10362 French Café announced!
Posted by CapnRex101,
An unusual, though stunning, Icons set has been revealed today, seemingly as the first in a series of international restaurants. The press release follows:
10362 French Café
Rated 18+, 1,101 pieces
$79.99 / £69.99 / €79.99
Available at LEGO.com from 1st March
Celebrate French culinary artistry with the LEGO Icons French Café (10362) bookshelf decoration building kit for adults. Unwind as you create your own piece of French charm with this collectable set, designed for adult fans of LEGO building, food and travel.
A brick-built sidewalk with a classic streetlight sets the stage for Café Fleur, with its picturesque facade, ornate seating, hanging flowerpots and double doors that open to reveal a glimpse of a cosy interior with regal wallpaper and dark-wood furnishings. Packed with intricate details and accessories, such as croissants, cups, a newspaper and cash register, this model captures the essence of a classic French bistro, while its slim profile and flat back make it perfect for shelf display.
Given the 'Restaurants of the World' label on the packaging, this will presumably be the first in a series. What other restaurants would you like to see and what do you think of this model? Let us know in the comments.
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115 comments on this article
it's nice but the market saturation goes crazy, is there really an audience for this style of like.. small scale facade that aren't happy with architecture sets or modulars? and the bar for being a nice lego building is way higher now like this is kinda the average now for an icons building. be interesting to see if this goes anywhere but i don't expect too much
Thats a lot of money for something that looks rather insubstantial.
That’s cool! I’m going to Paris in May so maybe I’ll get this!
Huh. This could be a nice option for someone who wants the feel/level of detail of a modular at a lower price point. It's quite cute.
New green windows, like the ones in the Knight Bus that's coming!
This is called a café despite the press release describing it as a bistro. Not so much a restaurant, then
Price isn't excessive but there is a lot of superfluous stuff if you want to add this to a town layout and it's not something I'd want to put on a shelf.
Very nice build this - unsure if I'd buy it as-is (a fairly large chunk o' change for just a facade at the end of the day) but there's some lovely techniques going on in there.
Also can't 100% tell for sure but are those prints for the golden window/door/awning decorations? If so I'm *absolutely* stocking up on those whenever they pop up via PAB, gonna end up using em in MOCs like no tomorrow!
Minifigure-scale doors on a building that's obviously not supposed to be minifigure-scale, judging by the chairs and the interior and the sandwich board to the side, and especially the towering lamppost.
This definitely falls into the same category as the Tranquil and Fountain Gardens, where they're just off in scale enough to not be minifigure-friendly.
Makes them look deserted, I think, no life anywhere but the plants, and this one looks especially deserted, like everyone just vanished halfway through their espressos.
Restaurants of The World....hmmmm..
Be very interesting to see what they choose for the UK 'entry'......Kebab Shop?, Indian Restaurant?
They'll likely choose a Fish and Chip shop but these are as rare as rocking horse s*** in your average UK city these days
WOW, that's the set i have wished for since my re-entry as an AFOL! ... oooor not really?
Honstly don't get it who is supposed to be the audience for this. I could't even tell it's "french" if not written on the box.
As someone who likes the Architecture series, I can appreciate a set like this. But I am not sure yet whether I will buy this. There are already so many other sets that have caught my eye.
By looking at the last photo I was wondering how the "black specks" in the sidewalk were achieved. Initially I thought it would be a printed element, but upon closer inspection it seems that the effect was achieved by alternating arch 1 x 2 jumpers in different directions. I have never seen that technique before in an official set.
This is cute but the color and style of the entrance reminds me more of La Pedrera in Barcelona than a French Cafe.
But I’m glad TLG is starting to realize there is a market for sets that are aimed at adults beyond huge $300 sets.
1. I LOVE this - It's amazing partpack for ANYONE who loves making own restaurants
2. For this price however... you can get 42655Restaurant and Cooking School... A 2 STORY BUILDING (which funilly has less pieces)
One of the biggest critiques of Friends sets is that they're facades. It looks like LEGO has taken that Friends format and geared it to the AFOL market. I also think it could be an entry point to modulars at a lower price point.
