2024 Modular Building rumour and speculation

Briking

LusiferSam said:

I highly doubt they would ever do it, but I would love to see an abandoned building.  One with broken windows and graffiti.  A place where bootleg gingerbread and smuggled chocolate chip cookies dealt.  Maybe other shady stuff like cupcakes are exchanged.  Again very unlikely to happen, but one can dream.

I would think some type of industrial space could a possibility.  You could have some factory layouts that span multiple stories of a building.  Printing, baking, textiles, ice cream all have factory layouts that could work in this space and be very different from what's been done. 

#10228 Haunted House?

LusiferSam

BooTheMightyHamster said:

Something like this?  It's from Mike Doyle's book, 'Beautiful Lego'.

Beautiful MOC, but not what I had in mind.  I said abandoned building, not dilapidated house.

Briking said:

#10228 Haunted House?

Not a Modular, doesn't fit on the street with the others.

sweetness34

You could always convert the haunted house into a modular, this one is 16 studs wide. I have it next to the brick bank for comparison 

Brickchap

@LusiferSam Do you mean more like the Second World War buildings one sees on Brickmania and so forth? Regular house but ruined in parts? (as opposed to an abandoned house or 'haunted house'?

FollowsClosely

Not a Modular, doesn't fit on the street with the others...

That looks to be close to four feet tall!

bricktuary

I'm going for Art Museum. Based on my badly researched and frankly rather ludicrous hypothesis that they are taking inspiration from Hill Valley.

MattDawson

bricktuary said:

I'm going for Art Museum. Based on my badly researched and frankly rather ludicrous hypothesis that they are taking inspiration from Hill Valley.

From that hypothesis, we're also due a theatre, record store, travel agent and a decorators shop, although I'm not sure the latter will have the Sherwin-Williams branding...

bricktuary

And a manure truck GWP

gmayes

I vote hospital. It should have radiology, operating room, recovery, reception/waiting room and an ambulance bay. That could conceivably fit on a single baseplate.  A school would be cool but classrooms would take up so much space to accommodate even a modest number of students

Brickchap

@gmayes Agreed. I made a modular hospital that had a room specifically for an iron lung (quite relevant for 1930s-1950s era), and separate wards for men, women and children. They were all on the same level (in real life they would be completely separate), but I did have walls separating them.

If they do a hospital I really hope it would be a vintage/classic one. The Harry Potter sickbay is a good example of how a ward could look. Also we have a nurse's cap piece so hopefully that would be used.

motobucci

Smaller building ideas I'd love to see:

• tattoo parlor
• swimming pool
• day care
• karate studio
• ceramics studio
• hardware store
• dry-cleaners

For larger buildings, I'd love to see:

• construction site
• college/university
• roller-skating rink (maybe this could go along with an arcade?)
• hospital
• natural history museum (since we already have a small art gallery)
• library

WesterBricks

Realistically I could see hardware store, hospital, or library.  Rumor has it this year was supposed to be a newspaper office, but since the Daily Bugle is still on shelves it was abandoned and the Jazz Club was hastily designed in its place.

Roller skating/arcade would be a ton of fun.

MattDawson

LEGO are unlikely to do a tattoo parlour on the basis tattoos were normally seen as something for ne'er-do-wells (i.e. criminals) and sailors. And outside of hearing aids and brightly coloured clothing/accessories, most buildings would fit into a 1930s/50s aesthetic.

vizzitor

MattDawson said:

LEGO are unlikely to do a tattoo parlour on the basis tattoos were normally seen as something for ne'er-do-wells (i.e. criminals) and sailors. And outside of hearing aids and brightly coloured clothing/accessories, most buildings would fit into a 1930s/50s aesthetic.

But what about the absolute king of all tattoos on the minifig from one of the Brickset Awards finalists last year:

MattDawson

It's an oddity; LEGO minifigs have tattoos, yet have nowhere to get them. However I very much doubt we'd get a tattoo parlour outside of a City set.

