looks out of place along side the other modulars.

I tend to agree with you here! I eventually bought it but it wasn't a rush out and get purchase as I thought it was just too different to the others. Don't get me wrong it has some great build techniques but not the greatest Modular IMO.

[rob-cubed]

PR does look a little out of place, but no more than Market Street or even Palace Cinema. What got me into modulars were the architecture. I'm glad there is a Parisian-style building and another that feels like it belongs on a street in Hollywood. The PR while smaller, is packed with cool details. But I might be a little biased because I love French food. :D

The next modular could be a modern building or something completely out-of-era to the 1930s/40s that the modulars have thusfar adhered to. I'm OK with that. It doesn't mean I'll buy it, but I like options. As long as we keep buying modulars, LEGO will keep producing new ones. Variety is the spice of life.

[Faefrost]

The next modular could be a modern building or something completely out-of-era to the 1930s/40s that the modulars have thusfar adhered to. I'm OK with that. It doesn't mean I'll buy it, but I like options. As long as we keep buying modulars, LEGO will keep producing new ones. Variety is the spice of life.

I somehow can never escape the feeling that Jamie Berard is a well experienced Model Railroader, with a deep love of what is known as the "transition era". (When Steam transitioned to Diesel. Covering roughly the 1930's up through the mid 50's. And with a lot of variation by region.)

[mapimi]

Anyone else notice that as far as the modular series goes we've had 2 out of 3 buildings from the Town Plan? Maybe that could hint at a possible garage/car repair shot in the future?

[alois]

PR does look a little out of place, but no more than Market Street or even Palace Cinema. What got me into modulars were the architecture. I'm glad there is a Parisian-style building and another that feels like it belongs on a street in Hollywood. The PR while smaller, is packed with cool details. But I might be a little biased because I love French food. :D

Have you been to Paris? The only place where you can find this type of architecture is Disneyland Paris. No building in Paris is olive green.

[Off the wall]

Have you been to Paris? The only place where you can find this type of architecture is Disneyland Paris. No building in Paris is olive green.

Thanks for starting my day with a great comment and a laugh! :-)

Edited May 29, 2014 by Off the wall

[Heppeng]

No building in Paris is olive green.

I suppose a statement like that was asking for it, might even make a nice modular too...

http://alexanderjame...-3916-3139.html

Edited May 29, 2014 by Heppeng

[Off the wall]

Alois...don't mess with the AFOL cult of Jamie. :-)

Edited May 29, 2014 by Off the wall

[Sammael]

Few buildings anywhere are olive green, but if we got only realistic-colored buildings half the city would be white and the other half tan. The olive green doesn't detract from the overall look, which evokes the spirit of Parisian architecture without slavishly copying any one particular building.

OTW, we've heard your opinion of the PR like, a bajillion times. Why do you feel the need to reiterate it every five posts? Is it just to create a false image that the PR is universally hated? I really have nothing for or against Jamie (I dislike the new Maersk ship and Fairground Mixer he designed, for example) but I've enjoyed the PR immensely and I think it fits perfectly with the other modulars. Place it next to the lower part of Market Street (which you can decorate with a roof garden) and presto, the restaurant guests no longer have to look into a wall. It's otherwise chock-full of details and great building techniques.

[jfbat]

Few buildings anywhere are olive green

I'm not too familiar with Paris, having been there only once (and seeing mostly white buildings), but in Londen there are quite a few. And over here (the Netherlands that is) there are some historical city centers that also boast one or more of those, that look not even that unsimilar to PR...

[Sammael]

I've been to London but don't recall any olive green buildings (quite a few red and blue though!) but I'll take your word for it :) Here in Belgrade the most exotic color in our historic center is dark red (though it's possible some of the dirty gray facades were once colorful as well, I guess).

[Off the wall]

OTW, we've heard your opinion of the PR like, a bajillion times. Why do you feel the need to reiterate it every five posts? Is it just to create a false image that the PR is universally hated? I really have nothing for or against Jamie (I dislike the new Maersk ship and Fairground Mixer he designed, for example) but I've enjoyed the PR immensely and I think it fits perfectly with the other modulars. Place it next to the lower part of Market Street (which you can decorate with a roof garden) and presto, the restaurant guests no longer have to look into a wall. It's otherwise chock-full of details and great building techniques.

That just motivates me to keep stating it again and again. :-)

However, I'm sure that if I take your advice on relocating the PR, the word 'awesome' will undoubtedly creep into my vocabulary.

[wondermonkey]

Sammael, thank you and well said!

I would love an auto mechanic shop on the bottom floor. Maybe a small business above that? Tattoo parlor? :)

[nesquik]

Not wanting to disturb the lemmings again, but the PR simply looks out of place along side the other modulars.