Would have preferred a cafe rather than a facade of a cafe on an unnecessarily deep plinth.
Buying several restaurant types would have been a good way of bringing a city layout to life rather than acting as a dust magnet on a shelf.
This is a nice idea but I feel it should have been put in the Architecture line...Since it's basically a skyline but of only the façade of a café.
My mum, who had no interest in Lego, adores the botanical range. I can imagine this kind of booknook / dollshouse / diorama style set, with a nostalgic and classy theme, would appeal to her too.
Wow, I’m so not interested. I don’t think this is a great set either. I actually might like it if it weren’t only a facade.
@MeganL said:
"One of the biggest critiques of Friends sets is that they're facades. It looks like LEGO has taken that Friends format and geared it to the AFOL market. I also think it could be an entry point to modulars at a lower price point."
THIS is a facade, the friend sets has at least stuff inside.
I really like this - it’s a nice half way spot between the Architecture stuff (which is lovely and parts-dense, but often feels a bit small for the price) and the big modular buildings. It also has a tonne of lovely shaping techniques and clever part usage (though there must be a slightly better looking solution than they’ve gone for for that arch over the door!). Definitely on the want list.
That's an expensive front wall.
Even when it's just a facade, I quite like it! Or dare I say even more so because it's just a facade? After all, I don't have unlimited display space, and it also keeps the price kinda reasonable. Also, seems like all prints? I don't think I spot any sticker edges?
Now a French cafe is not that high on my list, but still, if they turn this into a series of similar builds that can be connected, I'm all for it! Something Japanese or Korean next?
I NEED an Italian Pizzeria
People are going to go absolutely nuts for these. I can see it happening.
That's a very cool GWP. Oh wait...
Yuk. That looks absolutely hideous. Hopefully a decent looking Aussie Fish & Chip shop will be next though. Or a Maccas, KFC
Just noticed - a cafe/bistro with a roller disco inside....fancy that!
If you have to ask ‘who is the audience for this’, as seems to be on every press release post nowadays - there’s an audience and it’s just not you.
It look nice from the front but I don't see 80 EUR anywhere
Very busy design. Could've used some editing.
@SideSalad said:
"Minifigure-scale doors on a building that's obviously not supposed to be minifigure-scale, judging by the chairs and the interior and the sandwich board to the side, and especially the towering lamppost.
This definitely falls into the same category as the Tranquil and Fountain Gardens, where they're just off in scale enough to not be minifigure-friendly.
Makes them look deserted, I think, no life anywhere but the plants, and this one looks especially deserted, like everyone just vanished halfway through their espressos."
COVID-19 Restaurants of the world!
I like it - I can see this as an alleyway filler on a modular shelf if you use the Billy bookshelf system. Placed at the back of the shelf between two Modulars using that awkward bit of space that is just too small for a half base plate. It could give some nice depth and allow for some storytelling.
Obviously it’s too expensive but with a decent discount I could see myself looking favourably on this.
I think I'd leave out the tea and cup-cake, they're way too big.
Wonder what's next. American diner seems an obvious choice.
This ain't nothing but glorified postcards. C'mon TLG, the pricing! Easy pass.
Would have preferred smaller without the unnecessary black base. More similar to houses of the world theme or all the shops... I may get this just to moc up in Paris Cafe style f available on good discount.
Why can't lego stick to a format?
@chrisaw said:
"If you have to ask ‘who is the audience for this’, as seems to be on every press release post nowadays - there’s an audience and it’s just not you. "
No no no, you forget that the only people who buy any Lego sets are people with city layouts, and any new sets should be designed to slot right into said city layouts with no adjustments.
yikes. au revoir!
As a new MOC'er (and a bit rubbish) this style of set is helpful because it provides a starting point.
Cute display, I wonder what it looks like from the back, but I might be tempted to get this set.
