The Brick Show

Here’s What To Expect From LEGO and WB Games at Next Week’s E3.

It has been a quiet week over at our Brick Show blogsite, and I’m glad to be back with several bits of info that we may have missed during the past days. So I’ll be trying to filter these things to bring you the most important ones that best suit our LEGO fancy.

First off, we now have official confirmation that LEGO will definitely make its presence felt at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, California slated next week from June 13 to 15, thanks to Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. For the first time ever, WB Games will be broadcasting live from the heat of the action at the E3’s show floor, specifically from its E3 Booth #1023. We will get a firsthand look at what lies ahead for the latest LEGO video game releases, including LEGO Worlds, LEGO Dimensions, and its most recent offering, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2. Frankly speaking, what interest me the most is WB Games’ expected announcement on the future of LEGO’s toys-to-life genre – LEGO Dimensions. It has been rumored heavily in the past that Dimensions may have probably reached the end of its line and is now close to being cancelled as a series. Hopefully, the events at E3 next week will finally shed light on this matter once and for all.

WB Games’ live broadcast may be viewed starting on June 13 at 9PM (BST) at their official site. They’ve also included a calendar where you can find specific time slots on when these video games will be featured. I’ve summed them up below for easy reference, followed by WB Games’ official press release courtesy of GamePress and Gamasutra.

LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2

Day 1, June 13 – 4:15AM – 4:35AM MPST
Day 2, June 14 – 2:45AM – 3:05AM MPST
Day 3, June 15 – 2:45AM – 3:05AM MPST

LEGO Worlds

Day 1, June 13 – 4:35AM – 4:55AM MPST
Day 2, June 14 – 3:05AM – 3:25AM MPST
Day 3, June 15 – 3:05AM – 3:25AM MPST

LEGO Dimensions

Day 1, June 13 – 4:55AM – 5:15AM MPST
Day 2, June 14 – 3:25AM – 3:45AM MPST
Day 3, June 15 – 3:25AM – 3:45AM MPST

First Ever WB Games Live! E3 Streaming Event Lets Fans Everywhere Join the Fun

This year, fans everywhere are invited to tune-in to the WB Games Live! streaming event from the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) show floor. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced that for the first time it will be broadcasting live from its E3 booth, South Hall, #1023, for its first ever WB Games Live! event. Coming straight from the Los Angeles Convention Centre, the event will be streamed throughout the days of the show, 13th-15th of June, and can be viewed at http://live.wbgames.com.

WB Games Live! will give gamers and fans who are not able to attend E3 the chance to join in and take part in the excitement of the show. Those who tune-in will be treated to live gameplay demos, discussions with world renowned game developers and surprise guests, as well as cosplay contests. They will also be able to enter for online giveaways and prizes.

WB Games Live! will stream during the dates and times below. Fans can visit http://live.wbgames.com now for a full schedule of events.

Tuesday, 13 th June: 9:00 p.m. – 1:40 a.m BST

Wednesday 14 th June: 7.30 p.m. – 12:40 a.m BST

Thursday 15 th June: 7.30 p.m. – 12:40 a.m BST

The video game titles that will be featured in the WB Games Live! show include:

Middle-earth™: Shadow of War™

Injustice™ 2

LEGO® Marvel Super Heroes 2

LEGO® Worlds

LEGO® Dimensions

Will keep you posted on the latest LEGO video games updates and happenings once E3 finally kicks in next week, so be sure to keep tabs with us here at the Brick Show.

Here’s What To Expect From The Largest LEGO Fan Convention in the Philippines – The Abrickadbra 2017 (Part 1).

Here at the Brick Show, one of our aims is to offer our followers a glimpse of the best and most creative use of the LEGO brick both in the US and across the globe. The appeal of creating something new using LEGO seems to be universal to say the least as evidenced by locally arranged LEGO fan conventions and brick festivals all around the world. Last March, I mentioned in one of my previous posts that the Philippines is getting ready for its largest LEGO fan convention spearheaded by the Philippine LEGO Users Group, or PhLUG. Dubbed as Abrickadabra, the LEGO fan convention showcases the most creative MOCs, both from kids and adults alike, that also cleverly conveys the unique Filipino culture.

