henrysunset

I had the pleasure of building and reviewing a new custom LEGO Architecture set which was created to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Capitol Records. The kit is designed by Adam Ward, a talented LEGO artist who does commissioned work, and works at Bricksburg on the LEGO movies. 'Capitol Records Tower' by Adam Ward. 642 Pieces, 200$, Capitol Records Tower is an iconic round tower in Hollywood, California. Many people believe that the circular design is meant to evoke the appearance of a stack of records, but this is just a happy coincidence; the architect proposed the round shape to reduce the building’s construction costs and air conditioning needs. Capitol Records Tower, 1956, in Hollywood, California, by Louis Naidorf / Welton Becket and Associates. (Photo JCS, CC-BY-SA-3.0)This is a custom kit containing real LEGO bricks, four stickers, one custom LEGO compatible part, and a high quality box and manual. The packaging is faithful to both the quality and styling of the official LEGO Architecture kits. (Do be careful with the custom part—it is very thin and more brittle than regular LEGO parts... I broke 1/2cm off the tip by accident.)High quality instruction manual, glossy stickers, and a promotional card included.The model is built on a sturdy base measured 16x24 studs, similar in size to other LEGO Architecture sets with a similar number of pieces. The instruction manual is extremely high quality, and almost all of the steps are clear and easy to follow. I did encounter a couple steps which were slightly confusing, but nothing too difficult to figure out.The corner panels need to be slid in from the top. This is a very good set that captures the spirit of this iconic landmark pretty well. This is especially challenging because round shapes are notoriously difficult to re-create using LEGO. The finished model looks great, especially after applying the stickers (which are very effective at reinforcing the building’s identity.) I do wonder if it’s possible to make the tower appear more round without making the model larger by using more than 8 panels. (At least in theory, you could create a model with 14 sides instead of 8 sides while preserving the existing diameter of 28 studs.) The finished model looks great! I enjoyed building this kit; it is was pleasure to step inside the mind of a talented LEGO artist with a different building style than the official sets. I was impressed to see that this kit is comparable in quality to the earlier LEGO Architecture sets, and only slightly less detailed than current sets like the revised Guggenheim Museum building. This set is recommended for people who already have all of the official LEGO Architecture sets, or people who have a connection with Los Angeles. It's available for purchase for 200$.NOTE: This review was a generous excerpt of the in-depth review posted on my website. To read a longer version of this article with more photos, visit: http://brickarchitect.com/2018/capitol-records-tower-review/ Disclaimer: The kit was provided by Adam/Capitol Records for this review, but my opinions are strictly my own.

@ShaydDeGrai Thank you for the kind words about the guide. It definitely sounds like you have a pretty epic collection of parts. It seems like sorting by both part and color is the local conclusion of a life of collecting and sorting LEGO. I fully agree with your point about the creative benefits of a pile of loose bricks. In my personal case, I keep one copy of the LEGO Architecture Studio set at work. It is sorted only into rough parts categories, and one of the pleasures of working with that collection of parts instead of my bigger collection is that I just start picking parts up and playing with new ways to combine them. (Obviously, a huge bucket of random parts offers the same opportunity for serendipitous discovery of parts, and creative free-building.) I like the idea of normalizing the "best for" sections into a standardized format across all storage products. This could be a 5 point scale across a small number of criteria (I like the set of criteria you proposed as a starting point.) This is the most immediately actionable of your comments, and I'm adding a future work item to my backlog of potential improvements to the guide here: http://brickarchitect.com/guide/history/ Sincerely, ---tom

It isn't a PDF because I don't want to maintain two formats, but I did create custom style sheets so the guide will look great when printed on Letter or A4. (Headers, comments, index and other superfluous content are omitted when you print to save paper. Please print double-sided if you decide to print it!) ---tom

This makes a lot of sense to me. In most cases, it isn't about picking one storage product, but rather finding multiple products that work well together. I personally use a mix of Scrapbook Drawers with dividers, Akro-mils drawer cabinets, tackle boxes, large drawers, and plastic bags. I also use a small file cabinet for manuals, and an ikea Expedit (now Kallax) shelf for LEGO-related books and a few favorite LEGO models. thanks, ---tom P.S. While plastic bags have their disadvantages, they are cheap, flexible, and you can squeeze the air out allowing you to fit a lot of LEGO in a small container.