I think €79,99 for a 1101 piece set is okay, but I dislike the fact that a lot of those pieces go towards a base that’s five plates high.
LEGO does this more and more, and to me it seems to be more of a way to artificially rack up the part count (and in turn, increase the price), than that it’s actually necessary for the design or build stability. Why not just 2 plates high, like they do with the Architecture sets?
Also, a minor nitpick (if I remember my high school French properly): “Café Fleur” doesn’t seem like correct French to me, only if the café is named after someone who is called Fleur or a singular flower. I can understand that they might not want to name it Café de Flore since that’s the name of a well known café in Paris, but this just sounds a bit weird to me and Café de Fleurs sounds way better. Perhaps a native French speaker can clear that up for us?
If this is going to be a series, maybe I can form a narrow corridor with them like Diagon Alley and insert it between my modular buildings or even between books in a bookcase. Maybe put a mirror in the back to optically extend the depth.
This phrase in the press release made me laugh: "bookshelf decoration building kit for adults."
I cannot believe it has +1000 pieces with how small it is.
Love that they are doing more international subject matter. For my own tastes, I wish it was more deliberately designed with minifigs in mind.
Restaurant of the world is definitely something I can see myself collecting, damn ??
I love how quaint this set is
Yet another great overpriced parts pack. It looks nice enough but yet another set where a good portion of parts is just to build a base. The facade is interesting but the scale is weird. Time will tell if there is a market for this style.
I’m a bit disappointed it doesn’t fit in with the Houses of the World/little shops GWPs from last year and the year before, because a set of little restaurants to go with those would be darling. But it’s quite nice! If the series expands pleasingly I’ll be quite tempted.
An odd beast indeed. It may have potential to be modded into a 16x16 "mini-modular" (whish Lego made more of those), but it still needs a second floor. So, still on the fence about this.
A pass for me - too small, for the price. I'd much rather pay more for a proper modular.
Alternatively, I *loved* the small buildings & shops that were GWPs in the last two years...
Fingers crossed for a Supermac’s to represent Ireland. ??
Oh my, that’s not the cafe corner reboot I wanted. But considering botanical and small apartments with ,limited display slots, it makes some kind of sense. Smaller sets means easier to keep in stock and on many shelves (retail and display wise), and not trying for complete house makes for more creative parts use on what is seen.
Should have expected from SW dioramas as well
It should rather be called film studio backlot set series, since those also tend to be mostly facades only.
is it a café or a 5 stars hotel? when I imagine a café / bistrot, I never think of something that fancy
@MeganL said:
"One of the biggest critiques of Friends sets is that they're facades. It looks like LEGO has taken that Friends format and geared it to the AFOL market. I also think it could be an entry point to modulars at a lower price point."
Add 2 minidolls to this set and you'll see it on the shelves at 50% off, like any other friends set
Terribly overbuilt sidewalk pavement and green walls. Not everything needs SNOT techniques, also the dust is gonna collect in those holes in the ground. Hideous gaps under the sign and unnecessary rope piece. those golden horns and transparent roof pieces (???) are giving me oriental vibes, the colors don't remind me of a french café at all. Also, what's with the scale? minidolls? looks weird. A different color scheme and a partial, authentic roof could've made it a bit better but it doesn't interest me at all, it's one of the worst sets I've seen in a while.
The hanging flowers are a nice touch and cool solution imo with the upside-down fez, partwise the only thing that interests me are the coffee filled glasses, are those new? Also, what color is the background of the sign? pink? Terribly bad choice among all that skin colored walls.
Quips about marketability aside, I feel that the elephant in the room with this one is its design. The lamp is disproportionally huge, the chairs are disproportionately tall, the black border isn’t consistent, the front masonry is gappy, the top curved slopes create a bizarre right angle, the flexible whip sticks out like a sore thumb …
This is too expensive for what it offers. It feels like it should have upper floors as well, no french style roof. It's a kit that you want to expand into something better, not leave it be.
£70 for a facade is really bloody cheeky
@Pavell said:
"£70 for a facade is really bloody cheeky"
Yeah...they've got some front....