Frankly speaking, since the inception of Abrickadabra in 2015, I never had the opportunity of visiting this LEGO fan event for various reasons. So imagine my excitement when I was invited to PhLUG’s mini press event a couple of weeks ago to have an early look at what we can expect from the country’s largest gathering of LEGO fans.

The PhLUG is currently steered by its captain and founder Piper Protacio, who also happens to be the Philippines’ LUG Ambassador. His passion for the LEGO brick is seriously contagious! Speaking in behalf of PhLUG during the mini press event, Piper gave the attendees a glimpse of what will take place on the 27^th as Abrickadabra 2017 kicks in.

First off, a little background about Abrickadabra. Now on its third year, it is PhLUG’s annual LEGO fan convention where original LEGO MOCs, building events, and informative LEGO building techniques are shared and discussed all in an atmosphere of fun and camaraderie. It is by far, the largest LEGO fan convention in the Philippines, followed only by BRICKXhibit which is also organized by PhLUG and held usually in December. Every year, PhLUG strives to make Abrickadbra even better by adding more interactive, hands-on activities that cater not only to children and AFOLs, but to the general public as well. Its overarching goal is to promote the LEGO brick as a medium to channel one’s creativity and to see it not just a mere toy made of ABS plastic.

Piper went on to introduce the cool guys behind PhLUG’s SIGs or sub-interest groups, and on display during the press event were some of the MOCs that will be showcased during Abrickadabra. There are five SIGs under the PhLUG umbrella, namely:

Force Legion, which specializes in Star Wars builds and other vehicles from the galaxy far, far away.

Kingdoms, where medieval kings, pirates, and samurais rule.

Sci-fi, where LEGO artisans give life to sci-fi characters, mechs and Steampunk creations.

Urban, when it’s an urban jungle of LEGO bricks out there.

Versus, where all the brick-built superheroes converge and clash.

Other than the creative minds behind this amazing MOCs, what caught my attention was how dedicated PhLUG is in giving budding LEGO MOCers (if I used the term correctly) a chance to show their creations. I’m glad to hear that more than just being an AFOL event, Abrickadabra also encourages children to create and take pride in their MOCs. Here’s a special shout out to Zion, Manuel and Gero for taking time to share and say something about their original LEGO builds. These kids will be a part of Abrickadabra’s Junior Builders where children age 12 and below will a have a spot in sharing their original LEGO creations. Here’s a sampling of what these kids can do.

To my surprise, present also during the press event was builder Mark Gotidoc whose LEGO Ideas entry, the LEGO Brickheadz Inside Out, was once featured in our list of 7 LEGO Brickheadz MOCs that will win your hearts. It was a pleasure chatting with him and learning more about his LEGO Ideas project. If you wish to support him as well as I do, you may head over at the LEGO Ideas website and cast your vote.

Other event highlights include a Vintage LEGO Corner where well preserved, LEGO classic sets from the 60s till the 80s will be put on display.

Sascha Olik, one of the most prolific LEGO builders in the country, will also be adding fun to the event by exhibiting his original Super Dimension Fortress Macross LEGO creation. The sheer scale and accuracy of this build – weighed in at 11,000 pieces of LEGO bricks – is absolutely stunning.

If these fascinating LEGO creations have piqued your interest for Abrickadabra 2017, then you might be thrilled to know more about the rest of the activities that PhLUG has lined up for this event. I’ll be covering that in my next instalment so be sure to keep tabs with us. So if you happen to be in Manila as you’re reading this, you might as well block your calendar this Saturday and pay a visit at the Promenade Hall in Greenhills, San Juan, Manila. Tickets will be sold at the venue for Php100, or roughly $2 each, and you may follow PhLUG’s official Facebook page for more updates leading to the event.

Special thanks to Piper and Chestnut for the rest of the photos.

LEGO Launches the LEGO World of Creativity Tour.

Remember that time during the late 90s when LEGO introduced the concept of its LEGO Imagination Celebration Tour? Loaded with more than a half million LEGO bricks and pieces, the Truck Show was LEGO’s bearer of good tidings and was very much welcomed across 25 US cities during its brief stint. It was done, in part, to celebrate LEGO’s 25^th anniversary in the US. LEGO fans, adults and children alike, experienced a unique building experience where they got the chance of participating in a variety of brick-building activities, the most memorable of which is the Ultimate LEGO Creation Building Contest. The LEGO Imagination Celebration Tour was so endearing to the LEGO Group that they eventually decided to immortalize the Truck Show as an actual complimentary LEGO set for those who participated in last year’s LEGO Inside Tour.

