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LEGO Bricks Inspire New Type of Architectural Model
August 17, 2009
By Rita Catinella Orrell
Ask architects what their favorite toy was growing up, and LEGOs will likely
rank among their top picks. And they aren’t the only ones: The Denmark-based The
LEGO Group, founded in 1932, distributes toy-building products to more than 130
countries and sells approximately seven LEGO sets each second.
Last year, the company introduced LEGO Architecture sets, a logical extension to
their line. Architectural designer Adam Reed Tucker of Brickstructures Inc.,
based in Northfield, Illinios, first approached LEGO with the concept for the
series in 2006. A trained architect and a “LEGO Certified Professional,” Tucker
is primarily responsible for the design and development of the line and with
helping secure licensing agreements.
The first four models in the LEGO Architecture series included the Empire State
Building, the Seattle Space Needle, and Chicago’s John Hancock Center and Sears
Tower. In May of this year, LEGO introduced Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim
model at the opening of the Guggenheim’s Frank Lloyd Wright: From Outward Within
exhibition. A Fallingwater model, introduced in July, includes a 100-page-plus
hardcover book; all of the other models contain booklets with archival historic
material and photographs as well as building directions.
Available through Tucker’s site at brickstructures.com, as well as at high-end
bookstores, museums, and retailers nationwide (as well as the landmarks), the
models range from $20 to $100, depending on the set. “We are creating a very
enriched experience,” says Tucker. “The bricks are just a tool to tell the
story.”
In addition to his work for The LEGO Group, Tucker’s expertise as a LEGO artist
has earned him an exhibition currently at the Museum of Science and Industry in
Chicago. Titled ART + Science = Architecture, the show features more than 15
architectural LEGO creations, some more than 10-feet high, representing
buildings such as China’s Jin Mao Tower, the St. Louis Gateway Arch, and the
proposed Chicago Spire.
What should we expect next in the LEGO Architecture series? Tucker’s wish list
includes the Robie House (for its upcoming 100th anniversary), Burj Dubai as an
international model, or even historical structures such as the Acropolis. “We
have an open mind to this approach,” he says, “and anything is possible.”
ART + Science = Architecture at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry runs
through March 15, 2010.
For more information, visit the museum’s
msichicago.org.
Archrecord.Construction.com
-end of report-
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