I'm Tom Alphin, author of The LEGO Architect book. For the past 6 months, I've been working on a new in-depth guide exploring LEGO Storage topics. I'm pleased to announce that my LEGO Storage Guide is ready for people to enjoy (and give feedback.) The guide is extensive, with 10 chapters and around 50 pages of free content: Section I: Organizing, Sorting, & Storing LEGO Bricks — The guide walks you through the process of understanding your LEGO collection, exploring different ways to organize your collection, great storage solutions for a LEGO collection of any size, and additional tips and tricks. Section II: Displaying & Storing LEGO Minifigures — This section explores some of the best ways to show off and protect your favorite LEGO minifigures. The guide is informed by detailed surveys of around 200 LEGO enthusiasts. The data analysis helped me prepare LEGO storage recommendations based on the size of your collection and other factors. The guide is well researched... It contains results from a detailed LEGO Storage survey with about 200 responses, learnings from interviews with top LEGO builders from around the world, and recommendations based on numerous articles, books, and forum discussions on eurobricks.com website. LINK: http://brickarchitect.com/guide/ I hope you enjoy reading the guide, and I can't wait to hear your feedback! I will continue improving the guide in the coming weeks, and am tracking your suggestions for future improvements in the acknowledgements section. Sincerely, ---tom P.S. I'm eager to hear - what's your favorite LEGO storage product?

@BrickG I think you are right that the overarching story in The LEGO movie is a good story and not necessarily LEGO specific. That said, I was more speaking to the way in which the characters solved problems throughout the movie, which revolved around building solutions. As a specific example, the scenes where they build the submarine and the spaceship are very LEGO-centric moments which are central to the story. It's hard to disagree that something like Rogue One exists because of the Star Wars world which preceded it. It's a great star wars film, since it ties together other story threads, but it might not be a great film in isolation. As for The Ninjago movie, I am eager to hear the thoughts of others once you are able to see it on Friday! ---tom

I had the opportunity to watch the LEGO Ninjago movie today, as part of a press preview showing in Seattle, WA. The showing included members of the press, Members of the local LEGO User's Group (SEALUG), and members of the community.NOTE: While I'm trying to be spoiler-free, please proceed with caution! As a point of context, I have very little knowledge about the Ninjago world; I haven’t built any of the sets or watched the TV show. My typical focus is LEGO and Architecture, although I dabble in Technic, Creator, and Star Wars themes.  Story The movie begins with a brief live-action shell story containing none other than Jacky Chan as a real-life Master Wu. We are quickly (and painlessly) transitioned into Ninjago city, a beautiful brick built city which is obviously inspired by Asian architecture. I did not see specific references to China, Japan, Korea, or other countries in the region, so I think they have tried to keep it nonspecific. (I do not feel qualified to determine if this is a sincere effort or cultural appropriation.) We are quickly introduced to the cast of characters and the conflict between the “good guys” (Master Wu, Lloyd, Cole, Jay, Kai, Nya, Zane), and Garmadon – the seemingly one-sided villain. We are also introduced to Lloyd’s mom, Koko. The film draws obvious parallels to classic Monster / Robot invasion themes. Within the first 30 minutes, the connection between the main characters becomes clear, setting the stage for the film’s core story line. Details Without going into specific spoilers, I wanted to call out a few details of the film which helped it shine... Music – Through a mix of flute melodies and popular songs, the transitional moments in the film are emphasized with complementary music selections. They are nice easter-eggs for older viewers. It’s a bit heavy-handed at times, but the film isn’t trying to be subtle, so it works. Style – The movie environment is richly detailed and attractively rendered. The film used a blend of brick-built environments and rendered 3d scenes to a positive effect. In contrast to the original LEGO movie, most of the landscape and water details are not brick-built, but I felt like it did not detract from overall effect. Animation – The stop-motion style of animation perfected on the original LEGO movie returns for this film. I think this is a good decision, as the subtle pauses of the minifigures as they move remind the viewer that it is in fact a toy. I did notice that they took more liberties in changing the angle of arms and heads beyond what is possible with real bricks. In this way, the film is a bit less authentic, but I didn’t feel like it was too distracting. LEGO'iness My biggest pleasure in the original LEGO movie, and biggest disappointment in The LEGO Batman Movie stems from the role LEGO plays in the storyline. The plot of The LEGO Movie is inextricably linked to the LEGO medium, be it the various historic LEGO realms, the constant re-building of components into creative solutions, or even the moment where Emmet can finally “see” the LEGO elements and their associated Part ID’s. The movie was bursting with easter eggs and natively LEGO moments that were a lot of fun to see as an AFOL. By contrast, The LEGO Batman Movie was a Batman movie first, and the LEGO aspects felt like an afterthought. The movie’s core plot would have worked just as well as an animated film, a cartoon, or even a live-action film. This was disappointing to me as a fan of LEGO first, and Batman second. (By contrast, friends who love the Batman franchise were more positive about the film.) The LEGO Ninjago Movie isn’t quite as strongly tied to the brick as the original LEGO Movie, but it’s better. There are lots of clever parts usage moments, and the storyline features specific LEGO elements in a prominent way. For my closing thoughts, and an analysis of how closely the official LEGO sets match the movie, visit http://brickarchitect.com/2017/ninjago-movie/ Thanks, ---tom