This time around, the tradition of sharing joy and spreading creative fun is very much alive again thanks to another ‘bricktastic’ adventure from LEGO. LEGO Systems Inc. has announced a similar tour to launch in North America beginning on July 7. Dubbed as the LEGO World of Creativity Tour, the brand new LEGO play experience promises tons of activities geared towards the entire family. The said tour will make five stops across the US and tickets are now available for purchase. Check out the LEGO Group’s official statement below.

LEGO Systems, Inc. Announces New Interactive Experience Tour – the LEGO® World of Creativity

-Show Will Travel to Five Cities in 2017, Beginning in Savannah, Georgia July 7-

ENFIELD, Conn. (May 10, 2017) – Kids and adults alike are in for a “bricktastic” adventure as LEGO Systems, Inc. kicks off the LEGO® World of Creativity tour. This new, hands-on LEGO building experience will tour the United States offering creative adventures for families across the country. LEGO World of Creativity will make five stops in 2017, launching in Savannah, GA July 7-9. Additional tour stops include: Albuquerque, NM (August 4-6), Tacoma, WA (September 8-10), Boise, ID (September 29-October 1), and Madison, WI (October 13-15). Tickets on sale now at worldofcreativity.lego.com. The tour will continue in 2018, with markets and dates to be announced at a later date.

Packed with innovative activities all centered around the endless possibility of the LEGO brick, LEGO World of Creativity gives children and parents a chance to imagine, build and play together. Featuring new interactive building activities, as well as proven family-favorite experiences, LEGO World of Creativity is designed for the whole family to explore the world through imagination and creativity. Families will be captivated by the variety of build and play experiences available in hands-on building zones, such as The Big City, where they can build custom LEGO vehicles and test them down race ramps, The Ocean, where they are invited to build sand castles on a LEGO brick beach, and Outer Space, where customized LEGO creations are put to the gravity test. Other building activities, games and challenges will round out each stop.

“We can’t wait to be back on the road to bring a brand new LEGO building experience to families,” said Vince Rubino, senior manager, event marketing for LEGO Systems. “We know how much families enjoy the time they spend together at our brand-in-hand events. The LEGO World of Creativity tour combines some of the most popular official LEGO event experiences with a new slate of interactive activities centered on open-ended creative building that are sure to surprise and delight kids and adults alike.”

“We are thrilled to collaborate with LEGO Systems on the LEGO World of Creativity tour and we’re excited to bring the classic LEGO brick building experience to families across the country,” said Eddie Newquist, EVP and chief creative officer for global events company, GES. “With GES’ long history of connecting brands with the families who love them, we are sure that the LEGO World of Creativity tour will be a wonderful addition to the roster of official LEGO experiences.”

Seven sessions – each three hours in length – will be held at each tour stop over three days. The event requires a timed-entry ticket and visitors are encouraged to purchase their tickets early to ensure entry during their desired date and time.

Information regarding show schedule, venue, directions, event information, and tickets can be found at worldofcreativity.lego.com.

LEGO Store May Calendar Now Up!

The LEGO Store Calendar for the month of May has now been released, and it is a fitting tribute for that month where legions of the Star Wars faithful gather and celebrate, especially that this year marks the 40^th anniversary of the Star Wars saga. Check out the highlights for next month’s LEGO Store events.

May 2 to 3: FREE VIP Monthly Mini Build.

For the month of May, the next FREE mini build will be the Car (40243). To reserve a spot, visit shop.LEGO.com/Minibuild-Registration starting April 15.

May 4 onwards: Get the new D2C exclusive, LEGO Star Wars UCS Snowspeeder (75144) available only in LEGO Stores and at shop.LEGO.com.

This latest UCS set is slated to be the highlight of LEGO’s May the 4^th celebrations. The LEGO Star Wars UCS Snowspeeder (75144) has already been revealed and will be available to all, starting of course, on May 4. The next Ultimate Collector Series hailing from the Resistance comes in at 1,703 pieces and will retail at $200.

May 4 to 7: Free R2-D2 (30611) polybag set with a LEGO Star Wars Purchase of $50 + Double VIP Points.

