Lego theme
Lego Architecture (stylized as LEGO Architecture ) is a Lego theme that aims to "celebrate the past, present and future of architecture through the Lego Brick".[ 2] The brand includes a series of Lego sets designed by "Architectural Artist" Adam Reed Tucker, and each contain the pieces and instructions to build a model of a famous architectural building or city skyline in micro-scale.
Development
Adam Reed Tucker earned a degree in architecture at Kansas State University in 1996.[ 3] While there, he sought a method to join his two passions of art and architecture, and hit upon the idea of using Lego bricks. From this, he founded Brickstructures, Inc. , and began to design and build models of famous landmarks. His work was noticed by The Lego Group , and together they formed a partnership to release some of his models as commercially available Lego sets under the Lego Architecture brand.
Architecture sets
According to BrickLink , The Lego Group has released 64 playsets as part of the Lego Architecture theme.[ 1]
Sets in the product line contain a premium booklet, that – besides the build instructions – also includes various information and pictures of the building itself.
By the beginning of 2009, six sets had been released in the range, under two 'series'. Within the 'Landmark Series' are models of the Sears Tower (21000), John Hancock Center (21001), the Empire State Building (21002), and the Space Needle (21003). Within the 'Architect Series' are models of the Guggenheim Museum (21004) and Fallingwater (21005).
In the beginning of July 2010, a seventh set, the White House (21006), was released. An eighth set (21007) was released in November 2010: New York's Rockefeller Center . The ninth set (21009), Farnsworth House (Plano, Illinois) , was released in April 2011. A tenth set (21008), The Burj Khalifa , was released in June 2011. The Willis Tower (21000) was also released in 2011, this kit was a re-issue of the original Sears Tower kit; the only change was the printed tile to reflect the building's renaming.
An eleventh and twelfth set, the Robie House (21010) and the Brandenburg Gate (21011) were released in September 2011.[ 4] [ 5]
In January 2012, it was announced that the next Architecture set would be 21012 Sydney Opera House . The set was released in March 2012.
In June 2012, Big Ben (21013) was released. In July 2012, the Namdaemun Gate (renamed Sungnyemun Gate ) (21016) was released. In September 2012, the Villa Savoye (21014) was released. The Eames House (21015) and Glass House were scheduled and then canceled, as it never came out as a set. The company tried to add the Eames House in again with set number (21025), but nothing could be done to put it in production.
In June 2013, the Leaning Tower of Pisa (21015) was announced for the Lego Architecture series. Its set number (21015) replaced the original Eames House after it was canceled. United Nations Headquarters (21018) came out next. In October 2013, Marina Bay Sands and the Eiffel Tower were both announced.
Set
Series
Name
Location
Released
Number of pieces
Retired
Image
21000
Landmark
Sears Tower [ 6]
Chicago
2008
69
2014
Lego Architecture Sears Tower
Willis Tower
2011
21001
Landmark
John Hancock Center
Chicago
2008
69
2012
21002
Landmark
Empire State Building
New York City
2009
77
2015
21003
Landmark
Seattle Space Needle
Seattle
2009
57
2016
Lego Architecture Space Needle
21004
Architect
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum [ 7]
New York City
2009
208
2014
Lego Architecture Guggenheim
21005
Architect
Fallingwater [ 7]
Mill Run, Pennsylvania
2009
811
2015
21006
Architect
The White House
Washington, D.C.
2010
560
2017
Lego Architecture White House
21007
Architect
Rockefeller Center
New York City
2010
240
2014
Lego Architecture Rockefeller Center
21008
Landmark
Burj Khalifa [ 8]
Dubai
2011
208
2014
Lego Architecture Burj Khalifa
21009
Architect
Farnsworth House [ 9]
Plano, Illinois
2011
546
2015
21010
Architect
Robie House [ 10]
Chicago
2011
2,276
2014
21011
Landmark
Brandenburg Gate
Berlin
2011
363
2016
Lego Architecture Brandenburg Gate
21012
Architect
Sydney Opera House [ 11]
Sydney
2012
270
2015
Lego Architecture Sydney Opera House
21013
Landmark
Big Ben [ 12]
London
2012
346
2017
Lego Architecture Big Ben
21014
Architect
Villa Savoye [ 13]
Paris
2012
660
2016
Lego Architecture Villa Savoye
21015
Landmark
The Leaning Tower of Pisa
Pisa
2013
345
2016
Lego Architecture Leaning Tower of Pisa
21016
Landmark
Sungnyemun [ 14]
Seoul
2012
325
2014
Lego Architecture Sungnyemun
21017
Architect
Imperial Hotel [ 15]
Tokyo
2013
1,188
2016
Lego Architecture Imperial Hotel
21018
Landmark
United Nations Headquarters [ 16]
New York City
2013
597
2016
Lego Architecture United Nations
21019
Landmark
The Eiffel Tower [ 17]
Paris
2014
321
2019
Lego Architecture Eiffel Tower
21020
Landmark
Trevi Fountain [ 18]
Rome
2014
731
2017
Lego Architecture Trevi Fountain
21021 (limited edition)
Landmark
Marina Bay Sands
Singapore
2014
602
2016
21022
Landmark
Lincoln Memorial [ 19]
Washington, D.C.
