LEGO Architecture — Good Intentions, Poor Execution?

Has LEGO dumbed down “architecture” to a level that does more harm than good?

If there is one theme of LEGO sets that always left me with mixed, confused feelings somewhere between “why does this cost money” and “WTF did I just build”, then that is without a shadow of a doubt the Danish toymaker’s Architecture line. A product range alive and well since 2008, that’s meant to “celebrate the past, present, and future of architecture through the LEGO Brick” — The LEGO Group.

“Meant to” is probably the operative term there, because what I want to explore in this article, is LEGO’s approach to what they call architecture. Is that even appropriate? Can the otherwise famous, oh-so-very-premium, and generally beloved across the globe toymaker slap the word architecture on their 66 sets (to date), or is it nothing more than questionable marketing? And if that’s the case, are the sets even worth the high price-tag?

Who is LEGO Architecture really for?

As I have built several sets in the past and have two on display at this very moment, looking at both sets, I see a huge contrast between one set and the other. They both represent the same thing — New York. One is the skyline, the other is the Statue of Liberty. I am sure anyone who has seen at least a few American sitcoms, listened to music in the last 50 years and has been to New York, will instantly be reminded by all the songs and all the scenes from everything they’ve heard and seen. New York, or in its original name, New Amsterdam, is undoubtedly an iconic place with a long list of memorable architecture.

The Statue of Liberty in LEGO form does excellent justice to the original, and even from a LEGO fan perspective, one does get a lot with the set, not just in terms of bricks, but a great, intriguing building experience. Sure, the face of the statue is — according to some — embarrassingly flat, but I for one, disagree. For an $80 ($119 now) set, the Statue of Liberty was and probably still is one of the best LEGO Architecture sets out there, in every way, including value.

But is it really about Architecture?

For all intents and purposes, the Statue of Liberty is not architecture. Sure, the base of it is, after all the sculpture is on a pedestal, but let’s be honest, nobody really cares about that part. The iconic bit is the sculpture itself, which, no offence intended, just isn’t architecture, regardless of it being “built” (watch how the statue was created). Its landmark status is also purely due to location and size, which brings me to another point.

LEGO Architecture actually has sub-themes: skyline, landmark and architect. Skyline sets, as the theme suggests are abridged representations of a city, landmark sets are individual buildings (or statues, apparently) and architect sets are again individual buildings with character but no landmark status. Almost all of them have one thing in common — extreme miniaturisation.

Where it all stops making sense…

Which brings me to the New York City skyline set. While walking into any room, you’ll notice the Statue of Liberty, the New York City skyline you definitely won’t. It’s a set so incredibly small that one gets almost zero satisfaction from building it, and displaying it, is borderline embarrassing. Perhaps I am a bit harsh, but I’m also looking at it from an architecture perspective. I am no architect, but I do like architecture enough to have bought The Atlas of Brutalist Architecture. The New York City skyline set has not much to do with architecture.

LEGO’s Architecture skyline sets are but a severely downgraded, minimalistic and stingy, borderline offensive representation of otherwise magnificent world architecture.

The same applies to landmarks with a couple of notable exceptions like the Statue of Liberty (which isn’t really architecture) and the Taj Mahal. I rarely criticise LEGO this harshly, but barely any of these sets make sense to anyone who knows the absolute minimum about architecture and has the ability to visually compare and contrast a real building with a LEGO representation.

And it gets even worse…

Whether the sets deserve the Architecture moniker or not, would be something I could ignore, after all, technically they’re meant to be a toy even if AFOLs like us still buy them by the dozen. But I can’t. I can’t ignore calling a set an architecture set, while shamelessly asking $50–60 for miniaturised versions of city skylines where a landmark is reduced to literally a few bricks. That is not on. For the price of an Architecture set, one can buy three LEGO Postcard sets, with money to spare! Or, two Speed Champions sets and a Brickheadz if that’s more up your alley…

Architecture sets are often by far the most ridiculously priced LEGO out there.

From where I’m standing, purchasing a LEGO Architecture set will teach you nothing about architecture, will get you nothing more than tiny, very generic pieces that individually cost almost nothing, an underwhelming building experience and an outcome of barely passable display value.

LEGO Postcard sets are actually more fun and do just as good a job if not better than Architecture sets, at just 25% of the cost.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions

I’ll be honest, the idea of LEGO architecture is pure genius. LEGO bricks and architecture are a match made in Heaven, if there is a Heaven where actual buildings are made of LEGO, and we’re all LEGO minifigs. Adam Reed Tucker, who came up with the idea, deserves all the credit for having thought of it.

The execution, however, is where it all falls apart. Can’t speak to who is to blame. It could very well be LEGO, after all, the way sets are created is in an “allocated budget” style. Having said that, LEGO already being a premium toy, adding an even higher premium onto sets, just because they’re “Architecture”, is highway robbery. The execution does not warrant prices higher than say $25–30 for most sets.

Architecture deserves a lot more and a lot better than what LEGO delivers 90% of the time.

Attila Vago — Software Engineer improving the world one line of code at a time. Cool nerd since forever, writer of codes and blogs. Web accessibility advocate, LEGO fan, vinyl record collector. Loves craft beer! Read my Hello story here! Subscribe and/or become a member for more stories about LEGO, tech, coding and accessibility!