The highly sought after buildable R2-D2 polybag set is the Star Wars promotional highlight for next month, in line with the movie franchise’s 40^th anniversary. A healthy amount of interest surrounded the most popular droid on the planet, especially now that he comes as a sought after, brick-built collectible. For me, it is a better deal as compared to previous years’ SW minifigure promotional. It is also wise to assume that this polybag set will go out fast because of the very limited window of opportunity in which it will be offered.

To spice things up, LEGO is throwing in another round of Double VIP points throughout the week on ALL LEGO Star Wars sets, plus discounts on selected ones. On a side note, the UCS Snowspeeder is not included on the list of sale items. However, if you’re holding back on your purchase of the Battle of Scariff (75171) and Y-Wing Starfighter (75172), next month is the best time to get them since both sets will earn you 50 bonus VIP points if you purchase them in May.

May 4: Special Star Wars Events in Stores!

Throughout the whole day, children ages 6-14 may visit any LEGO Store dressed up in their favorite Star Wars character and join in the Search & Find activity where participants can receive a pair of collectible Yoda ears (not sure how it will look like though, maybe a cap of some sorts?). In the afternoon at 5PM, participants will also get a chance to participate in a minifigure speed build challenge where the fastest builder will receive a free minifigure. Participation in the minifig speed build challenge may require registration so be sure to ask a Brick Specialist.

May 8 to 21: Free Mini Milano With Purchases of $35 or More!

Right after the buildable R2-D2 promotional, comes the FREE LEGO Marvel Supeheroes GOTG Vol. 2 Milano (30499) polybag. Though this polybag set will be available for a longer promotional period as compared to R2, better expect this one to fly out of the shelves quickly as well.

Whole Month of May: Receive a Special Star Wars passport stamp when you download the LEGO Life App.

April 24 to June 25: Help the Rebel Alliance Build a Base Camp.

Take part in the Rebel Alliance by building vehicles, aircrafts or droids for the base camp at your local LEGO Store. Snap a photo of your creation and upload it to the LEGO Life app to receive a pair of wearable Yoda ears while supplies last. This building activity is for children ages 6-14 only.

May 13 and 14: Mother’s Day Weekend Building Event.

On Mother’s Day, come in and build a spring inspired Tulip (40039) mini build that you get to take home for FREE. This event is for VIP members and intended for ages 6 to 14 years old. Registration is required so be sure to inquire at your nearest LEGO Store.

Interestingly, the LEGO Store May Calendar also gives us a peek at some LEGO Duplo sets (Flo’s Café 10846 and Thunder Hollow Crazy 8 Race 10744) dedicated to Disney’s Cars 3, just before it debuts in cinemas in August. Starting May, several Minecraft, Elves, Star Wars, and Marvel Superheroes sets will also be available so be sure to check them out.

A Recap of What To Expect Inside the LEGO Booth During 2017 Star Wars Celebration in Orlando.

We already knew since the start of the year that LEGO has been listed as one of the exhibitors in the highly celebrated Star Wars Celebration 2017 in Orlando this April. If you’re one with the legion of Star Wars faithful who marked their calendars for this event beginning April 13 next week, then you better make sure that you don’t miss out on what LEGO has to offer. For almost two decades, LEGO has been actively involved in the Star Wars Celebration scene where fans of the movie franchise get the chance of winning or purchasing LEGO Star Wars exclusives that you can’t find anywhere else. Unforgettable examples of these are the ultra rare, solid gold C-3PO minifigures (only five were ever made) that were raffled during the SW Celebration IV back in May of 2007.

Though we can assume that it will be highly unlikely that we’ll be seeing a similar promotional anytime soon such as a solid gold minifigure, what we can expect is that the LEGO Booth has plenty of equally delightful surprises as well. These include exclusive, limited edition sets that you can purchase from the LEGO booth only through a pre-selected raffle draw. Yes, that’s how in-demand these LEGO Star Wars sets are that in order to purchase them, you need to be a lottery winner.

Here’s a recap of the rules that LEGO has drafted to guide all attendees of this year’s Star Wars Celebration. Remember: the lottery process requires registering online and will end at 12:01AM EST on Thursday, April 6 so better catch up fast.