I've built almost every set in the LEGO Architecture series, and I'm always excited when a new set is available for the first time. While I really enjoy the variety that the new "Skylines" sets have added to the Architecture range, I don't like that we haven't been seeing quite as many sets based on a single standalone buildings since they were introduced. That's why I was pleased to here that we would be getting three new standalone models this year. I admit that I was a bit underwhelmed with the photos of the Arc de Triomphe set when they were released - I didn't like that intricate carved details were reduced to a single statuette.OVERVIEW:The model contains 386 pieces, and has an MSRP of 39.99$. (This seems too expensive since it contains small and basic parts, and we have been seeing well under .08 cents per piece in recent additions to the Architecture series.)BUILD: I built about half of the model using only the photo on the front of the box. I was unable to complete the model in this way for two reasons... 1) There is an error in the photo on the front of the box. 2) There is a lot of clever SNOT construction techniques used in the upper half of the model.Before getting into the details of the mistake on the cover and in the instructions, I do want to call out a few of the more interesting techniques. The arches slide over the 'Carved' sections containing the statues, which are offset from the rest of the model.I like how you assemble the panels containing the statue which are 1/2 stud offset from the base as a single assembly. This makes the construction process simpler. Assembling the top section of the corniced roof.I also liked seeing how the final level of the roof came together. Brackets and headlight bricks are used to good effect to ensure everything lines up correctly.THE MISTAKE:When trying to build a model using only the photo on the cover, it's critical that the model was assembled correctly before taking the photos. There should be a gray plate beneath the white plate in the tiny sliver of the photo which you can see behind the archway. The same error is reflected in the instruction booklet. They ask you to assemble four identical modules and attach them to the baseplate built on previous steps. The module which goes in the rear-left corner is shown without the layer of gray plate on the bottom. (My guess is the software they use to design the instructions doesn't prevent you from placing one brick on top of another - the module was probably copy/pasted and accidentally pushed one plate too deep.) As you can see, the left module is missing the gray plate. To be fair, it's not a major mistake in the instructions, and people who follow the instructions closely probably won't notice this mistake as they would simply snap all four modules into place as indicated.Closing Thoughts:I have enjoyed visiting Paris, and I agree that the Arc de Triomphe is an important landmark and a great example of Neoclassical architecture. Unfortunately, this is not my favorite recent addition to the LEGO Architecture series (especially since most of the recent sets have been excellent.) I would have liked to see them make the model a little larger so they could have included additional detail in the carved panels surrounding the building. Further, the set is overpriced at 39.99$ for less than 400 pieces. To make matters worse, the set doesn't include any especially large or interesting parts to add to your collection. If you can find it for a steep discount, it's not a bad model, but I'd strongly recommend other models in the series (Louvre, US Capitol, etc...) if you haven't tried them already.What do you think of the model? I'd love to hear your thoughts!Thanks,---Tom AlphinP.S. For additional photos of the build, and more involved discussions about Form vs Applied Decoration in Architecture, feel free to read the longer review I posted to http://brickarchitect.com/2017/review-21036-arc-de-triomphe/

Great submission and excellent photos. The details are top notch and I really appreciate your attention to detail in going back to the drawing board to ensure that the scale is close across of the buildings in the model. ---tom P.S. I like the effect where the wireframe fades into a more detailed image with color.

Great work! This is an intensely difficult building to wrap ones head around, and even harder to figure out how to re-create it's abstract deconstructivist forms within the limitations of the LEGO parts library. This is the best re-creation of Gehry's work that I've seen yet, well done! P.S. I added it to my collection of amazing high-tech architecture re-created in LEGO here: https://www.pinterest.com/tomalphin/lego-architecture-high-tech/ Thanks, ---tom

Amazing work on the 2017 revised edition. It must be such an honor to have your work displayed at the LEGO House.

