Happy Birthday Day, Singapore!

Happy Birthday, Singapore. It's been 48 good years, and we're rockin'!:)

Lego Architecture Studio (21050)

It's kinda refreshing when Lego came up with something totally different. This one's for the creative people. Nice.

If you're a architect or simply someone who is interested in design and 3D modelling, you'll probably be heading off to www.lego.com to make the purchase right now:) 
Haven't got a clue on architecture but very keen to have a shot at creating your own structure? Fret not. There's where the guidebook comes in - it is designed to inspire you to teach you the fundamentals such as scale, mass and density, symmetry, modules and repetition, space and section, and surface. It isn't the usual Lego construction guidebook for toys, but rather an idea and style guide that inspires you with its beautiful content from around the world. There are even hands-on exercise sections where you can further explore the concepts discussed at your own pace.

Talk about the possibility of building something really original.

Here's the official description of Lego Architecture Studio (21050):

Bring your architectural creations to life in Lego form with Lego Architecture Studio. In this amazing set you get over 1200 Lego bricks and an inspirational guidebook filled with 272 pages of tips, techniques, features, and intuitive hands-on exercises endorsed by leading design houses.

Lego Architecture Studio gives you everything you need to create your very own unique buildings. Let your imagination guide your design!

- Includes 1210 white and transparent Lego bricks, sorting-trays and an inspirational 272-page guidebook

- Guidebook includes tips, techniques, features and intuitive hands-on exercises

- Use the monochromatic bricks to help you learn the fundamentals of architectural design in a Lego context

- Endorsed by REX architecture, Sou Fujimoto Architects, SOM, MAD Architects, Tham & Videgård Arkitekter, and Safdie Architect

- Guidebook written in collaboration with leading architects and edited by Christopher Turne

- Be inspired by world-renowned architects

- Release your inner architect and explore a world of endless creative possibilities

- For Ages: 16+

- Price: $149.95

The Lego Movie

Yes, you've heard that right.

We're gonna have an original Lego movie (yay!), and it's coming our way in February 7, 2014 for the US release (check out the international release dates here).  

 

Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, this adventure-comedy animation tells the story of how, Emmet, a very strait-laced and very ordinary guy was being mistaken as the extraordinary Master Builder who (as you 
had expected) becomes the one to save the universe from an evil tyrant President Business (Will Ferrell) who is bent on destroying the brick universe by gluing everything together. Morgan Freeman joins the fray as Virtuvius, and old mystic who dispenses sagely advice to the man with a mission to save the brick world. We also have Liam Neeson, the Bad Cop (President Business's powerful henchman), who will stop at nothing to catch Emmet.

And, oh, we'll see a cast of our ever popular superheroes returning to the big screen in brick form: Superman (Channing Tatum) and Batman (Will Arnett) Well, we also have Wonder Woman (Cobie Smulders) and the Green Lantern (Jonah Hill) appearing in this Lego movie debut.

 

 Our all time favourite red-caped sky cruiser.

It's always nice to have a female character to balance out the pow-wow of our hot blooded male superheroes, but what's up with the man in green hanging around here?

Green Lantern. Seriously?



Anyways. Let's see what other tidbits we have got at this point in time:)

The main character, Emmet:

Emmet:
"I have no idea what's going on. At all."











Check out the movie trailer:

Video Game:
For the gamers out there - a video game based on the movie (Uninspiredly-named as The Lego Movie Video Game) will also be created for hardcore Lego fans who simply can't get enough of the Lego universe. The gaming platforms are Xbox 360, Xbox One, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Playstation Vita, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and of course, the PC. 

More details at the official movie site here: http://thelegomovie.warnerbros.com/index.html 

I'm pretty excited about how this first original Lego movie will turn out. Warner Brothers, don't disappoint us!

Lego 10237 - The Tower of Orthanc

It is finally out!!!

... There stood a tower of marvelous shape. It was fashioned by the builders of old, who smoothed the Ring of Isengard, and yet it seemed a thing not made by the craft of Men, but riven from the bones of the earth in the ancient torment of the hills. A peak and isle of rock it was, black and gleaming hard: four mighty piers of many-sided stone were welded into one, but near the summit they opened into gaping horns, their pinnacles sharp as the points of spears, keen-edged as knives. Between them was a narrow space, and there upon a floor of polished stone, written with strange signs, a man might stand five hundred feet above the plain.