There is still time to enter the LEGO Exclusive lottery! #SWCO https://t.co/GjMW8XJxEh pic.twitter.com/5jLFDTTyTQ

— StarWars Celebration (@SW_Celebration) April 2, 2017

Enter the LEGO Exclusives Lottery!

LEGO is coming to Star Wars Celebration Orlando! LEGO will be bringing several exclusive collectibles to the Show Floor and you could go home with one – or all of them! In order to streamline the process and fairly determine who will be eligible to enter the LEGO booth, we’re raffling off tickets and you could get a chance to get into the LEGO booth and snag some LEGO Exclusives – only available at Star Wars Celebration Orlando!

Participation in this process is REQUIRED in order to win a priority ticket with a reserved time to visit the LEGO booth at Star Wars Celebration Orlando. The lottery process will close at 12:01 AM EST on April 6. All winners will be notified by April 7 of the date and time that they can line up at the LEGO booth.

The LEGO booth will open to the public each day AFTER the ticketed sessions (approximately 4:00 PM Thurs-Fri-Sat-Sun) if there is remaining inventory available. The only way to get a ticket to the first sessions of the day is to enter the lottery!

Sessions for all days of Celebration:

Session 1: report to the LEGO Booth at 10:00 AM
Session 2: report to the LEGO Booth at 11:30 PM
Session 3: report to the LEGO Booth at 1:00 PM
Session 4: report to the LEGO Booth at 2:30 PM

LEGO Booth open to all Fans at 4:00 PM – pending inventory

Rules:

This random drawing is for a chance to get a ticket to purchase items at the LEGO booth.

Attendee & Professional badges only. No Exhibitors.
One application per person only. Attendees will not be permitted to attend more than one ticketed session at the LEGO booth during the event
You must have a valid Star Wars Celebration Orlando 2017 badge for any days you select. No exceptions. We will be checking your badge confirmation to ensure that if you win the lottery for a specific day, you have a badge for that corresponding day.
Tickets are awarded randomly for a specific date and time and must be redeemed for that specific session only. No exceptions.
Tickets are not transferrable and ID will be checked.
You must bring your ticket to the LEGO booth to be scanned at the time of your session. You will not be allowed to purchase exclusives without your lottery ticket.
There will be a strict limit of one of each item per ticket.
You will not be able to line up at the LEGO booth before your session begins.
Every person in line will require a ticket. No exceptions.

The bigger question in every LEGO Star Wars fans have in mind is: what are these exclusive sets that make it so important and exclusive? What will LEGO bring on the SW Celebration table? Are we going to see new sets, and what Star Wars films will they be based on? These questions will all be hopefully answered once Star Wars Celebration 2017 kicks off on April 13. We’ll keep you posted here at the Brick Show so stay tuned!

Gear Up for PhLUG’s ABRICKADABRA 2017.

If you are a regular follower of our blogsite, then you have probably realized already that I hail from the Philippines. As a Filipino AFOL, my love and advocacy for the LEGO brick is not unmet with particular region-specific challenges. With oftentimes outrageous prices tagged on most of my favorite LEGO sets, keeping up with the hobby is peculiarly difficult. LEGO in itself is quite expensive already as compared to other similar building/construction toys (though I have no qualms over it, knowing that the quality of LEGO bricks and pieces are by far superior than others), but being an international brand with high, local taxes levied on it definitely adds to the burden of high costs.

Thankfully, the recent proliferation of LEGO Certified Stores here in our country has started to mitigate the costs of LEGO sets locally. Another source of encouragement is the establishment of the country’s official LEGO Users Group aptly named as PhLUG. Founded in December of 2012, PhLUG or the Philippines LEGO Users Group consists of members not only from the Philippines but also Filipino AFOLs based in other parts of the globe such as in the US, Europe, and the rest of Asia. Since its inception in 2012, PhLUG has been active in the LEGO interest scene by organizing events and online initiatives that include MOC-building and community building activities all aimed at stimulating interest in creating original LEGO builds, and espousing camaraderie among its members. Some of these activities include organizing publicly accessible events such as Brickxhibit, BRICKFast, and the internationally renowned Philippine LEGO Convention, ABRICKADABRA. LEGO interest groups such as the PhLUG help fan the flames of our passion for the LEGO brick regardless of our backgrounds and cultural differences. It’s a reminder that at the heart of it all, we are indeed building a community one brick at a time.

