Neuschwanstein Castle as a LEGO Architecture set?

 

  • Neuschwanstein Castle as a LEGO Architecture set?

    Posted by rocao, 07 Aug 2011 13:33. Filed under New sets.

    Brickset member bricknation delivers the scoop again by discovering a model of Neuschwanstein Castle in the background of a photo from the manual of 21010 Robie House. Could this be a prototype for a future LEGO architecture set? Since this photo is from the manual of the Robie House set that was available for purchase at the LEGO Discovery Center, I'm considering it released information and not pre-release, until TLG convinces us otherwise.

    You may recognize the castle as it has been the subject of several great MOCs due to its visually stunning architecture.

    Update: ibes007 has identified the model as a non-LEGO model that was available for retail, and it does seem to be the case. Quite an interesting gaffe for it to show up in a LEGO manual.


    27 comments, latest one posted 21 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)
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Comments

Posted by MCNwakeboard in United Kingdom, 07 Aug 2011 14:11

I am waiting for TLG to request that the photo be removed, because that would confirm that it is a potential production set ( :

Posted by moop2000 in United States, 07 Aug 2011 14:36

Yes! I really hope that's an architectural set, I love Neuschwanstein Castle! It's such a nice looking place. Before the Burj Khalifa was announced, there was a picture of it in one of the booklets for a different architecture set, so it is very likely.

Posted by CapnRex101 in United Kingdom, 07 Aug 2011 14:45

This would be a great set, but they would have to do it in a large scale, not small like the Empire State building etc.

Posted by sonsofsceva in United States, 07 Aug 2011 14:54

I was hoping this would be one of the large scale sets like the Tower Bridge.

Posted by TooMuchLEGO in United States, 07 Aug 2011 15:28

@Legolas1:

I don't remember seeing that. I'll go look at it.

UPDATE: Okay, just saw it, looks awesome. Thanks for head's up.

Posted by jonbuddy in United States, 07 Aug 2011 15:39

I think Neuschwanstein Castle will be the best seller out of the bunch. It is amazing!

Posted by Uno Brick in United States, 07 Aug 2011 15:56

Unless I am mistaken, I think the Neuschwanstein Castle in the background is a set from the Japanese micro-sized building block company "Nanoblocks". Here is a picture of their Neuschwanstein Castle kit: http://www.mynanoblock.com/site/?collect=title-5.
The general structure looks just like that of the Nanoblock set, and the trees that are visible in this picture look very much like those in the Nanoblock kit - they are formed using a brown round base and 3 plates, stacked on top of each other. It's a bit difficult to see, but the size of the elements are also different that of the Lego elements in the Robie House at the picture's foreground. While it's surprising to see a non-Lego building in a Lego product, I'm pretty sure the Castle is actually Nanoblocks, and unfortunately, not Lego :(

Posted by zaxter2001 in United States, 07 Aug 2011 16:10

But why is the base of the castle different than any of the other Architecture sets?

Posted by Uno Brick in United States, 07 Aug 2011 16:20

@LEGOlas1: After comparing the two a bit more, I do see that there are a number of clear differences, i.e.: the width of the castle, but I think this might be achieved with two Nanoblock kits combined together to create a larger Castle. Well, if it really is Lego, it looks like a great addition to the Architecture line. :)

@zaxter2001: That's something that also led me to believe it was a Nanoblock kit. The Architecture kits usually have a grey base with black outline, but this has a lime green one with no border around it.

Posted by legomaniac in United States, 07 Aug 2011 16:37

I love castles, but I love the crawling cranes next to it too :)

Posted by Death Watch in United States, 07 Aug 2011 16:39

Why is the link to a fan MOC? I have to say, it's very impressive.

Posted by Thomson & Thompson in Canada, 07 Aug 2011 18:05

Hmm. Interesting.

Posted by rocao in United States, 07 Aug 2011 18:25

@Death Watch: the photo is of the designer -- Adam Reed Tucker. It looks like he is working on scaling down an Architecture model of Robie House from a larger version in the foreground. In the background is the castle. It's just speculation at this point if it's also a prototype, but it's interesting that it's in the same workspace. http://bricknation.com/images/Lego/neuschwanstein1.jpg

Posted by ibes007 in United States, 07 Aug 2011 22:33

Sorry folks, it's definitely the Neuschwanstein Castle Deluxe from nanoblocks, not the smaller Neuschwanstein Castle from nanoblocks. I would know because I own the Neuschwanstein Castle Deluxe set from nanoblocks.