Fauch

there is one in apocalypseburg I think

Phoenixio

I hadn't heard about the 2023 replacement drama, that's quite a surprise!  Still, I think people are really being unfair to the Jazz Club: it's a great set, and I'd say it gets even better with the Moving Truck GWP which adds a lot of furniture for it!


As far as speculation goes, I'd be a big fan of a university (currently trying to MOC one, there's so much potential for content), a postal office (been wanting one since my first modular!), a museum (there was a great 32x32 submission to ideas that didn't pass, and nothing has reached that level since).   I'd also be a big fan of a park (there might be one in the next wave of the Brickset Invitational), since I'm not a fan of the Chinese one which had very limited availability and didn't even look like it was meant to be compatible (that sidewalk is just too different).

I think we're meant to see the Avenger's Tower as the next superheroes modular, so I'm curious to see where that goes, but I do worry about the price tag since it's a huge license and all.

Brickchap

@Phoenixio In regards to speculation, I agree with all of the above! :)

A university would be really interesting. Post Office is definitely a requirement. For a museum, would you prefer a human/minifigure history museum, a natural history museum, art museum, or some combination of these?

For a park maybe we could get like a 16x32 modular and a 32x32 park in the one set? Perhaps a Vienna tea room looking out onto a nice European park.

Interesting perspective on Jazz Club! I do think it grew on me when I saw it with the big JAZZ CLUB sign removed.

Personally I'm considering buying it and rebuilding it with all Italian restaurant on the bottom and all jazz club on the second floor. If anyone has MOCed/modified Jazz Club, please PM me as I'm very interested in what others have done!

motobucci

University would be sooo cute!

Museum would be fun because there is so much you could do with it. I could see Lego incorporating some kind of lego history into that.

I also think a construction site is something that could add a lot of character to the modular lineup. Scaffolding. Caution tape. A crane would look sooooo good too. Maybe only half of the building would be getting renovations, so we'd have the opportunity to have some smaller shops or even a residence incorporated. Maybe an old man getting angry at all the construction noise.

A factory could be interesting too. Maybe a brick factory?

It's a shame Lego could never really have...a shoe store lol

Also, maybe some kind of sandwich shop/deli? Instead of another cafe.

Brickchap

@motobucci Yeah some Lego history would be fun. Maybe a play on the classic Evolution of Man picture with the evolution of the minifigure instead. Or a nanofigure, then a minifig statue (the one with a stud connection on top, often used in the old Lego Games), then the half short legs and a full minifig.

Yes a construction site would be great. Ideally it would be vintage like the rest of the series. Construction workers, shirts off, vintage helmets, sitting on top of a beam eating lunch would be hilarious. Maybe a steam shovel or 1940s bulldozer could be included (especially since presumably the construction site would require less pieces than a full building. A residence with a cranky resident would be cool.

Yes a factory would be an interesting one. A brickworks would be an awesome set, especially if slightly based on Lego's real brick-making process. Include a vintage truck similar to the removalist truck GWP this year.

Yeah a shoe store is a fun idea. Sandwich store/deli would be an easy addition to a multi-business modular. As I've said before I'd really like to see a Vienna coffee house. (eg Cafe Demel, Cafe Sacher). We need Lego Sachertorte!

Phoenixio

motobucci said:

I also think a construction site is something that could add a lot of character to the modular lineup. Scaffolding. Caution tape. A crane would look sooooo good too. Maybe only half of the building would be getting renovations, so we'd have the opportunity to have some smaller shops or even a residence incorporated. Maybe an old man getting angry at all the construction noise.

Did you miss out on #910008 ?  It's why I like that set so much: it's stupid in a way to have a Lego set under construction, and yet so elegant at the same time.  Plus, the crane is gorgeous and adds a very interesting aspect to the skyline.

Brickchap

@Phoenixio I better question might be, who didn't miss out on 910008 (along with every other Bricklink set for that matter)

I agree it's a great set. It's a damn shame it wasn't released as an Ideas set, they could have made the building or tower crane smaller to reduce the price.

