This month, I posted two editorial-style articles exploring the LEGO hobby beyond reviewing new LEGO sets. I think it’s important that I continue to produce content that aims to contextualize specific aspects of the LEGO hobby for a wider audience. This is especially important now, since I believe we are entering what feels like a generational shift in how The LEGO Group incorporates technology such as motors, sensors, and programming concepts into their products.

Are Smart Bricks the future of LEGO Electronics? (I hope not.)

This shift was on display at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) where The LEGO Group gave their first high-profile tech-forward keynote presentation. They announced their new Smart Bricks system, which is squarely focused on younger builders. I offered a critical look at the new system including both pitfalls and potential in an article exploring the opportunity to Reboot LEGO Mindstorms in a Licensing-dominated Toy Market.

3D printing is another paradigm shift that has been nascent for years but still hasn’t made a big impact on the LEGO products we purchase in stores yet. This changed in a very small way with last year’s release of #10361 Holiday Express Train. The set includes a tiny cardboard box containing the first widely-distributed 3D printed LEGO element. The tiny train offers an opportunity to deep-dive into the capabilities and limitations of the technology.

Searching for Connector Pairs on the new 3D Printed LEGO Train.

In particular, an analysis of the connector pairs used on this 3D printed part offers us insights into which connector pairs within the LEGO system are a bit more flexible to minor differences in size, and which ones need to be perfect to work correctly. In my article, What 3D-printed LEGO parts teach us about Connector Pairs you can look a lot closer at the history of official 3D printed LEGO parts!

I also finally finished my review of #11371 Shopping Street, the latest addition to the Modular Building Series. As noted in last month’s newsletter, it is not my favorite addition to the series, but the complex geometry will please fans who love learning new techniques!

From the past 8 years, the Jazz Club looks best on the left, and the Corner Garage on the right.

Now that I’ve built eight sets in the series, I enjoy spending some time deciding which models look best together. In the article, I included which of the last two sets should appear on either side, which of the past eight sets look best, and even which combination looks the worst.

LEGO Parts Guide

After completing the Beta 1 version of my parts guide in late December, I allowed myself some time to work on other projects. It also happened that we had several unexpected home projects to address, but warm air and water is pretty important in the middle of winter.

That’s why I worked on some ‘bite-sized’ projects this month that accrue to my goal of launching the print edition of my book this year. Here’s a glimpse of my progress this month…

The first of these bite-sized improvements was to add a bunch of parts to the database. This required me to partner with folks on the LDraw team to create 3D models of key missing parts, find the right place that parts should appear in the database, and ensure the part names make sense.

I added a lot of new labels in January!

The second of these small (but big) changes was a refactoring of how book annotations are captured and shared on the website.

I want to be clear; the words in this book are 100% written by a human, who did extensive research using the most reliable sources I can find. … An annotated bibliography is the best way for me to show my work.

Tom Alphin, Improving the Citations page, January 21

This is a critical companion to the printed book because I want to include extensive citations in the book, but need to keep the appendices simple. I hope that people use the online citations to learn even more about how LEGO works!

Behind the scenes…

I share a lot more unvarnished insights with patrons — rough drafts, half-solved problems, and things I’ve learned along the way. It’s even more fun to write a diary of my progress when people like you are able to read along, ask questions, and be part of the process.

Updates this month:

• Patrons: Improving the Citations page
  I took some time to explain the changes I made, but also the philosophy which motivated me to take citations seriously!
• Patrons: 49 new parts!
  This post explains the many steps needed to add custom images for each part, and to add each part to the database (and eventually to the printed book).
• Patrons: How Print-on-demand works, learnings from making Beta available for purchase, and adding additional parts to the guide.
  Lots of smaller updates, including a window into how print-on-demand books are made.

