Lego Architecture

Lego began by selling generic collections of bricks that could be combined into custom buildings, in much the same way that conventional building blocks are used. But as technology has expanded, and attention spans have shortened, they’ve become more specific and detailed (for example, the Lego Agents Arial Defense Unit).

The latest permutation of Lego building, though, is highly specific in a different sense. Lego Architecture lets you build famous and iconic buildings, brick by brick. The first set to be released is the Frank Lloyd Wright set of six buildings, including the Guggenheim Museum and his world-renown Fallingwater. The Wright sets will sell for around between $45 and $100, but other sets, like the Taj Mahal, will be significantly more expensive, to the tune of $300.

What a great move by Lego this is! I know I was never really a “Lego kid,” and it’s been years since I’ve even held a Lego block, but I plan on purchasing one of these sets. There’s something fundamental and instinctual about building, but we tend to lose that as we grow older (unless you become an architect!). The directionless nature of the original Lego sets is what appeals to kids, and why adults tend to avoid them. But by introducing Lego Architecture, and allowing people of all ages to reconstruct iconic buildings, Lego has created a product that functions more like a model or a work of art than a toy. These sets tap into that primal desire to build things and to create, while fostering a connection to and an appreciation of our most revered built environments.

With all of the urgency and buzz surrounding the transition to more environmentally friendly buildings and societies, it would be easy to lose aesthetic innovation in the process. Fortunately, we’ve seen the reverse, with architects using green practices and technologies as an opportunity to experiment and innovate with design and appearance, rather than a technological setback to the design process. Toys (or maybe “models” is more appropriate) like Lego Architecture are just what we need though, to get people involved in and excited about design. Architecture has irrevocably shifted from a focus on pure aesthetics to a more holistic design process focusing on the aesthetic and functional relationship between buildings and their environment. By highlighting and making accessible buildings like Fallingwater, Lego is contributing to this transition and, perhaps more importantly, involving architects and kids alike.

I know I’ll have Fallingwater sitting on my desk once it gets released in early August.

You can buy the already released models here.