Personally I've never understood the hate towards modular building Ideas projects. Look how many 1980s/90s sitcom projects there are that don't get chosen, yet you don't see people whinging about those. And more to the point, some were eventually chosen. Just because Lego doesn't like the modular ideas proposed so far, doesn't mean an idea in the future won't be accepted. Like Old Fishing Store was basically a seaside modular building without the pavement in front.

It would be really cool if Lego did release a proper modular construction site; after all we haven't even had a proper construction site from City since 2008! Maybe they could do a modular demolition site, and have an interchangeable facade or bits that can be added/removed to have it as either a run down building being demolished, or as the refurbished building.

Off topic, but since we've had both a Fire Station and Police Station modular now, I'm pleased to say that a hospital would be possible. (whereas before some would argue there are too many police-fire-hospital sets in City)

sweetness34

Rebrickable has a museum modular build from the tower bridge set. Pretty nice build. I have one on display with my Modulars  I also have the modular construction site  once I build it I plan to display it with the daily bugle set  

Phoenixio

sweetness34 said:

Rebrickable has a museum modular build from the tower bridge set. Pretty nice build. 

I hated that MOC.  Lots of weird techniques (due to piece limitations, like stacking so many 1x1s to reproduce bigger bricks), and then the end result has so many studs everywhere.  I'll give you that the outside design looks great, but to me, it took too much effort to fix this and make it fully modular-compatible...  It falls into the "nice from afar" category to me unfortunately.

Brickchap

@Phoenixio I'm inclined to agree with you. It's very well done considering it's only the pieces from Tower Bridge, but yeah so many studs and lacking interior detail. There are also cases where I'm surprised people keep it as is, like I can't remember what it specifically is but there's a 4x8 plate that could easily be replaced by parts in one's own collection (I think it represents an awning?)

Mr_Cross

I jumped in a #10300 and took a ride to Jan '24...
legoleak spoiler time: #10321 Is McClutchski's Hardware Store - From the front, a similar format to the Bookstore, but mirrored if that makes sense. It's another 50s inspired pastiche and McClutchski himself is in a flat cap and classic brown janitor's overcoat. Next-door is a cobblers, a poster for LEGO-proof footwear "Steppenwolves" hangs in the window. It is divided from the Hardware store by a 6 wide covered alleyway that runs down between the two ground floor buildings. 'Brickkety Splits' is a speakeasy nightclub situated behind the Cobbler's shop. The nightclub sign shows a cracked brittle brown brick. Mind out for the dumpster fire in the back alley beyond!
The second floor runs across both shops and is mostly given over to what appears to be two 60s styled bijou apartments apparently owned by twin sisters? A cool new pair of fire escape components has been produced with a retractable ladder.
The third floor has another apartment, this time more of a penthouse aesthetic - a rotating wall leads to a spy's secret munitions and tech store room.
3022 pcs $229.99, £199.99, 229.99€

Phoenixio

That's a highly detailed and very early leak, if I've ever seen any...

WesterBricks

You forgot the Australian price of $699.99 😆

Brickchap

@WesterBricks Yep! We couldn't have a reasonably priced Lego set in Australian dollars now could we?

daewoo

Well, if Australia would make itself a reasonable country, they might get reasonable pricing.  *wink*

motobucci

Speaking of abandoned buildings, has anyone ever seen/heard of these ruin sets from AliExpress? 

They look pretty cute! But I'm assuming they lack a lot of fun detail that the official lego sets have.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/[email protected][email protected]!12000027859792914!btf&_t=pvid:d06feafe-5a4d-4591-9ee3-2e31094f1a52&afTraceInfo=1005004049612353__pc__pcBridgePPC__xxxxxx__1684770170&spm=a2g0o.ppclist.product.mainProduct&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

Mr_Cross

How about some kind of observatory? Maybe modelled on the ones in Greenwich and/or Athens?
Couple of exhibits inside, one with a classic spaceman (of course!) and another with the constellations?

Brickchap

@Mr_Cross That's a cool idea! I really liked the Bricklink one. Perhaps a library and observatory? (within the one building), so people get a library but it's also an observatory.

