Citations › Citation ID: 25

C25. BOOK: Daniel Konstanski, The Secret Life of LEGO Bricks: The Inside Story of a Design Icon (Unbound, 2022), p. 88.

When the company decided to move ahead with Daniel August Krentz’s castle models, designers were encouraged to use elements already cast in grey, rather than recasting a variety of existing bricks in realistic grey. This was to reduce the risk of the company having to store large assortments of elements in what was perceived as a speciality colour. Frames were, after all, functions of both cost and physical space. Storing a large number of grey pieces until uses could be found for them was not ideal.

Budgetary concerns (as expressed in the bookkeeping concept of frames) is why the first LEGO Castle was yellow. Every unique element needs to be manufactured and stored in the warehouse until packaged into a LEGO set.