With the reveal of a second version of the Trevi Fountain joining the LEGO® Architecture range, it’s an ideal time to take a brief look back at the history of the long-running LEGO theme. The LEGO Architecture sets have long sought inspiration from iconic landmarks and locations worldwide, but the theme began as an idea from an architectural-loving LEGO fan. Adam Reed Tucker wanted to unite his passion for architecture with LEGO bricks. The journey began by creating microscale LEGO models of Sears Tower and John Hancock Centre. These sets would later be re-released under the LEGO Architecture branding.
Since the release of those sets in 2008, a steady stream of sets has been released. They have included famous buildings such as the White House and Buckingham Palace, plus iconic landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty and the Arc de Triomphe.
Professionals often use LEGO bricks to aid them in their work. Many architects use LEGO bricks to help them envision their structures in a tactile manner. This fuelled the creation of the LEGO Architecture Studio set in 2013. This unique set included over 1200 elements, mostly in white. The set also included a guidebook offering tips and techniques which could be helpful when designing buildings.
In 2015, DK Books released LEGO Architecture: A Visual Guide. The 232-page coffee table book featured many of the sets released up until that point and details on the real-world structures that inspired them.
In 2016, LEGO Architecture introduced a subtheme known as Skylines. These smaller sets still featured microscale builds but instead of focusing on a lone landmark, Skyline grouped iconic buildings and structures from popular cities. The London Skyline set was available early in the UK to mark the opening of the ‘World’s Largest LEGO Store’ in Leicester Square.
LEGO Architecture sets have been used to celebrate the home of the brick, Billund. A special edition set was sold at Billund Airport, which replicated the small airport and was designed by an employee of the airport. A slightly updated version was released once the first set had sold out. Although not branded as an Architecture set, it followed the same design standards. There have also been micro recreations of the LEGO Campus and several production sites.
Celebrating the opening of the brand new LEGO Campus building in Billund with the exclusive new LEGO Architecture set 4000038 LEGO Campus !! #LEGO #AFOL #RebuildTheWorld @LEGO_Group pic.twitter.com/Spjf1l3TS6
— George Gilliatt (@GeorgeGilliatt) April 5, 2022
The LEGO Group also created a unique concept model of LEGO House and made it available through local businesses as a means to generate extra income during the construction of the Billund attraction. This featured a monochrome version of the building’s unique ‘stack’ of oversized bricks.
The concept was revisited for the opening of the LEGO House, where the building was once again replicated in the style of an Architecture set. This time, the set included the building’s colourful roofs. It was only available from the LEGO Store inside the LEGO House but was briefly made available online in selected countries during the Pandemic.
In early 2023, a special set was created as a VIP/Insiders reward. This featured micro versions of four different landmarks. Two had previously inspired larger sets but the other two appeared in LEGO form for the first time.
In recent years, Architecture sets have become far more detailed with the last two releases and the upcoming Trevi Fountain, commanding high piece counts. The larger scale sets began with the Pyramid of Giza, which also trod new grounds by featuring a structure as it would have appeared when it was first built. This was followed by Himeji Castle and Notre Dame.
The latest addition to the range is another remake of a past landmark. The Trevi Fountain in Rome was first released as a set in 2014. The upcoming version is built from over double the amount of elements compared to the earlier version. The new Trevi Fountain will be released in March and can be pre-ordered now.
Sears Tower and John Hancock Centre images via Brickset