Sarah Herman - Extreme Bricks: Spectacular, Record-Breaking, and Astounding LEGO Projects from Around the World

SPECTACULAR, RECORD-BREAKING, AND ASTOUNDING
LEGO PROJECTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

SARAH HERMAN

SKYHORSE PUBLISHING

Copyright 2013 by Sarah Herman

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eisbn: 978-1-62873-465-2

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

ISBN: 978-1-62636-212-3

Printed in China

LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob configurations, and the Minifigure are registered trademarks of the LEGO Group, which does not sponsor, authorize, or endorse this book.

For my wonderful nephews
Aaron, Daniel, Matthew, and Nathan

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Y ou may not be able to remember the first time you stuck two LEGO bricks together. And you probably cant recall the first time you dismantled the Space set your dad helped you to build, and started putting the pieces together yourself to create your own ultimate spacecrafttransforming levers into laser guns, windscreens into high-tech communication panels, tiny transparent plates into teleportation devices. And the day you borrowed your older sisters Barbie to stand in for a giant humanoid space alien on your bedroom carpet is most likely a distant memory. But what you might be able to recall, more vividly, is the way it felt to reach into your LEGO brick bin to find out that there werent enough left to make the base modifications your minifigure mining army were counting on. How else were they ever going to find enough Uranium to make it back to Earth? Mortified, your eyes scanned the carpet universe for the next victimthe model you would sacrifice to make sure the work gets done.

An unlimited supply of LEGO bricks isnt hard to imagine. Whatever piece you want, in whatever color, and whatever quantity, is a dream harbored by almost every child who plays with LEGO toys. While such a supply is never really going to be an option for the mini people the brand is aimed at, with the rise of brick-reselling websites such as Bricklink.com and LEGOs own Pick-A-Brick service in LEGO Stores and online, there are some adults amassing collections so large and abundant they are able to build the models of their imagination in shocking detail. Not only that, but theyre able to build those models on a scale like never before. These adult fans of LEGOor AFOLs as they are known among the international plastic brick-building communityare dreaming so big and building on such an impressive scale that their models are enthusiastically shared on the Internet, receive worldwide media coverage, and attract thousands of fans at conventions across the globe.

Of course its not just amateur fans of LEGO who are getting in on the extreme building action, and this tale is not limited to their endeavors. There are professional builders too, certified by the LEGO Group (TLG), who create sculptures, mosaics, functional items, and art out of the building blocks. Their work is featured in gallery exhibitions and museums, bought by art collectors, and commissioned for the homes and offices of LEGO lovers. Sticking LEGO bricks together for a living is the fantasy of many a child (and grown-up), and the added privilege of building with LEGO bricks for TLG is reserved for another small group of revered individuals. The Master Model Buildershired and trained by LEGO HQ to roll out giant models for LEGOLAND Parks and Discovery Centers, TLG-sponsored and attended events, LEGO Stores, and any other impressive LEGOy purpose. From the worlds most iconic buildings, to larger-than-life-size Star Wars characters, and everything in between, these are the people who make it happen.

WHAT_architecture

Many professional LEGO builders often say they wish they had an extra set of hands when it comes to building big. And some extreme builds are the result of such a wish. If youre looking to build the worlds tallest LEGO tower, a life-size house made from LEGO, or a giant LEGO ball that needs a forklift to get it off the ground, youre going to need a lot of free time or a dedicated army of builders (not to mention an entire truckload of perfectly molded bricks) to see your mega build come to life. As architect Anthony Hoete explainedwhen talking about WHAT_architectures world recordsetting permanent building installation (see page 88)LEGO is a democratizing design tool, because everybody can use them, and everyone loves em! Bring people together, throw a bunch of LEGO bricks in the middle of the room, and watch as they create and buildits a medium thats so ingrained into the cultures of so many countries, no instruction is necessary. Through large-scale group projects, more people have the opportunity to build creations that match, or even surpass, their childhood imaginations.

Beyond the realms of sculptural, decorative model building are those who see the functional potential of the LEGO product range and breathe computer-operated life into LEGO bricks and Technic elements using the robotic circuitry of LEGO MINDSTORMS. Pushing the boundaries of what LEGO can be used to build, enriching the simple plastic pieces with the technological wizardry of programming, and challenging the scientific thinkers of tomorrow to see beyond the limits of motionless objects are a niche group of kids and AFOLs who channel their passion for the brick into action. Much of their work needs to be seen via video or in person to be fully appreciated, but some of those creations are explored here.

And then there are the collectorsthose who love the brick beyond all else. They were the kids who saved up their pocket money for months to buy the latest Blacktron set so they would have the complete fleet of spacecraft, even though their parents said they would grow out of it before long. Now adults, and with disposable income to buy what they couldnt get their hands on before, some store their stash in happy isolation, displayed and dusted for the eyes of close friends and family. Others offer up their hoarding habit to the world, a proud display of perseverance and passion. With over fifty years of the brick, this is LEGO collecting on an unprecedented scale. This is extreme.

In trying to compare the different commitments to the LEGO building phenomenon, Master Model Builder Gary McIntire compared the hobby to music:

There are some people who are just fans of it. They enjoy it but theyre not really involved in the music world at all. Those people are the people that go on Brothers Brick [LEGO blog www.brothers-brick.com] and they look at things people are doing with LEGO. And going to a LEGO convention would be like going to a concert, where youre seeing it live. And then you have the people who are actually doing it. And much like the music world there are way more musicians who are just playing music as a hobby. Those are the builders. People who sit around at home working on stuff, and maybe they throw it up online and share it with some other people. And then you get some bands who get really lucky and get signed, and I guess Im one of those people who got lucky enough that I get to do LEGO for a living.