Super neat model. I was not familiar with this building but think you captured it beautifully. I added it to my collection of great High-tech architecture on pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tomalphin/lego-architecture-high-tech/

This building is a personal favorite, and you've re-created it's unusual form with incredible skill. Amazing work, thanks for sharing. P.S. I've added it to my collection of great LEGO High-tech architecture here: https://www.pinterest.com/tomalphin/lego-architecture-high-tech/

Beautiful model. I am excited to add it to my collection of great LEGO Architecture at https://www.pinterest.com/tomalphin/ Thanks for sharing! ---tom

Thanks All! I've gotten a lot of interesting responses, both in the data collection side, and in the text descriptions that you all have typed for the various questions. @Zux, sorry the email address field turned you off; It's not perfect, but it's a good way to reduce duplicate responses, and it gives me a way to follow-up with someone if i want to better understand their answers. Thankfully, I've already gotten over 100 responses, which is causing patterns to emerge — I am able to see which storage products and methodologies are most appealing based on the age of the builder and/or the size of their collection. ---tom P.S. The survey is still up if you haven't had a chance to complete it yet.

Is your LEGO collection a mess? Is it perfectly organized so you can always find the perfect LEGO element? No matter how big your collection is (or how well organized), I'd love to hear about your LEGO collection! I'm collecting your LEGO storage ideas for an article that helps you find the best storage solutions for your small, large, or growing LEGO collection. It will also include tips and tricks from various LEGO builders around the world. To make it much easier to collect unbiased feedback, I created the following survey. (It will take less than 5 minutes, and I would really appreciate your feedback!) Take the Survey! I'm very interested to hear about what you love about your current solution, what you tried in the past but did not work well, and what you want to try in the future. I'm pretty sure the final article will have some tips and tricks even for the most experienced LEGO builders, and I'm excited to share what I learn here! Sincerely,---Tom AlphinAuthor of The LEGO Architect and designed LEGO Brick Labels.

@KevinMD, Thanks for pointing out the bug on my website - I've since fixed it! I hope that people continue to create amazing models inspired by the Skyline sets, and will continue to update my Pinterest collection as I find great new examples! ---tom

Now that the LEGO Architecture Skylines series is in it's second year, with a total of six sets released so far, We are seeing some amazing fan-made models in the style of the official sets.I just wrote an article highlighting the very best of these custom models. (Before selecting my favorites, I created this Pinterest board where I collected all 24 custom Skyline models I've found so far.)Paris Skyline, by Cecilie Fritzvold Immediately recognizable despite its tiny scale, what's not to love about this Paris Skyline? I really like how closely it follows the style of the official sets.Budapest Skyline, by docbaliThis is another excellent model that follows the style of the official sets very well. It's worth noting that this model is one of the first examples to layer a building behind a bridge for a more interesting composition, preceding the same effect which is used in the new 2017 sets.Dubai Skyline, by Anscott While it is far too large and has an oddly shaped base, there is a lot to love in this Dubai skyline. It's interesting to see how different builders are expanding on the skyline concept. You can see all seven of my favorite models at brickarchitect.comSincerely,---tom P.S. Have you found or created an awesome Skyline model that isn't included on my pinterest page? If so, leave a comment below so I can add it to the collection!

For the past three years, I've created a huge collection of labels to help organize your LEGO bricks, and it now has nearly 1000 labels! I just updated the LEGO Brick Labels collection to include 55 new bricks including Minifigures, Accessories, Animals, Plants, and more...Download the latest version and learn more at http://brickarchitect.com/labels/--- Tom AlphinWhat Are 'LEGO Brick Labels'?Organize your LEGO collection using beautiful labels you can print at home. With almost 1000 different labels, this is the most complete label collection designed exclusively for LEGO bricks. LEGO Brick Labels were designed by Tom Alphin, Author of the bestselling book The LEGO Architect.

I'm biased, but I strongly recommend sorting by part, and storing most of my bricks in small plastic drawers. (I use plastic bags to store overflow, such as bulk brick purchases.) The first step is to pick a storage solution. I prefer the "Akro-Mils" brand, but other builders like "Stack-on". Outside the USA, there are other brands that are popular based on how well they work for LEGO, and price. Two of the most common brands in the USA. Next step is to ensure you can actually find the bricks you are looking for. This requires a few steps: Developing a logical organizational system, or in technical terms, define your taxonomy. A good place to start is look at the groupings used on BrickLink website. (bricks, plates, tiles, wedge, etc...) Sorting the bricks. A good way to do this is to sort into broad taxonomic groups first, then sub-sort each group into individual parts. (It will be normal to have an "other" drawer containing rare bricks that you only have a few of.) Labeling the drawers. This is a place that I invested a lot of time, as I've developed a collection of over 800 labels that you can print at home and use for your growing LEGO collection. LEGO Brick Labels on Akro-Mils storage cabinet. Some of the latest additions to the label collection... A well sorted and labeled collection allows you to focus on building, not on finding. It also makes me more creative, as I can scan the labels on the drawers for creative ways to solve a problem in my model. For more tips on storage, and to learn more about my labels, visit http://brickarchitect.com/labels/ Sincerely, Tom Alphin