Lego you have the Netflix licence, just do the Emily in Paris sets, it's the most popular series on Netflix.
This looks so darn goofy. I can't see a big target audience for an expensive mediocre looking bookend. Anyone that wants this, just wait a few months for it to go on sale 40+% off.
Facade.
I would’ve preferred a Houseman style Architecture scale building instead. Something in scale similar to the Trevi fountain
When oh when will TLG introduce their own proprietary, modular lighting system.
This set is begging for it, and the competition is doing it already for some time.
Tech is here, now, and good. It is necessary, IMHO, to keep up.
On a side note, those gaps in the arch in the façade are terrible to look at.
Of all the 'world series' they could do, like landmarks, for example, they choose restaurants.
I haven’t read any of the comments here yet. The first thing I did was look at the images on the set’s page and I’m thinking: there’s no interior? So seriously, there is no interior? it’s all a façade, basically? Don’t see any minifigs.
Then I read the description. It says supposed to be on the shelf with a flat back, so not very interesting.
@Tc99m said:
" I can understand that they might not want to name it Café de Flore since that’s the name of a well known café in Paris, but this just sounds a bit weird to me and Café de Fleurs sounds way better. Perhaps a native French speaker can clear that up for us?"
Wouldn't that be Café des fleurs then?
@LuvsLEGO_Cool_J said:
"I haven’t read any of the comments here yet. The first thing I did was look at the images on the set’s page and I’m thinking: there’s no interior? So seriously, there is no interior? it’s all a façade, basically? Don’t see any minifigs.
Then I read the description. It says supposed to be on the shelf with a flat back, so not very interesting."
A series of restaurants without real interiors seems kind of absurd. The entire building appears to only be about 6 studs deep. Obviously they are going for more of a facade model, so presumably the marketing people thought that would sell. Personally I'd rather move some of the parts budget away from the bulky base, add a few more parts, and then have a set with a real interior for around $100. Maybe enough room for a small kitchen to further convey ingredients and cooking methods unique to each cuisine.
I don't understand this....
I'm disappointed that it's only the front facade of the building. And there are already a few restaurant-themed sets (like Friends 42618 Heartlake City Café from last year) to choose from.
With the prices on some of these sets, LEGO should just have a designated person to urinate on your foot as you walk into their stores and then say 'don't worry, its just rain'
This set seems to be a pretty good (if expensive) parts pack, even if there seems to be absolutely no interior outside the entry door. The most confusing part is that they're introducing yet another highly-specific subline to 18+, first it was the Fauna Collection, then it was Gardens of the World, now it's Restaurants of the World... why not just do an over-arcing subline for the "of the World" sets? None of these sub-themes have more than two sets (three if you count the Insect set towards the Fauna stuff) so it just feels like an unnecessary division.
@VictorvanSchagen said:
"When oh when will TLG introduce their own proprietary, modular lighting system.
This set is begging for it, and the competition is doing it already for some time.
Tech is here, now, and good. It is necessary, IMHO, to keep up."
They attempted to do it a while back as a beta test (the Modular Diner was one of the sets), but I don't believe they actually released anything outside putting the mockup boxes on store shelves. I can't find the number listings for them, but I came across them in the past and was a little surprised.
Personally I don't like the idea of set-specific lighting kits because they tend to make the set look gaudy and really oddly lit (because they're designed to light EVERYTHING, not just the reasonable stuff lol), I'd much prefer generic lighting kits for stringing through buildings or streets.
I suppose this is one of those set where there will be very little interest to most people until the second and third ones come out - then people will say: oh this is a collection, I must have them all! or begrudgingly: might as well have them all.
What on earth happened on the top of the front door. If you play with parts and try to come up with a new technique and the end result is: "it does not work" then you should not use it anyway - this is a terribly bad and ugly technique. There are also gaps on the top white bar just above the windows. Even the white ornament above the door will be difficult to position exactly symmetrical. I don't want to be too harsh with it but since it is solely a facade, it should be near perfect (as it has no other redeeming features). As for me, there are no part recolours of interest to me in it. There are too many sets I want before this, I doubt this one will ever make the cut.