These products are not part of a system, so why should the P.R be a direct fit with other buildings? The 'modular building' reference is precisely that; it's the construction technique for the model. Adding Technic pins to the sides of the building is nothing more than a feature for marketing, hence why the pins can be removed so that the model may be enjoyed as a standalone piece. This applies to just about every Creator product, and is the defining feature of this product line - models that can become standalone memories for entire experience.

It's also no different to any modular building that has been released before: Green Grocer (French), Grand Emporium (U.K, Harrods-esque), Fire Brigade (U.S, New York) et al... The only consistency is in the purpose of the product, which is to tell a story within an iconic environment, and to do so with a building experience that offers variety and interest.

Although I'm rooting for a post office, a bike repair shop absolutely possible given this criteria. Then again, as the buildings have become more and more specific to that particular commerce, we'll likely see different kinds of restaurants and shops.

Edited May 29, 2014 by nesquik

[Off the wall]

The lemmings with their pretzel logic have awakened! Btw, Steely Dan. Great band.

[Herky]

I would say the main issue I have with the PR is that there are too many "accessories" and not enough building. I don't want a big box either, but it could have been a tad wider and a bit bigger...that said I don't even own it, but have seen it on display often. I don't know the count, but how many pieces of the set are not used in the actual building and how many are things like bread or flowers. Add to that the higher price point and I said meh, get it eventually not a priority. Same with the new mixer, it's cool on display but meh, not a set I would say gotta have.

If I had a vote, I would go museum, but could also see that going the Architecture line way. Library, hospital, church, bank, brownstone family house, it's all fine, but I am also a bit wary of having a crazy mix of houses next to each other, for ex, I don't think I could put the PR next to the Cinema, just way different architectural styles. I want a good looking building that is done right at a good price point.

I would even like to see maybe a city park with a cool fountain and maybe some other activities there, could be done at a lower price point with a teeter totter or a merry go round or monkey bars for kids...maybe a grill/firepit area, who knows...be creative TLG and see what happens. I don't have time to MOC or LDD so I rely on TLG to give me a good product.

Steely Dan - haven't heard those songs in a while, maybe they do a concert venue for the next modular? Opera House/Concert Hall type with amphitheater seating, but I guess they did the Sydney Opera House to cover that one.

[Dharkan]

I am up for anything well made. I just don't want things that are usually big and cramped down into modular size or buildings that are plain boring *hint Town Hall hint*

So, in my opinion a museum wouldn't be the best idea. It can be a some sort of art and exhibition gallery, though. I'd love a 16x32 painting exhibition with a baroque building next to it.

[Herky]

by the way, aren't they already doing a bike shop in the new house line, so that cuts that out as well; see the creator houses sets thread for the info on that...

I just think TLG can do better, we get some cool stuff, but I don't think they reach their potential on the modular. Everyone says the green grocer is still the standard and that was what, 5 or 6 modular ago and we haven't really raised the bar since then and I agree, the GG is the best. TLG needs to step up and raise that bar.

Does anyone know on the builders, are they just all based in Denmark or do they have builders in many countries competing for a grand vision on each modular? I would say if they have many, the synergy they could get from many builders vs one guy/gal all the time would result in a better product, just look at some of the MOCs out there that inspire others to be bigger and better...something TLG should take advantage of if they were smart.

[Sammael]

LEGO designers work under a huge set of limitations that MOCers don't have. I've seen MOCs done by LEGO designers and they can easily match the best MOCs made by the community; however, the reality is such that they can never be made into sets.

AFAIK, all LEGO designers work in the same building in Billund, but they come from all over the world. There were around 150 of them the last time I heard the figures.

Edited May 29, 2014 by Sammael

[Dharkan]

In my opinion Pet Shop is just as cool (cooler to me) as Green Grocer. Biggest reason Green Grocer is a big big hit is that its a residential building. Everybody likes residential buildings because they are always compacts and good looking in their own way. If I have to rate all modulars with few words explanations, my rating would be like this;

Market Street: good start

Cafe Corner: has some big problems (windows and stuff)

Green Grocer: well made building

Fire Brigade: best non-residential building, great accuracy

Grand Emporium: great details inside, boring outside but hey, its a shopping place.

Pet Shop: best modular to date but complains about size might make sense (though not really to me)

Palace Cinema: has major flaws in design and detail department

Town Hall: Terrible just terrible. You can buy it on discount for parts

Parisian Restaurant: Another good model but color scheme is terrible.

So other than Town Hall I don't think there's much wrong with modulars. I mean of course, LEGO have a lot to improve, I really agree with everyone on that. I also agree with every criticism about models and their harmony BUT complains about their size is kind of funny to me. Do you buy modulars to get a lot of bricks or anything? Modulars are just great buildings to display. You can dismantle and use the parts of course, that's the whole point of LEGO :D but I really have hard time seeing size of a modular a problem

Edited May 29, 2014 by Dharkan