Mr_Cross

Brickchap said:

@Mr_Cross That's a cool idea! I really liked the Bricklink one. Perhaps a library and observatory? (within the one building), so people get a library but it's also an observatory.

Neat! A library fits pretty well, I think.

Lyichir

An observatory would make a neat set but I don't know how well it would work as a modular... aren't most observatories typically in less built-up areas? I'm used to seeing them more on mountains or hills rather than in a row of buildings on a city street.

A library could be neat but I feel like it'd still need some other hook to make it unique and keep it from just feeling like rows and rows of shelves.

pxchris

Not a modular collector, so my thoughts on this are of little value...
But a well designed library could be a really fun addition to the line. However, after the disappointing amount of books in the bookstore... I fear how sparse a library would end up looking in modular form.

Sethro3

pxchris said:

Not a modular collector, so my thoughts on this are of little value...
But a well designed library could be a really fun addition to the line. However, after the disappointing amount of books in the bookstore... I fear how sparse a library would end up looking in modular form.

Umm it's really popular so all of the books are checked out of course.. :D

Fauch

there's a better bookshop in diagon alley

MattDawson

I have a suspicion it might be a hardware/DIY shop on the ground floor, with accommodation above. This would fit neatly within the thematic patterns that appear throughout the modular line history, and give the minifigs somewhere to buy those much needed supplies.

Would also neatly allow the offering of a van/flatbed lorry for deliveries (or maybe the local builder firm?)

Brickchap

@Lyichir Yes and no, larger observatorys are always away from a city, but I did go to a small observatory right in the middle of a coastal town I forget the name of. It was in an open park between the city buildings and the beach.

Note that for my idea a library would merely be a part of the observatory, like one room. There's no reason why Lego couldn't do interesting and ornate bookshelves, new techniques for books, or other furniture/details to make it interesting like a comfy armchair, big desk full of papers/maps with a magnifying glass, some things on display in glass cabinets, a spirit duplicator. I'd much rather rows and rows of bookshelves than be charged the same price for an empty building! *cough* Petshop Apartment *cough*

@MattDawson Hardware store is good. I'd love a van, flatbed lorry (surely a tradie's truck/ute could be included). It would be cool having some way of properly attaching a wooden plank balanced on the cab roof of a ute. Maybe a hardware store could make way for a future construction site...

Phoenixio

As someone in the field, building an observatory in the middle of a town is like building a fishing store in the middle of a desert.  You're really shooting yourself in the foot there!

The high-tech ones have to be as isolated as possible, and building one atop a mountain can be difficult but makes you benefit from being farther from city light and having less atmospheric turbulence since they're so high.

You sometimes see smaller one near small towns, usually built/planned before the town grew.  They won't be as productive though, and will be limited to studying very bright objects, or to teach students from nearby universities the basics.

Mr_Cross

MattDawson said:

I have a suspicion it might be a hardware/DIY shop on the ground floor, with accommodation above...

Like I said further up... I went to the future! ;-) spoiler warning it's: McClutchski's Hardware Store!

daewoo

motobucci said:

Speaking of abandoned buildings, has anyone ever seen/heard of these ruin sets from AliExpress? 

They look pretty cute! But I'm assuming they lack a lot of fun detail that the official lego sets have.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/[email protected][email protected]!12000027859792914!btf&_t=pvid:d06feafe-5a4d-4591-9ee3-2e31094f1a52&afTraceInfo=1005004049612353__pc__pcBridgePPC__xxxxxx__1684770170&spm=a2g0o.ppclist.product.mainProduct&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

I remember when clone brands were $40 to $50 for modulars.  Oh how times have changed.

ReesesPieces

daewoo said:

I remember when clone brands were $40 to $50 for modulars.  Oh how times have changed.

I think we're going to need knockoffs of knockoff Lego.

Phoenixio

But those are completely redesigned, even if they look like existing modulars, so their prices must reflect that even if they're knockoff bricks.