It’ll be fun turning this into a full modular! :D
@fakespacesquid said:
" @chrisaw said:
"If you have to ask ‘who is the audience for this’, as seems to be on every press release post nowadays - there’s an audience and it’s just not you. "
No no no, you forget that the only people who buy any Lego sets are people with city layouts, and any new sets should be designed to slot right into said city layouts with no adjustments. "
Absolutely not! The only people who buy any Lego sets are the noble people with spacefaring colonies on distant planets and the only colours allowed are: blue, grey and trans-yellow (black and white are tolerated if used with restraints) The only exception is for spacemen where the more colours the better.
With the number of high price point sets increasing on a yearly basis, combined with having to pay for real life, my purchase of the annual modular building stopped a few years ago. This sort of looks like a budget-friendly replacement, but you'd have to mod it for a street layout and the base makes it look like it's a building I should recognise, not just a generic example. It feels like it's tried to be lots of things and doesn't do any better than other sets already do, but I'd be interested to see how the set, and theme, perform.
Funny how on a French website announcing this one, nobody gets where the "French" aspect of the architecture comes from...
@Horesz1994 said:
"partwise the only thing that interests me are the coffee filled glasses, are those new? "
The coffee filled glasses were first used in a couple of the Friends Winter sets in 2023. Meant to be Hot Cocoa I believe. The part has been available on PAB. Same type of part as the Butterbeer & Polyjuice Potion.
Somebody will buy this, but disposable income doesn't grow on trees. On deep, deep discount I'd be interested, but I can skip this and just go for parts on Bricks & Pieces later on.
Oh wow, what a fun little set. Definitely gonna be getting this for my mom and my sister, they'll love it
@Nuclearxpotato said: "[Lego] attempted to do [lighting] a while back as a beta test (the Modular Diner was one of the sets), but I don't believe they actually released anything outside putting the mockup boxes on store shelves"
Didn't that cause a substantial stink as they'd simply used one of the available third-party systems, and presented it as their own?
Failry similar to the series of craft builds that are miniature model kit dioramas built with plywood and accessories to decorate. They center around small scenes with details.
As cardboard as the box it comes in.
While I do like the idea. I’ll stick to the superior series of gardens of the world.
A cut set for sure, but definitely won't fit in my city at that scale. Not a set for me, but I guess it might prove popular.
this one is a no from me....
There doesn't seem to be an interior and no minifigs either.
It might work if you were building a film studio MOC but for display or placing in your city...
Since they carefully don't show the back, and there's only a tiny glimpse of what's behind the doors, I suspect I'd be very frustrated with this set. The base is too thick (the sidewalk should also at least allow passers-by to pass by!) and many details of the facade are quite crude. If it weren't for the construction of the ironwork chairs and all those apparently printed glasswork details I wouldn't be at all interested in it, even though it's the sort of set I should enjoy. Like others, I prefer the Gardens of the World, despite their extra cost.
And yet, as a base for a MOC, it definitely has potential...pricy potential, but real. I still can't decide whether or not to bother....
Very odd concept and not particularly nice either.
@Tc99m said:
"I think €79,99 for a 1101 piece set is okay, but I dislike the fact that a lot of those pieces go towards a base that’s five plates high.
LEGO does this more and more, and to me it seems to be more of a way to artificially rack up the part count (and in turn, increase the price), than that it’s actually necessary for the design or build stability. Why not just 2 plates high, like they do with the Architecture sets?"