- JRR Tolkien, The Two Towers

This is definitely a monumental build, especially for Lord of The Rings Lego fans. Looming at 28-inch tall, the Tower of Orthanc set includes six floors: dungeon, entrance hall, Saruman’s throne room, alchemy room, library and the secret attic to which you can access using a secret stairway. 

The set also includes a Great Eagle, a giant Ent and five minifigs: Saruman, Grima Wormtongue, Gandalf the Grey, one Uruk-hai and the Orc Pitmaster. The black pieces make it look really cool

It is now available for everyone at the Lego shop! Go get it! 

Check out the review of The most-anticipated Lord of The Rings Lego set for 2013 (so far) here!

Watch what the designers have to say about this amazing build:

Sydney Opera House (Lego 10234)

Ooohhh...check out this sweet baby!!! Simply gorgeous.

The harbour view

The stairs. Details, details, details!

The viewing bay looks awesome!

I felt like I could use a walk along these streets already.

Another view of the fantastic Lego architecture.

And...this is the actual Sydney Opera House!
You almost can't tell the difference between the Lego build
and the actual one right?:)

Set (10234) Sydney Opera House™ was officially unveiled at the Brickworld in Chicago tonight.
Official Press Release: ”The famous Australian landmark is the latest structure to be added to LEGO® Creator Expert range. The set contains nearly 3,000 LEGO bricks, and will launch in September.

The LEGO Group is set to pay homage to one of the greatest buildings of the Twentieth Century when it debuts a striking new official Sydney Opera House model on 1 September 2013.
The construction skills of LEGO fans from around the world will be put to the test as they recreate the unmistakable rooflines and complex angled walls of the Opera House using advanced building techniques and a total of 2,989 LEGO bricks.

Scaling 28cm high x 63.5cm wide x 38cm deep, this authentic representation of the Opera House will even stay true to its iconic harbour surrounds with the introduction the LEGO Group’s largest blue stud baseplate ever along with an abundance of dark tan LEGO® bricks including the rare 1x1x2/3 stud and 1x2x2/3 stud slopes.

The Opera House model joins the LEGO Creator Expert product range, which has previously seen the likes of the Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower and Tower Bridge immortalised in LEGO® bricks.”

Watch the video here:

It's simply awesome, isn't it? Now, will The Lego Group create Singapore's Esplanade? Drools.

Lord of the Rings Summer Collection is out

Hello folks, if you haven't know by now, the summer collection (or 2nd wave, if you would prefer) for Lord of the Rings IS OUT! Check these out: 

 

These have been on the retail shelves for a couple of days already. I haven't been to the specialist Lego toy shops lately, so I couldn't comment on that. But major department stores should carry them - specifically Metro, Takashimaya and of course, Toy R Us.

Well if you want your discounts, just head straight down to Metro. It's the Great Singapore Sale after all.

Have fun building!

Lego: My childhood fantasy and how it all began

Picture source: http://dululainsekaranglain.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/LEGO-Castle-Battle3.jpg

Hmm...where to start? I love Lego. Played with them since I was 6 or 7, and that sheer joy of building and deconstructing those little bricks into castles and all sorts of vehicles and space monsters didn't leave me since. And, oh, talk about the massive medieval army (well they weren't a lot of minifigs around in those days, but I had imagined them to be) I had built! Marching and fighting many ferocious battles along the way as they moved across from one great valley to another (my sofa). Some were slain by unspeakable evil monsters that popped out of some corner and some simply fell to their deaths in the treacherous grey, leathery mountains. And then there were snow (talcum powder!), and that river crossing (a plate filled with water!), and finally, the battle field where it all will end. The fight for honour and justice...and the damsel in distress. How can we miss out the princess? Yes, the princess. I guess in every boy's childhood, there is always a princess waiting to be rescued, some justice to be evened out, and honour to be restored. To be fought for. I guess that's a typical boyhood for most of us (or at least for me - I'm such a Lego geek!!:)).

Well, now that I've given a very brief introduction of the origins of my love for Lego, let's hear yours.

Comments are welcome!

Here are some more awesome Lego castle creations. Don't drool!

Picture source: http://cdn.thebrickblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/LEGO-Castle-Village-Details-by-Derfel-Cadarn.jpg

Picture source: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kv7zujUHT81qapxx6o1_400.jpg

Picture source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/3746110492_1972fdf34f.jpg

Picture source: http://www.classic-castle.com/moc/articles/images/lowlugfanwelt.jpg

Picture source: http://cdn.thebrickblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/LEGO-Castle-Village-by-Derfel-Cadarn.jpg

Pretty awesome, aren't they? Makes you feel like creating one, eh?