Images courtesy of PhLUG.

This year, PhLUG is gearing up once more for another awesome year of ABRICKADABRA which began in 2015. This 1-day event promises another year of bigger and more exciting LEGO MOCs and displays which will happen on May 27 at the Promenade Hall in Greenhills, Manila. More than just a LEGO exhibit, the event will also feature building competitions, lectures and presentations on building techniques, trading, and getting to touch base with an incredible bunch of like-minded LEGO fans. It is a grand event that surely has every LEGO enthusiast in mind.

I know this might be a long shot for you in case your reading this outside of the Philippines, but if ever you have plans of visiting the country this May – which is also a great time to visit considering it is summer time over here, which means less chance of heavy rains – then make it a point to visit ABRICKADABRA on May 27. You may keep tabs with this event by heading over to PhLUG’s Facebook page. It’s definitely marked on my calendar, and I’ll be covering the events on this annual LEGO event so hope to see some of you there.

LEGO and Toys R Us Brings Back the LEGO Disney Lumiere Build and Take Home Event.

Disney ‘s live adaptation of the timeless tale of Beauty and the Beast is still going strong in theaters, and with a current box office record of more than 400 million US dollars in worldwide ticket sales since its debut last Friday, the live action film is set off to be one of Disney’s most successful films to date.

To celebrate the film’s success, Toys R Us is launching its Disney Beauty and Beast Movie Launch Party at all TRU stores nationwide this Saturday, March 25 from 1 to 3PM. The highlight of this one-time event is TRU’s LEGO Build and Take Home activity where children ages 6 and up can build and bring home their very own LEGO Disney Lumiere for free. The event also features a Disney Beauty and the Beast coloring activity where participants can also take advantage of an undisclosed special offer.

If you recall last September, TRU also launched the same build and take home activity where Lumiere’s LEGO version is joined by a brick-built version of his pal, Cogsworth. It was a sure hit among store visitors and patrons back then. Here are the instructions for both Lumiere and Cogsworth in case you want to build them using your existing LEGO bricks.

Be sure to cross out your schedules this Saturday if you don’t want to miss out on this TRU exclusive event. This Toys R Us and LEGO build and take home activity is intended for children ages 6 and up and requires no purchase or fees to participate. Giveaways and other freebies are available while supplies last and are also limited to one per customer.

LCP Spotlight: Adam Reed Tucker on Building Bridges Through LEGO Architecture

As they say, a journey begins with a single step – and that step leads to a sure and steady stride that embarks you on an adventure of a lifetime. This is probably how Adam Reed Tucker will describe his journey towards his love for the LEGO brick and the eventual influence that it has towards his life’s enduring legacy.

Like other Lego Certified Professionals, Adam may have not initially thought of bearing the title, much more working with LEGO on his architectural projects. Unlike most AFOL or Adult Fans Of LEGO, Adam discovered his passion for the brick later than he expected – while he was already working as an architect in Kansas and Chicago. Prior to this, he studied architecture and design at Kansas State University, earning his degree in 1996. Though he remembers vividly receiving one of his first LEGO sets gifted to him by his aunt when he was 6 years old while visiting the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, the hobby didn’t catch up to him until he was a professional already.

When the tragic events of 9/11 unfolded back in 2001, Adam thought of honoring the majestic twin towers of the World Trade Center by finding a way to express the complexity of the mammoth skyscrapers in a way that is most familiar and welcomed by anyone, even by children. What better way to do that than through the use of the LEGO brick. Then in 2002, he’s ideas were eventually confirmed when he stumbled upon a book by Henry Wiencek entitled “The World of LEGO Toys” published in 1987. Adam immediately noticed one particular adaptation where LEGO bricks were used as an architectural medium. In one of his interviews, Adam says. “As an artist’s medium, the [LEGO] brick is not initially thought of as a material typically used in creating art. But as an architectural artist, it lends itself perfectly to my applications just as paint to a painter or metal to a blacksmith. My medium of choice is plastic bricks that happen to be called LEGO.”