2015
274
2017
21023
Landmark
Flatiron Building
New York City
2015
471
2017
21024
Landmark
Louvre
Paris
2015
695
2019
Lego Architecture Louvre
21026
Skyline
Venice
Italy
2016
212
2018
Lego Architecture Venice
21027
Skyline
Berlin
Germany
2016
289
2018
Lego Architecture Berlin
21028
Skyline
New York City
United States
2016
598
-
Lego Architecture New York City
21029
Landmark
Buckingham Palace
London
2016
780
2019
21030
Landmark
United States Capitol
Washington, D.C.
2016
1,032
2020
Lego Architecture U.S. Capitol
21031
Landmark
Burj Khalifa
Dubai
2016
333
2018
21032
Skyline
Sydney [ 20]
Australia
2017
361
2019
Lego Architecture Sydney
21033
Skyline
Chicago [ 20]
United States
2017
444
2019
Lego Architecture Chicago
21034
Skyline
London [ 20]
United Kingdom
2017
468
-
Lego Architecture London
21035
Landmark
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
New York City
2017
744
2019
21036
Landmark
Arc de Triomphe
Paris
2017
386
2019
21037 (Lego House exclusive)
Landmark
Lego House
Billund, Denmark
2017
774
-
21038
Skyline
Las Vegas
United States
2018
487
Replaced[ a]
21039
Skyline
Shanghai
China
2018
597
2021
Lego Architecture Shanghai
21041
Landmark
Great Wall of China
China
2018
551
2020
Lego Architecture Great Wall of China
21042
Landmark
Statue of Liberty
New York City
2018
1,685
-
Lego Architecture Statue of Liberty
21043
Skyline
San Francisco
United States
2019
565
2021
Lego Architecture San Francisco
21044
Skyline
Paris
France
2019
649
-
Lego Architecture Paris
21045
Landmark
Trafalgar Square
London
2019
1,197
2022
Lego Architecture Trafalgar Square
21046
Landmark
Empire State Building
New York City
2019
1,767
2022
Lego Architecture Empire State Building
21047
Skyline
Las Vegas
United States
2018
501
2021
Lego Architecture Las Vegas
21050
Studio [ 21]
—
2013
1,210
2019
Lego Architecture Studio
21051
Skyline
Tokyo
Japan
2020
547
2022
Lego Architecture Tokyo
21052
Skyline
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
2020
740
2022
Lego Architecture Dubai
21054
Landmark
The White House
Washington, D.C.
2020
1,483
2023
Lego Architecture White House 2
21055 (European markets only)
Landmark
Burj Khalifa
Dubai
2019
333
2022[ b]
21056
Landmark
Taj Mahal
Agra
2021
2,022
-
Lego Architecture Taj Mahal
21057
Skyline[ 22]
Singapore
Singapore
2022
827
-
21058
Landmark[ 23]
Great Pyramid of Giza
Cairo
2022
1,476
-
Lego Architecture Great Pyramid of Giza
21060
Landmark[ 24]
Himeji Castle
Himeji
2023
2,125
-
21061
Landmark[ 25]
Notre-Dame de Paris
Paris
2024
4,383
-
Special editions
Set
Name
Location
Released
Number of pieces
Comments
Image
4000002
LOM Moulding
Monterrey
2011
174
Given to employees.
4000005
KOM Moulding
Billund, Denmark
2012
315
Given to employees. Kornmarken Factory is the first and largest LEGO moulding and production factory.
4000006
Kladno Campus
Kladno
2012
250
Given to employees.
4000009
HMV Production
Billund, Denmark
2013
285
Given to employees. HMV is the name of the packing factory at LEGO Billund, which this set is based on.
4000010
LEGO House [ 26]
Billund, Denmark
2014
250
Only sold at the LEGO House in Billund. Lego House opened in Billund in 2017.
Lego House
4000011
Nyíregyháza Factory
Nyíregyháza
2014
327
Given to employees. Lego model of the Nyíregyháza Factory.
4000015
LOM Moulding B
Monterrey
2014
215
Given to employees. Additional packing building, which expands the footprint of the existing facility.
4000016
Billund Airport
Billund, Denmark
2014
281
Only sold at Billund Airport . This set was made for the 50th anniversary of the Airport.
4000018
Kladno Campus
Kladno
2015
412
Given to employees. Kladno campus is the name of building C at the Czech Lego factory, which this set is based on.
