Frank Lloyd Wright Legos
May 20, 2009 9:27 AM Subscribe
While that's very neat, I was really hoping this would be a crazy awesome DIY project rather than an official Lego product. I guess that's just how I think of Lego.
posted by graymouser at 9:35 AM on May 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by graymouser at 9:35 AM on May 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Will LEGO Fallingwater suffer the same engineering defects [.pdf] as the original?
posted by sdrawkcab at 9:36 AM on May 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by sdrawkcab at 9:36 AM on May 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
At first I was kinda disappointed by how small they are -- the Guggenheim has a footprint of ~20x30. But then I remembered how totally cool it is that Legos can pack so much detail and variability into such a small space.
And the Guggenheim totally looks like something you'd see on Tatooine. Never noticed that before!
posted by JohnFredra at 9:38 AM on May 20, 2009
And the Guggenheim totally looks like something you'd see on Tatooine. Never noticed that before!
posted by JohnFredra at 9:38 AM on May 20, 2009
totally.
posted by JohnFredra at 9:38 AM on May 20, 2009
posted by JohnFredra at 9:38 AM on May 20, 2009
But the Guggenheim doesn't even look right.
posted by ChickenringNYC at 9:39 AM on May 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by ChickenringNYC at 9:39 AM on May 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
I've never built a LEGO in my life, but I'd build Falling Water. And pretend I live in it with my beautiful wife, Rosario Dawson.
posted by willmize at 9:40 AM on May 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by willmize at 9:40 AM on May 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
I bet the roof leaks.
posted by dersins at 9:44 AM on May 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by dersins at 9:44 AM on May 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
Personally, I'm looking forward to building Mies' Seagram building out of legos.
posted by mike_bling at 9:53 AM on May 20, 2009
posted by mike_bling at 9:53 AM on May 20, 2009
I like it.... but I wish it was playmobile.
posted by ameliajayne at 9:57 AM on May 20, 2009
posted by ameliajayne at 9:57 AM on May 20, 2009
Yeah, this is cool and all but what's the point if it doesn't even really look like the Guggenheim?
posted by saul wright at 10:01 AM on May 20, 2009
posted by saul wright at 10:01 AM on May 20, 2009
I know what Mr. padraigin's getting for Father's Day.
posted by padraigin at 10:03 AM on May 20, 2009
posted by padraigin at 10:03 AM on May 20, 2009
Falling Water done properly in Lego. And really impressive Lego architecture replicas: Sears Tower (official), meet Sears Tower (fan-made).
posted by filthy light thief at 10:12 AM on May 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by filthy light thief at 10:12 AM on May 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
On further reading, the fan-made replicas are made by the same guy who made the small-scale official Lego buildings, as discussed here.
"As an Architectural Artist my desire is to capture the essence of a particular landmark into its pure sculptural form. I first and foremost do not view my models as literal replicas, but rather my own artistic interpretations that harness the landmarks overall appeal."
posted by filthy light thief at 10:14 AM on May 20, 2009
"As an Architectural Artist my desire is to capture the essence of a particular landmark into its pure sculptural form. I first and foremost do not view my models as literal replicas, but rather my own artistic interpretations that harness the landmarks overall appeal."
posted by filthy light thief at 10:14 AM on May 20, 2009
This is one of those product lines that everyone kicks themselves for not thinking of first. In fact, I bet a roomful of product designers at Lego got kicked for not coming up with this sooner.
Lego Star Wars and fantasy castles? Meh.
Lego "Architecture Series"? Oh man. Oh yes. How much?
posted by notyou at 10:24 AM on May 20, 2009
Lego Star Wars and fantasy castles? Meh.
Lego "Architecture Series"? Oh man. Oh yes. How much?
posted by notyou at 10:24 AM on May 20, 2009
I think they need to reverse this and make real life versions of Lego sets. I’d give anything to be able to park my Galaxy Explorer in front of the Main Street buildings and then go pick up a transsexual sheep over in Fabuland.
posted by bondcliff at 10:24 AM on May 20, 2009
posted by bondcliff at 10:24 AM on May 20, 2009
lego was neat in that it encouraged creative building
you got a box of legos and you went at it
these "sets" are just that its all figured out for you
posted by robbyrobs at 11:09 AM on May 20, 2009
you got a box of legos and you went at it
these "sets" are just that its all figured out for you
posted by robbyrobs at 11:09 AM on May 20, 2009
These are cool and all, but, yeah...the Lego Guggenheim doesn't look anything like the Guggenheim.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:18 AM on May 20, 2009
posted by Thorzdad at 11:18 AM on May 20, 2009
I don't know, robbyrobs, one of the problems with doing architectural models in Lego has always been the lack of 'real world' architectural elements. The more products they make in this new Architecture line, the better: then you can mix and match your own buildings more easily.
That is, it would be a lot easier to make 10 cool buildings with the Falling Water set than with your average "Police Station" or "Spaceship" set.
I think the Official Taj Mahal model is nicer than the Goog.
posted by rokusan at 11:23 AM on May 20, 2009
That is, it would be a lot easier to make 10 cool buildings with the Falling Water set than with your average "Police Station" or "Spaceship" set.