See this website for a side picture: http://www.plazajapan.com/products/Kawada-NB%252d009-nanoblock-Neuschwanstein-Castle-Deluxe.html

Posted by Nightshroud99 in Canada, 07 Aug 2011 22:41

Now that would be something I'd buy!

Posted by fleecie in Australia, 08 Aug 2011 04:31

Ever since I saw the Neuschwanstein Castle display, I've had my fingers and toes crossed that Lego would release it as a large scale set!

Posted by Markey in Belgium, 08 Aug 2011 05:11

Trolled by nanoblocks hehe.

Looks quite nice to be honest!

Posted by gime in Poland, 08 Aug 2011 07:14

This is indeed Nanoblocks.
http://www.amazon.com/Nanoblock-Neuschwanstein-Castle-Deluxe-Set/dp/B00436G1IM

But now I want LEGO to create their version of that epic buidling.

Posted by TheKingOfBuilding in United Kingdom, 08 Aug 2011 08:02

@LEGOlas1: I agree with you. LEGO wouldn't put a photo of another construction brand in an official instruction manual - that would be crazy! This Neuschwanstein Castle is either a prototype or a proper set that is going to be released later this year or early 2012.

Posted by Markey in Belgium, 08 Aug 2011 08:50

Those sets look almost identical, I don't think that's coincidence.

Posted by Alemas in Germany, 08 Aug 2011 10:29

Uh... it's not Nanoblocks. :P Look at the trees. They're smaller on the LEGO model. I think he's basing the castle out of the Nanoblocks set.

Posted by ncbarrett in United States, 08 Aug 2011 11:21

If they make this in the large scale building series, they will have a definite sale from me.
My wife loves this castle!

Posted by rocao in United States, 08 Aug 2011 12:02

The trees are different, but since those are brick-built, it's possible that it's still nanoblocks but wasn't built exactly to specification. The other attributes -- base, color choice, tower and window position -- are strikingly similar. However, the photo is not high res enough to be able to say definitively.

In response to those that say it's simply too big a gaffe for TLG to make, Adam Reed Tucker is not a traditional LEGO employee, so he is not precluded from building with non-LEGO for professional reasons.

Posted by nexus15 in United States, 08 Aug 2011 15:19

A.R.T. Only builds with Lego elements and bricks. Period. Its not nanoblocks.

Now back to the real topic at hand it is hard to speculate future architecture sets since the man is working on all kinds of buildings all the time. What he and TLG decide to make into a boxed retail model will obviously go up for some kind of review and consideration process.

Considering the Robbie house is already $200 I cant imagine what they would charge for the castle. It would simply be outrageous, or it would be priced reasonably and defeat the architecture price scale, but that's my personal opinion talking.

Posted by ncbarrett in United States, 08 Aug 2011 15:27

seems strange if it is not nanoblocks, why is it on the exact same base as the nanoblocks castle?

To my knowledge, LEGO has never made anything on a base like that.

Posted by gime in Poland, 08 Aug 2011 17:32

This is not a LEGO set. That photo has good enough quality to easily see that some parts are smaller than LEGO parts. Also, the color scheme is very unlikely for a LEGO architecture set, especially when it doesn't correspond to the reality.
Another thing would be the building style - LEGO Architecture sets tend to be less detailed.

The fact that this Nanoblock set is in the frame doesn't mean that Adam owns it, or has ever build it.
Also - is that blue crane a LEGO set? I don't recognize it. Doesn't even look like a LEGO toy. So maybe there was just a random collection of different toys around.

Posted by Thomson & Thompson in Canada, 08 Aug 2011 17:50

I don't get all the speculation here. People have proven that the model was released by nanoblocks, not LEGO. I dosen't even look like LEGO. A.R.T. was proabably just getting some inspiration or something.

@LEGOlas1 - Those cranes are not LEGO, too.

Commenting has ended on this article.