4000023
Jiaxing Factory
China
2016
407
Given to employees. Set of the Lego factory in Jiaxing , China.[ 27] [ 28]
40199
Billund Airport
Billund, Denmark
2018
286
Only sold at Billund Airport . New edition from 4000016, only 10,000 units sold, no longer available.
4000038
LEGO Campus
Billund, Denmark
2022
1,494
Given to employees. Released to celebrate the grand opening of the LEGO Campus on April 5, 2022.
Impact
The product range has been reviewed favorably by many commentators. Journalist Jenny Williams said "The scale on these kits is pretty small, though, so don't expect exquisite detail. But creating with Lego bricks is quite a fun way to pay homage to great architects".[ 29]
A near-exact replica of set 21006, The White House, appears in the eight story arc of the Japanese manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure , JoJolion , where it used by the villain character Poor Tom to activate his "stand" power, "Ozon Baby".[ 30] [ 31] [ 32]
References
^ a b "BrickLink Reference Catalog - Sets - Category LEGO Architecture" . Bricklink . Retrieved 2021-04-12 .
^ "About Lego Architecture" . Lego Group . Retrieved 29 December 2009 .[dead link ]
^ "Brickstructures" . Retrieved 29 December 2009 .
^ Official Announcement: 21010 Robie House , 13 July 2011, archived from the original on 22 July 2011, retrieved 11 August 2011
^ Sarah Firsheinn (8 August 2011), Lego to Eternalize the Brandenburg Gate in Architecture Series , Curbed Network , archived from the original on 2 October 2011, retrieved 11 August 2011
^ "Sears Tower now named Willis Tower" . CNN . July 16, 2009
^ a b "Release of two Frank Lloyd Wright Collection sets from LEGO Architecture" Archived 2014-07-15 at the Wayback Machine . Lego.com . May 9, 2009
^ "The world's tallest building in LEGO bricks" . Lego.com . May 25, 2011
^ "Modernist architectural icon immortalised in LEGO bricks" Archived 2012-04-22 at the Wayback Machine . Lego.com . April 4, 2011
^ "Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House Joins LEGO Architecture series" Archived 2012-04-22 at the Wayback Machine . Lego.com . September 19, 2011
^ "Sydney's revered opera house immortalized in LEGO bricks" Archived 2012-03-14 at the Wayback Machine . Lego.com . February 21, 2012
^ "LEGO® Big Ben celebrates Victorian London's greatest landmark" Archived 2012-06-08 at the Wayback Machine . Lego.com . April 18, 2012
^ "Le Corbusier's French masterpiece becomes a LEGO Architecture model" Archived 2012-09-07 at the Wayback Machine . Lego.com . August 31, 2012
^ "A Korean landmark recreated as LEGO Architecture" Archived 2012-05-30 at the Wayback Machine . Lego.com . May 14, 2012
^ "Revisit the Imperial Hotel with LEGO Architecture" Archived 2013-03-05 at the Wayback Machine . Lego.com . March 1, 2013
^ " Archived 2014-11-02 at the Wayback Machine . BrickExtra . May 15, 2013
^ Lego Architecture: Der Eiffelturm – das ist Spitze Ukonio.de 14 Oktober 2014
^ BREAKING: Trevi-fontein wordt volgende Lego Architecture set Archived 2018-08-21 at the Wayback Machine Madpac.nl 13 January 2014
^ Série LEGO Architecture incluirá o Lincoln Memorial e o Edifício Flatiron Archdaily.com
^ a b c "Architecture | 2017" . Retrieved 2016-09-11 .
^ " Archived 2013-12-03 at the Wayback Machine . Brickset . June 29, 2013
^ "Soar into the Singapore skyline with LEGO Architecture" . Brick Fanatics . 1 January 2022.
^ "LEGO Architecture 21058 Great Pyramid of Giza officially revealed" . Brick Fanatics . 10 May 2022.
^ "21060 Himeji Castle revealed!" . Brickset . 26 June 2023.
^ "REVIEW: #21061 Notre Dame (LEGO Architecture)" . Brickarchitect . 10 May 2024.
^ Exclusive: 4000010 LEGO House Brickset.com 17 March 2014
^ "Newsroom - About Us - LEGO.com" . www.lego.com .
^ Ruijter, Michiel de (28 November 2016). "Exclusieve LEGO 4000023 Jiaxing Factory set - Bouwsteentjes.info" .
^ Jenny Williams (23 May 2009). "Frank Lloyd Wright + Lego = Awesome" . Geekdad . Wired .
^ Araki, Hirohiko (2017). Escape from Mount Hanarero . Shueisha. ISBN 978-4-08-881443-8 .
^ Araki, Hirohiko (2018). North of the Higashikata Household. The Orchard . Shueisha. ISBN 978-4-08-881452-0 .
^ Araki, Hirohiko (2018). Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Wu Tomoki . Shueisha. ISBN 978-4-08-881596-1 .
External links