I think the Official Taj Mahal model is nicer than the Goog.
posted by rokusan at 11:23 AM on May 20, 2009
Hm, for that matter, Lego Yankee Stadium (original version) beats all of those.
posted by rokusan at 11:25 AM on May 20, 2009
posted by rokusan at 11:25 AM on May 20, 2009
That is straight up awesome.
better image of the Falling Water one here.
posted by Artw at 11:32 AM on May 20, 2009
better image of the Falling Water one here.
posted by Artw at 11:32 AM on May 20, 2009
Neither one of them really looks like the original (not in the way that fan Sears Tower does). Even Fallingwater looks more like Hollyhock House in some ways. The fact that these are custom sets makes that all the more disappointing -- they could have tried harder.
The one I'd love to see is either Robie House or The Illinois.
posted by dhartung at 1:10 PM on May 20, 2009
The one I'd love to see is either Robie House or The Illinois.
posted by dhartung at 1:10 PM on May 20, 2009
I can't get past the use of the word "Legos" --- the S is jarring. To me, the word Lego is plural ("Let's play with the Lego") and you need to use the words "brick" or "piece" to refer to the individual bricks or pieces.
Is the S an American thing? I grew up in Ireland and Australia and never heard "Legos".
posted by robcorr at 1:32 PM on May 20, 2009
Is the S an American thing? I grew up in Ireland and Australia and never heard "Legos".
posted by robcorr at 1:32 PM on May 20, 2009
Yeah, it's an American thing. Apparently the other way confuses them.
posted by Artw at 1:37 PM on May 20, 2009
posted by Artw at 1:37 PM on May 20, 2009
Is the S an American thing? I grew up in Ireland and Australia and never heard "Legos".
I use Lego (pl.) most of the time, Legos when I'm trying to sound cute.
"Awww look at all the little legos!"
posted by rokusan at 1:56 PM on May 20, 2009
I use Lego (pl.) most of the time, Legos when I'm trying to sound cute.
"Awww look at all the little legos!"
posted by rokusan at 1:56 PM on May 20, 2009
Is the S an American thing?
Due to our vast wealth (and admittedly also to our penchant for overconsumption), Americans can actually afford more than one Lego, and many of us grew up playing with entire boxes full of Legos.
Tough to believe, I know, especially for those of you who grew up in poor, benighted third world countries like Ireland, Australia and the UK, but it's true.
posted by dersins at 2:02 PM on May 20, 2009 [9 favorites]
Due to our vast wealth (and admittedly also to our penchant for overconsumption), Americans can actually afford more than one Lego, and many of us grew up playing with entire boxes full of Legos.
Tough to believe, I know, especially for those of you who grew up in poor, benighted third world countries like Ireland, Australia and the UK, but it's true.
posted by dersins at 2:02 PM on May 20, 2009 [9 favorites]
I've been to Fallingwater (and the nearby Kentuck Knob which is much more impressive IMO) twice. These are not places that you want to live unless your are the Frank Lloyd Wright sized or smaller.
posted by sciurus at 2:31 PM on May 20, 2009
posted by sciurus at 2:31 PM on May 20, 2009
Gods, I'd kill for a Lego Farnsworth House!
Would you settle for a Lego Farnsworth?
posted by rokusan at 4:14 PM on May 20, 2009
Would you settle for a Lego Farnsworth?
posted by rokusan at 4:14 PM on May 20, 2009
Must buy.
posted by limeonaire at 5:10 PM on May 20, 2009
posted by limeonaire at 5:10 PM on May 20, 2009
It's a great idea, but they're just too damn small. It would take, what, three minutes to build them? How fun could that be?
It would be neat if the whole Lego Architecture brand was all to the same scale, especially if it was all scaled to Lego people.
As it is: Pure souvenir shop meh.
posted by Sys Rq at 5:29 PM on May 20, 2009
It would be neat if the whole Lego Architecture brand was all to the same scale, especially if it was all scaled to Lego people.
As it is: Pure souvenir shop meh.
posted by Sys Rq at 5:29 PM on May 20, 2009
I can't get past the use of the word "Legos" --- the S is jarring. To me, the word Lego is plural ("Let's play with the Lego") and you need to use the words "brick" or "piece" to refer to the individual bricks or pieces.
Well I'd say that I use Lego the same way I use the word Fish. When referring a singular group of the same species i will say 'fish', when referring to a group consisting of various different species it is proper to use 'fishes'
can't we all get along and just realize that americans got it right?
posted by tev at 5:34 PM on May 20, 2009
Well I'd say that I use Lego the same way I use the word Fish. When referring a singular group of the same species i will say 'fish', when referring to a group consisting of various different species it is proper to use 'fishes'
can't we all get along and just realize that americans got it right?
posted by tev at 5:34 PM on May 20, 2009
Lego would have saved a whole lot of R&D money by just producing a bunch of "textile" blocks and calling it a day.
posted by LionIndex at 9:58 PM on May 20, 2009
posted by LionIndex at 9:58 PM on May 20, 2009
So, it turns out that Lego has a Community Service Day. They're not answering their customer service or shop at home phones.
Curse you, evil Octopi!!
posted by onhazier at 7:56 AM on May 21, 2009
Curse you, evil Octopi!!
posted by onhazier at 7:56 AM on May 21, 2009
Used to be that if you typed in www.legos.com you got a polite message from LEGO telling you that they were forwarding you to lego.com and that they would prefer it if you referred to their product as LEGO instead of legos. Now it just says page not found and forwards you to lego.com
I would want an Ennis House if it came with a Deckard minifig
posted by Molesome at 8:56 AM on May 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
I would want an Ennis House if it came with a Deckard minifig
posted by Molesome at 8:56 AM on May 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
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posted by Joe Beese at 9:32 AM on May 20, 2009