619Yzuc-qvL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_ — ‘The World of LEGO Toys’ by Henry Wiencek

When Adam decided to come up with his own company called Brick Structures, from then on, he knows that there is no turning back from this new found passion. “Making the decision to leave a job that I really did enjoy was a matter of refining what it was I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Working with my hands, creating art and sculpture, the freedom to create and explore my own vision of design without computer reliance, and to share architecture with the world all made this a natural move for me,” Adam says as he shares his thoughts in an interview at the National Building Museum. Adam believes that his designs are reflective of his interests in the arts, so much so that his creations are ‘scratch-built’ which means he does not use computer modelling, pencil and paper, or written directions in his work. Adam builds and re-builds certain parts of his buildings five or six times until he feels they are right.

A self-confessed AFOL in 2006, he went on to be one of the founders of Chicago’s first LEGO fan convention called BrickWorld. It didn’t take long before LEGO noticed his work, and in 2007 Adam’s Brick Structures partnered with the LEGO Group to develop a new line of LEGO sets aptly named LEGO Architecture.

On being awarded the status of a LEGO Certified Professional, Adam says in an interview with the Henry Ford Museum, “Really, all you have to have is an existing brick-based business. You have to use the LEGO brick in a way that is unique and innovative.” As an afterthought, he adds, “I’m consumed with exploring and pushing the envelope of where the LEGO® brick can go,” says Tucker, speaking by telephone from his home in suburban Chicago. “I’m enamored by all of the usefulness that LEGO harnesses within itself — education, philosophy, team-building, therapy, art, science.”

His recent venture on promoting the usefulness of the LEGO brick in inspiring others to appreciate architecture is now showcased at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago in an exhibit aptly titled, ‘Brick by Brick’. Watch this video as Adam explains his LEGO Golden Gate Bridge in an interview with Beyond the Brick correspondent Joshua Hanlon. The Golden Gate Bridge is just one of the 13 recreations of architectural landmarks that Adam came up with for the exhibit.

Here are some of Adam’s spectacular LEGO-built marvels of architecture and engineering for the Museum of Science and Industry’s Brick by Brick exhibit which will run until February next year.

As the creator of the LEGO Architecture series, and through his contribution for such grand masterpieces as exhibited at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, Adam realizes that his enduring legacy is to inspire the next generation of designers who will wow the world with future architectural wonders; and to help them bridge the gap using the versatility of the LEGO brick. LEGO’s newest book in this genre – LEGO Architecture: The Visual Guide – may likewise capture the essence of what Adam wants to teach to the world’s future architectural designers.

Adam says with conviction, “My hope is that people looking at my work will also appreciate and learn about each architectural wonder and the creativity and imagination that’s possible with the LEGO brick.”

This 65,000-Piece Custom LEGO Concorde Will Amaze You

If you somehow broke your heart with the impressive 120,000-piece model of a sinking Titanic broken in half, which we reported earlier last week, then perhaps you’ll be equally amazed with the incredible details of yet another LEGO masterpiece from Australia’s one and only LEGO Certified Professional, Ryan McNaught. This 65,000-piece, 4 meters long, custom LEGO Concorde model of an Air France Concorde plane will surely impress you as much as the LEGO Titanic MOC. This brick replica even has cutaway details that reveals the entire supersonic plane’s inner working and intricate details. The model went on display at the recently concluded 2016 Brickvention at Melbourne, Australia.

Designed and constructed by certified LEGO master Ryan McNaught and his team at The Brick Man, this replica of what was once the flagship of Air France took 188 hours to complete and is made of 65,000 bricks. From end to end, this custom LEGO Concorde model measures 4 meters. Check out some of these photos so you can have better grasp on the sheer size of this model.

The right side of the replica shows the flawless curves of the plane using intricate layering techniques. McNaught added more realism by installing neat little LED lights for the plane’s engines. The sweeter deal is when you move over to the left side, where a cutaway portion reveals how things work inside this magnificent plane. The details on the passenger seats are very impressive, with McNaught installing 60 or more of them. There’s also provisions for fuel, cargo, and an inclusion of a neat pantry at the plane’s rear galley (wait, is that a croissant?).

You may visit Ryan’s Flickr page to see more of his newest favorite plane, and other cool builds.

Ryan McNaught is the only LEGO Certified Professional in the entire Southern Hemisphere, and is known for building some uniquely Australian creations including the world’s largest LEGO replica of the Sydney Opera House and a Qantas Airbus A380 model. As of to date, there are only 13 LEGO Certified Professionals in the entire world.