And AFOLs forget that it costs them money to put those parts in the set, so if they aren't making a meaningful contribution to the set, then all they're likely to accomplish is to drive buyers away. The fact that they keep doing it suggests they're working as intended. Two plates high works in some cases, but not all. If there's not a significant overlap of large plates, then all it's going to do is create an unstable base that crumbles (and likely causes you to drop the rest of the model) when you attempt to pick it up. And if you want to do a (mostly) tiled top, three layers is the bare minimum needed, unless you're building the entire model on a single plate or baseplate (keeping in mind that baseplates tend to start shedding tiles that are built directly onto them after a few years). Five layers, you won't ever have to worry about that. Additionally, this has a sidewalk that's built sideways, so that's 2.5 layers of plate right there. If it's floating on a layer of studs, then that's two layers of plate across the entire base, with only the outer edge built up five plates tall to hold the sidewalk sections in.
@CaptainMoore said:
"Funny how on a French website announcing this one, nobody gets where the "French" aspect of the architecture comes from... "
I think you encounter similar responses for every set inspired by the architecture of a specific country or region. I have noted plenty of British people taking issue with 10350 Tudor Corner for the same reason, though it is an excellent set overall.
@CapnRex101 said:
" @CaptainMoore said:
"Funny how on a French website announcing this one, nobody gets where the "French" aspect of the architecture comes from... "
I think you encounter similar responses for every set inspired by the architecture of a specific country or region. I have noted plenty of British people taking issue with 10350 Tudor Corner for the same reason, though it is an excellent set overall."
Someone posted what they think was the inspiration for 10350. To me, It looks reasonably similar.
https://www.brickfanatics.com/real-life-lego-icons-10350-tudor-corner/
@HOBBES said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
" @CaptainMoore said:
"Funny how on a French website announcing this one, nobody gets where the "French" aspect of the architecture comes from... "
I think you encounter similar responses for every set inspired by the architecture of a specific country or region. I have noted plenty of British people taking issue with 10350 Tudor Corner for the same reason, though it is an excellent set overall."
Someone posted what they think was the inspiration for 10350. To me, It looks reasonably similar.
https://www.brickfanatics.com/real-life-lego-icons-10350-tudor-corner/"
It bugs me that all four of the eaves have a different pattern under them.
@PurpleDave said:
" @HOBBES said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
" @CaptainMoore said:
"Funny how on a French website announcing this one, nobody gets where the "French" aspect of the architecture comes from... "
I think you encounter similar responses for every set inspired by the architecture of a specific country or region. I have noted plenty of British people taking issue with 10350 Tudor Corner for the same reason, though it is an excellent set overall."
Someone posted what they think was the inspiration for 10350. To me, It looks reasonably similar.
https://www.brickfanatics.com/real-life-lego-icons-10350-tudor-corner/"
It bugs me that all four of the eaves have a different pattern under them."
True! I guess symmetry was not their forte. Now that you mentioned it, my OCD just kicked in!
@MegaBlocks said:
"Lego you have the Netflix licence, just do the Emily in Paris sets, it's the most popular series on Netflix."
I saw someone make a similar comment on just2good's video about this set, but I assumed they were just joking, because they added something along the likes of "Why does Lego keep making sets based on this Spooderman thing no one's ever heard of?"
@HOBBES said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @HOBBES said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
" @CaptainMoore said:
"Funny how on a French website announcing this one, nobody gets where the "French" aspect of the architecture comes from... "
I think you encounter similar responses for every set inspired by the architecture of a specific country or region. I have noted plenty of British people taking issue with 10350 Tudor Corner for the same reason, though it is an excellent set overall."
Someone posted what they think was the inspiration for 10350. To me, It looks reasonably similar.
https://www.brickfanatics.com/real-life-lego-icons-10350-tudor-corner/"
It bugs me that all four of the eaves have a different pattern under them."
True! I guess symmetry was not their forte. Now that you mentioned it, my OCD just kicked in! "
The two front patterns are individually symmetrical, and I'm inclined to believe that the two side patterns are as well (hard to tell anything but that they're each distinct from the other three). They just don't match each other. And the building wouldn't be symmetrical anyways, being a corner. Plus, the upper right window is smaller than the upper right, so the pattern below them has an extra square on the left side. Now that I look at it more closely, I believe the eaves pattern on the right has smaller squares. The structure of the pattern is identical between the two, but the eaves appear to be smaller on the right, being directly tied to the width of the window below them. And while the front has a 6:5 ratio of panes, the left side has a 6:4 ratio that throws off the size of the eaves even more.
