LEGO Skylines

[Austin55]

its a set

[1ajs]

lucky basterd o well i got one of the ultimat colectors star wars sets

[DecoJim]

Here is the latest Lego Skyline put together by the Michigan Lego Train Club last weekend:


My buildings are on the right; the tallest building by a slight margin is my replica of the 1905 Penobscot bulding. I took this picture.

If you are interested, additional pictures are at:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=324136

[DecoJim]

Its been a week since Brickworld 2008 in Chicago, and no one else has posted anything about it, so I have taken the Liberty of posting a few shots by other attendees. I did not build any of these creations.

Brickstructures:

Photo taken by brickshelf user brdavis: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=3245000
Some of these were shown last year but there are also some new additions such as the Chicago Spire and the Marina City apartments. Note: the Chicago Spire looks a bit short (its only about the same height as the Sears (including masts) and should be about 15% higher.

Spencer's microscale buildings:

Photo taken by brickshelf user a-tree: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=3244701

[America 117]

we should start a thread on puzz 3D skyscrapers i have about 8 of them.
and the spire is much taller then what they made it in that pic.

[jsr]

Originally Posted by Creator

The smooth underside was quite tricky, but I felt that I needed to somehow incorporate it into the Lego model. It's a whole lot of 2 x 2 white tiles, but they are connected the opposite direction, of the studs using Technic bricks and pins. It will be cool to see how you incorporate it into the micro-scale version; can't wait to see it.

Here is the latest version of the microscale model. Note the smooth underside and corner bevels of the center core. The tile grilles represent the recessed plaza lights. Click on the picture for more images.

[Austin55]

Dude thats Amazing!! you should contact Lego and get a licsence and make alot of oney and sell sets

[detmi7mile]

these are amazing!!

[America 117]

it must take so long to build those.

[1ajs]

[Austin55]

yumm,powerade

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by America 117

we should start a thread on puzz 3D skyscrapers i have about 8 of them.
and the spire is much taller then what they made it in that pic.

Tch, yeah I know, it's at least 300 ft taller than what it is depicted in it's lego form.

[DecoJim]

1jas:
You may be able to increase resistance to your bridge bending by using a truss. Or, if you do not like truss bridges and if you to keep the look simple, you can also try three layers of LEGO plates and then put them on their side; this resists a lot of bending especially if you use layers of large plates such as 4x12 or even 6x16. There are various LEGO brackets or hinges that can then transition from the sideways studs to the studs on top for your bridge deck.

JDRCRASH, America 117:
As I had noted in my earlier post I thought that the Chicago Spire model looked about the same height as the Sears Tower (including antenna). Given the relative accuracy of his other structures, the builder probably ran out of time and or particular parts that prevented him from completing the structure in time for Brickworld. There do appear to be minor discontinuities at various heights on the structure which may represent the missing floors. I bet the Spire will be taller next time it is displayed.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by DecoJim

1jas:
You may be able to increase resistance to your bridge bending by using a truss. Or, if you do not like truss bridges and if you to keep the look simple, you can also try three layers of LEGO plates and then put them on their side; this resists a lot of bending especially if you use layers of large plates such as 4x12 or even 6x16. There are various LEGO brackets or hinges that can then transition from the sideways studs to the studs on top for your bridge deck.

actualy adding a side rail got rid of alot of the bend

[jsr]

The Chicago Architecture Foundation Shop is now selling small official Lego kits of some famous Chicago skyscrapers:

John Hancock Center

Sears Tower

These models are being offered through a partnership called Lego Architecture between Lego and Brickstructures (a company founded by Lego fan Adam Reed Tucker - the guy that built the giant Lego skyscrapers shown at Brickworld)

There will be other architectural landmarks available in the future.

This article explains more about the joint venture and shows the model's official Lego packaging.
LEGO Group Builds Consumer Driven Innovation to New Heights

[nickkoto]

Those have to be two of the most underwhelming Lego sets I've ever seen.

[peanut gallery]

Those shots from Brickworld are amazing. The Pyramid's proportions and color are obviously way off, but I hesitate to critique something that is 100 times better than I could do!

[DecoJim]

Originally Posted by nickkoto

Those have to be two of the most underwhelming Lego sets I've ever seen.

I agree. The representations of the buildings are quite simplistic. There is not much choice at the scale chosen (which is something like 1/2600). You could probably obtain the parts for that Sears Tower model on Bricklink for about $3 (mainly black bricks and some black and light blue/gray tiles). Most official Lego sets have per part costs of between 5 and 15 cents per part whereas these buildings cost about 30 cents per part. Moreover, they do not appear to have any particularly rare parts in terms of shapes or colors.

Of course selling Spencer's type of Lego model would justifiably cost a bit more than the market would bear.

[jsr]

Originally Posted by DecoJim

I agree. The representations of the buildings are quite simplistic. There is not much choice at the scale chosen (which is something like 1/2600). You could probably obtain the parts for that Sears Tower model on Bricklink for about $3 (mainly black bricks and some black and light blue/gray tiles). Most official Lego sets have per part costs of between 5 and 15 cents per part whereas these buildings cost about 30 cents per part. Moreover, they do not appear to have any particularly rare parts in terms of shapes or colors.

Some building are going to come off better than others at that scale. The high price per piece is probably from economies of scale and licensing. Perhaps there is license money going to Lego? I imagine royalties are involved in using the building's image. Since they are bieing sold in gift shops I think they are scaled/priced for souvenir buyers.

A sneak peak of some of the potential future models for the Lego Architecture series can be seen on the second to last page of this acrobat document.

Future Brickstructures prototypes?

I recognize: Trump Tower, Marina City, Burj Dubai, Aon Center, Empire State Building, US Capitol Building, and Fallingwater

Nevertheless I think it is a significant accomplishment for a fan to get Lego as a business partner for this type of theme.

[DecoJim]

Originally Posted by jsr

Nevertheless I think it is a significant accomplishment for a fan to get Lego as a business partner for this type of theme.

I agree with you there. Given the economics of it, I am sure Tucker had to make some hard choices; after all these hardly compare to what he did on his own almost unlimited budget.

However, I am one person who is not interested in purchasing these simplified models.

I am sure that when you picked the scale at which you construct your micro-scale buildings you gave some very careful thought as to the optimum balance between detail and small size.