LEGO Architecture Studio Review
This is the king of all Lego sets. It’s the 1210 piece LEGO Architecture Studio. Released already several years ago it’s one of the most interesting Lego sets and also one of the more different ones. Time to dive into the LEGO Architecture Studio review and have a closer look.
During the time it has been out, it’s already in a legend status. There are tumblr sites dedicated to it, entire blogs just about this one box and countless reviews – almost all of them highly positive. One of the ways it stands out is of course the sheer number of bricks. Another that all of them are either white or transparent. This allows for some really nice-looking minimalistic designs. As the set is more targeted to late teens and adults, who might have lost a bit of their creativity, then Lego also included a massive book to give you a boost in your building inspiration. So let’s have a closer look at it.
What’s in the box?
- 1210 white and transparent LEGO bricks
- Inspirational 272-page guidebook
- Sorting trays
Currently you can get all of this for around $$$ at Amazon. It’s not pennies, but considering the sheer amount of possibilities, we think it’s a pretty good deal. Also we will list a few cheaper alternatives, so keep reading!
Table of Contents
Who is it for?
This is not your average Lego set and this also means the intended audience is different. Lego itself recommends it for everyone who is 16 years or older. This sounds reasonable, although we saw keen interest and pretty interesting results even from 10 year olds. So you might take this lower limit with a pinch of salt.
Usual Lego sets are kind of similar to IKEA products – you get the pieces and a detailed manual how to put it together. The manual is very specific and there is one correct end result. This is not the case here where the accompanying book serves more as a inspiration and introduction to architecture in general. What this means that it’s the best place to really let your creativity fly. During our test we had people from ages 10 to 62 play with the set and all of them loved it. It really was hard to drag them away. So in general I think it’s the perfect gift for:
- kids who love Legos and other constructor toys
- teens with interest in city planning etc
- young architecture students
- and even established architects who could use if for prototyping or just playing around.
As we noted before, there’s not a specific group who this Lego set should be limited to as everyone seemed to just love it. If your kid is old enough not to swallow the pieces, then he’s old enough to start his architect career! On the opposite end of the spectrum – after reviewing the Lego Architecture set I left it at my grandparent. Two weeks later they had build a hugely impressive city hall were up until 3:30 AM one night to finish it.
The guidebook
Opinions on the book diverged a bit. Mostly because some people find it to be to abstract. Talking about architecture in general and giving ideas but not specific steps how to build something from scratch. Fortunately googling around seems to quickly reveal some really cool ideas on all levels of difficulty.
The book includes tips, techniques, features and intuitive hands-on exercises. It’s endorsed by REX architecture, Sou Fujimoto Architects, SOM, MAD Architects, Tham & Videgård Arkitekter, and Safdie Architects. The guidebook is written in collaboration with leading architects and edited by Christopher Turner.
Single building sets
If the Architecture Studio feels intimidating, then there are also a number of cool single buildings to get started with. Here’s some of our favourites
- Build your own orchid – Enjoy a rewarding building project as you create a plant display to enhance your home or office decor with this LEGO Orchid 10311 building kit
- Customize your display – Rotate the model’s stems, blooms, roots and leaves to create your preferred look, and rebuild the stems to create new combinations of flower arrangements
- Inspired by a real orchid – The LEGO designers have worked carefully to create a model that looks as close as possible to the real thing, with amazing attention to detail
- Make your own succulents display – Enjoy a rewarding building project, creating a succulents plant display to enhance your home or office decor with this LEGO Succulents 10309 building kit
- Build 9 different plants – Customize your display by presenting the plants together, in small groups or individually to create a personalized look for your home, office or dorm room
- Inspired by real succulents – Each plant has been carefully designed to capture the look of a real succulent. Admire the different shapes, textures and colors that make up the display
- 24 daily treats – Behind each door of the LEGO Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Advent Calendar (76231) is a gift to inspire creative building and imaginative play
- Iconic characters – Includes Star-Lord, Rocket, Groot and Mantis minifigures and more to combine with mini builds and accessories
- Mini build models – Buildable play experiences include a drone, the Guardians’ spaceship, a snowman in Thanos’s armor and lots more
Conclusion
The LEGO Architecture set is one of the best sets that they have ever produced. 272 page book is already an interesting read and a nice coffee table book in itself. The options are literally unlimited and you or your kids can be playing with it for years. If you’re looking a gift for someone who is over the age of 5, then look no further. Right now you can get it from Amazon.
Thanks for reading our LEGO Architecture Studio review! If you’re interested in other thoughtful minimalist gift ideas, be sure to check out our gift ideas section.
- Release your inner architect and explore a world of endless creative possibilities with this great gift
- Includes 1210 white and transparent LEGO bricks, sorting trays and an inspirational 272-page guidebook
- Guidebook written in collaboration with leading architects and edited by Christopher Turner