New at Brick Architect

Here’s a quick list highlighting things you might have missed this month…

• Review: #11371 Shopping Street (Modular Building Series)
  Will this angular addition to the Modular Building Series be able to wedge itself into a top position in our rankings? Look out for sharp critiques ahead!
• Rebooting LEGO Mindstorms in a Licensing-dominated Toy Market
  A closer look at the upcoming ‘Smart Brick’, the recent failure of LEGO Mindstorms, and an opportunity to teach programming concepts without writing code.
• What 3D-printed LEGO parts teach us about Connector Pairs (#10361 Holiday Express Train)
  Let’s explore how The LEGO Group used more tolerant connector pairs for their first tentative steps to include 3D-printed parts in official LEGO sets.
• Updated: LEGO Parts Guide
  I made a few improvements to the online parts guide this month:
  • Added 56 parts to the online guide. They will be included in the next draft of the printed guide as well.
  • Added 82 part images including a mix of brand new and retired parts.

February 2026 releases for AFOLs

The beginning of February is very quiet for new LEGO sets. To sweeten the deal, you will get the cute #40886 Penguins in Love as a gift-with-purchase for orders of $80 or more through February 6th.

I’m sure there’s also a lot of folks excited to pick up the first three LEGO Pokemon sets which come out on February 26th!

• #11503 Flower Wall (Botanicals)
  A nice selection of pink and purple flowers which can be displayed on a table or wall. What’s most notable is the introduction of two completely new colors: 430 Warm Pink, and 431 Blue Violet.
  879 pieces, ages 18+, $90, Available now at LEGO.com
• #40957 Spring Wreath
  While aesthetically similar to sets in the Botanicals series, this set targets a wider audience with its 12+ age, lower price point, and exceptional price-per-part. I think there’s a good chance we get one this Easter.
  747 pieces, ages 12+, Available now at LEGO.com.
• #11384 Golden Retriever Puppy (Icons)
  This brick-built sculpture is cute and offers a good price-per-part. It looks a lot cuter with the tongue sticking out and paw outstretched.
  2102 pieces, ages 18+, $140, Available now at LEGO.com.

As always, you can explore new releases and existing sets by visiting the lego.com store. (Making a purchase using our referral link helps support this website.)

Best articles from around the web

I don’t know why, but there were fewer great LEGO articles this month, but I hope you enjoy the following nonetheless…

• FIRST LEGO League’s New Era Comes With Real Costs
  This article by Brian Hickey offers one of the most honest reflections I’ve found on the recent decision to abandon the Spike Prime product for educators in favor of a bluetooth-only system of motors and sensors. And they added the word “AI” to the product name because 2026, I guess.
  —BrickNerd
• Botanicals Review and Interview IV: 11509 Flowering Cactus
  This article combines a brief set review with an interview with Theo Bonner about one of the new Botanicals sets. Of particular interest is the discussion of minor improvements made when the rose was re-colored and re-released in pink.
  —The Rambling Brick
• The Conversation Piece #12: Molds That Break The Mold
  Eann McCurdy & Julian Collins wrote an excellent article exploring how LEGO parts have evolved in recent years. I am well aware of these changes as I need to keep adding the new parts to my guide and label collection, but hadn’t had a chance to highlight some of the main themes for new parts in recent years. Instead, you should just read this article.
  —BrickNerd

Even without excluding decorated parts, you can see a significant increase in new parts in recent years.

• 2025 press release poll analysis
  I appreciated this analysis of new sets based on a poll added to the bottom of articles containing a press release. While there weren’t any surprises, it is good to know that readers really are not happy with the cost of several sets released in 2025.
  —Brickset
• Learning Disguised as Play: The Quiet Genius of LEGO Education I was excited to learn more about this line of education-focused LEGO sets for the home in this article by educator and LEGO builder Melissa Rekve. While the sets lack some of the refinement of traditional sets, it sounds like the learning content does encourage creative problem-solving instead of just following the instructions.
  —BrickNerd
• Interview: From LEGO Masters to building local landmarks – Eddie Godden gives back with bricks
  As a huge LEGO Architecture fan, I especially enjoyed reading how Eddie Godden beautifully re-created a minifigure-scale version of an iconic building from his hometown of Spokane, Washington.
  —Brothers Brick