I know that I'm a little late for Christmas, but I have received a number of questions about great gifts for LEGO Architecture enthusiasts, and I thought that fellow EuroBricks members might be interested as you wrap-up your holiday gift shopping. Naturally, I included my favorite LEGO Architecture & related sets, as they make fantastic gifts. At this point, my Splurge suggestion is the Parisian Restauraunt, my midrange pick is the US Capitol Building, and my budget pick is the Berlin Skyline set. (The 2017 Skylines also look very interesting and I hope I can recommend them for holiday 2017.)A few of my gift ideas for LEGO Architecture enthusiasts.I also wanted to include some non-LEGO gift ideas as well, as it is my goal with my book, blog and contributions on the site to inspire more LEGO builders to make amazing LEGO Architecture creations.Non-LEGO Gift Suggestions include: LEGO Architect or LEGO Neighborhood Books. Drafting Pencil and Dot-grid Sketchbook. Great Buildings book of Architectural inspiration. Architectures or Frank Lloyd Wright Documentaries. For more info about why I suggested these items, please take a look at http://brickarchitect.com/Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays,---Tom AlphinP.S. As always, I'd love to hear what you have found for the LEGO Architecture Lover, or Architecture Enthusiast in your life. I'd love to add your ideas to my list.

This scale is really challenging and I think you are off to a good start. The overall massing (architecture speak for proportions and general shape) is pretty good. One possible enhancement is to consider using a jumper plate to make the center-most 3 studs of the front facade come forward by 1/2 plate. Great start for a "skylines" style model alongside other Philadelphia landmarks. Sincerely ---Tom Alphin

Like so many of us, I am always very excited to see leaked or official photos of new sets in my favorite themes, especially Architecture. Thankfully, we finally have official photos of the three new sets in the 2017 wave of the LEGO Architecture 'Skylines' theme. The three new sets in the 2017 wave of the "Skylines" theme.This doubles the number of sets in the Skylines series to six, so I think it's fair to expect that this series is here to stay. With 100's of major cities around the world to explore, I don't think they will run out very quickly!Initial Observations: All three sets have around 400 bricks, unlike the 2016 wave which ranged from 212 to 598 bricks. All of the 2016 models had the same width of 32 studs, each of the 2017 models is a different width. (This may make it harder to display them all on the same shelf.) There appear to be some new colors for existing parts. (I'm also unsure of the part used on the top of the Wrigley Building in the Chicago model. It might be a new part.) Unlike the 2016 models, only one of the 2017 models has a Nanofig element. Each of the new models has a base of a different width.For more detailed analysis of the three new models, please visit: http://brickarchitect.com/2016/2017-lego-architecture-preview/The focus on the Skylines theme feels like a mixed blessing: on the one hand, we are getting more LEGO architecture sets each year than in the past; unfortunately this seems to be at the expense of the larger models focusing on a single building. What do you think? Do you love the Skylines, or wish for more large classic LEGO Architecture models? Thanks,Tom AlphinAuthor, 'The LEGO Architect' (now available in French, Spanish, Russian & Japanese.)

I just corrected an error in the instructions, which was pointed out by a forum member. A new "version 1.1" is available for download on my website.

I am really excited that the Brick Loot team gave me an opportunity to design a model which was included in the November Brick Loot box. I jumped at the chance to expand on the narrative I started with my book 'The LEGO Architect' by creating a new model that explores a recent trend in Architecture.LEGO Architecture model in November 2016 Brick Loot subscription.The model I designed explores contemporary architecture trends, emphasizing projecting volumes, angular shapes, glass, and mixed materials. I call the model “@ Home”, because the front facade has a curving yellow shape that looks like an “@” sign.Detailed building instructions(A video of the build steps is available at Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzxIuxEig8I&feature=youtu.be )You will find more information about the model, instructions, videos, and photos of early prototypes that I created along the way at: http://brickarchitect.com/brickloot/ Thanks,Tom Alphin, Author 'The LEGO Architect'