ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: #21046 Empire State Building
Is this set containing 684 identical parts an exercise in frustration, or a meditative glimpse into the life of the professional LEGO Artist? Let’s find out if you should add this set to your collection!
ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: #21019 Eiffel Tower
Paris is a classic destination for summer holidays. Let’s look back at recently retired LEGO Architecture set #21019 Eiffel Tower to see if it’s worth adding to your collection.
ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: #21032 Sydney Skyline
Having just visited Australia for the first time, I was excited to see how well the Sydney Skyline set captures the feel of the harbor city, and it’s iconic Opera House.
ᴘʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: #21045 Trafalgar Square
A photo of the upcoming set was released on Facebook in conjunction with a signing event on April 27.
Now that we have an official photo of the latest addition to the LEGO Architecture series, we can explore what the set has to offer. This is the first of two sets slated for a summer release. (Learn about the upcoming #21046 Empire State Building in our earlier article.)
#21045 Trafalgar Square
Initial Impressions:
My immediate reaction was not entirely positive. I’m worried that the landscaping, fountains, and Nelsons Column distract from the front facade of the National Gallery. I also noticed strong similarities to the recently discontinued #21029 Buckingham Palace set which also places the building behind a fountain, fence and landscaping.
On closer look, there are some clever building techniques being employed which I look forward to building first hand. I have never seen the half-plate staircase technique used in an official set (it typically uses 1×2 or 1×4 panels in a SNOT configuration.) It looks like 1×2 Technic bricks are used for the front steps, allowing 3L Bar to be used for the columns.
The main building is constructed using the same SNOT techniques used for the Buckingham Palace set. I can’t quite tell what part is being used to achieve a ½ plate lip between the first and second story of the building, but look forward to finding out. I’m curious to see how they approached the sloping driveway which integrates nicely with the rest of the set.
ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: #21033 Chicago Skyline
Let’s take a quick look at the recently retired Chicago Skyline to see if you should find a copy to add to your collection before it’s too late.
Summer 2019 LEGO Architecture sets
The summer lineup will include two additions to LEGO Architecture Landmark series.
April 11, 2019: A photo of the upcoming #21045 Trafalgar Square set has been released. Be sure to check it out!
LEGO typically announces their Summer 2019 lineup at the Toy Fair event in Nuremberg, Germany. In last week’s event, they announced two additions to the LEGO Architecture series.
New Sets:
- #21045 Trafalgar Square, €79.99
- #21046 Empire State Building, €99.99
Both the 2009 and 2016 versions of the Empire State Building are around 15 cm (6″) tall.
This marks the third time that the Empire State Building will be featured in the Architecture series, having already appeared in #21002 Empire State Building, and as one of the buildings in #21028 New York City. The new version is described as between 30 and 40cm (over 1 foot) tall, which is significantly larger than either of the earlier versions.
ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: #21044 Paris Skyline
Does this cute microscale rendition of the City of Lights shine as brightly as the real thing? I hope so!
ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: #21043 San Francisco Skyline
Can the LEGO Skyline series capture the spirit of the city best known for bridges and hills, rather than the buildings? Let’s find out!
ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: #21041 Great Wall of China
Is it possible to bring one of the largest man-made structures in the world to life using just 551 small plastic bricks? This reviewer is skeptical.
ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: #21047 Las Vegas Skyline
The long-awaited Las Vegas skyline set is finally here (after re-designing the set following tragic events at the Mandalay Bay.) Should you take home this celebration of the cities glamour, or should what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas?
ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: #21039 Shanghai Skyline
A good looking LEGO model of a fast-growing city, #21039 Shanghai is the latest addition to the LEGO Architecture Skylines series. Can it possibly live up to the hype?
ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴠɪᴇᴡ: Rok Žgalin Kobe on LEGO Architecture
Brick Architect interviewed Rok to learn more about the most recent sets in the LEGO Architecture series, and the creative process in designing a great LEGO set.