We should be thankful sets like these exist. This allows us to not go crazy with which sets we want to buy, as those can easily be discarded!
I reckon this is a leftover artefact from the design development of 10297. They’ve just plugged it into a presentable base, marketed it as something innovative and are taking a calculated shot you’ll buy it.
It is hideously unresolved, isn’t it.
If this is supposed to be a series then why the big base with a black border? They should be designed to connect together to look like a continuous street front. I could see that being a cheaper shelf alternative to modular buildings.
sorry but a classic French bistro also named bar tabac looks entirely different. Just google bar tabac. the only intruiging thing are the doors.
I love the idea and the look of it, but I wish it came with a unique chef minifigure and that the back was open so that there could at least be a smidge of interior in there.
The back is terrible, absolutely terrible, worse than the sides of a modular you don't usually see because they rely on it being hidden by other modulars.
Why couldn't they just stick an interior in?
A Japanese Sushi restaurant, a Bavarian brewery and a MCD.
@daniellesa said:
"The back is terrible, absolutely terrible, worse than the sides of a modular you don't usually see because they rely on it being hidden by other modulars.
Why couldn't they just stick an interior in?"
It does have a little interior in it, and the back is not the focal point.
@Boettner_Builds said:
" @daniellesa said:
"The back is terrible, absolutely terrible, worse than the sides of a modular you don't usually see because they rely on it being hidden by other modulars.
Why couldn't they just stick an interior in?"
It does have a little interior in it, and the back is not the focal point.
"
It limits where to put it. At least make it blend in with the building, not stick out massively.
@Nuclearxpotato
[Personally I don't like the idea of set-specific lighting kits because they tend to make the set look gaudy and really oddly lit (because they're designed to light EVERYTHING, not just the reasonable stuff lol), I'd much prefer generic lighting kits for stringing through buildings or streets.]]
I totally agree that unique lighting sets for specific sets makes no sense. It doesn't fit with the LEGO filosophy. But I do wish for an updated lighting system, inspired by 'Light and Sound'.
I feel like we tend to say "Wow that looks beautiful" because a set is incredibly detailled and has great NPU. But if we look beyond that, I think this building is just not that nice looking. Maybe it's just me though!
So this is essentially a cheaper alternative to modular buildings? I like it, but it doesn't particularly interest me. The modulars have a lot more going for them, and while this is a cool little display piece, I'd much rather just display modulars.
@gsmayes said:
"If this is supposed to be a series then why the big base with a black border? They should be designed to connect together to look like a continuous street front. I could see that being a cheaper shelf alternative to modular buildings."
This one is supposed to be in _France_, probably even specifically in Paris. The next ones will probably be from a range of different nations around the world, not the Little Nations section of EPCOT. The street/sidewalk pattern will also probably be different from one set to the next.
@chrisaw said:
"If you have to ask ‘who is the audience for this’, as seems to be on every press release post nowadays - there’s an audience and it’s just not you. "
I think on a scale of "fair question" to "bitter troll" this time is suuuper fair.
I saw the set, thought that was a cute small thing and 20 bucks would be worth it....
Pick Friends set 42618 and remake it ICONish style
@VictorvanSchagen said:
"When oh when will TLG introduce their own proprietary, modular lighting system."
you mean like 245?
I don't love the small facade instead of a full building. I guess there could be some good bones to it all, but then that means I have to invest more to build said building to appreciate what this set has to offer. I think I will pass, but I may try to pick up some of the useful pieces.
How long does it usually take from a set is introduced until the parts are available at Pick-a-Brick? I would need some more windows etc. to make it a full building (plus flesh-colored wedges to try to make that arch less crumpled and hideous), and I'm reluctant to buy a full second set for those.
Building an interia would be a nice challenge.
Doesnt even have french arquitecture.