Top Ten: Modular Buildings - what's missing?
Posted by TheBrickPal,
The Modular Buildings line has been inspiring both collectors and MOCers alike since 10182 Cafe Corner was released way back in 2007. The first became so beloved that the last ten years have brought us so many: from a grocer, to a firehouse, to a cinema and even a bank.
Now, with the record twelfth direct-to-consumer set in the series, 10255 Assembly Square, on the horizon for January, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at what you readers would like to see. Thus, this article's aim is to show LEGO what types of buildings they should produce in the next decade. And since a decade equals ten years, I present to you Brickset's first ever article in the Top Ten series.
I have 'assembled' this list based on your recent suggestions as well as what logically should come next. Read on after the break to see what made the cut.
10. Pub
Yeah, this isn't gonna happen, but it made the list nonetheless. I'm surprised you guys even suggested this - shame! Alcohol, military violence and religion will never make their way into a LEGO set! ...Except they have snuck in before. But forget about that!
However, if this set ever were to be done, I'm imagining some very old-fashioned architecture. I also wonder what else could be included in such a set - most Modular Buildings have had multiple functions. A motel, perhaps? An antique shop? I'm blanking.
9. Office Tower
A factory and product development on the top floor... cubicles and employee lounge on the middle floor, lobby on the first. I don't really have any other good ideas for this one, so sound off in the comments!
I did see someone say that they wanted a sausage factory, though, which would be pretty great... but what if this one produced LEGO sets instead? It could be anything, really. But the general idea really should happen.
Wait a minute - Octan! With a President Business statue outside! That could definitely work.
8. Ice Cream Parlor... Pizzeria... Diner... Fast Food Franchise... or any other restaurants
Apparently 10243 Parisian Restaurant wasn't enough. You all requested so many types of eateries to be in this article, and I've responded by grouping them all together. Sorry in advance... there were so many good ideas!
An ice cream parlor seemed to be the most popular choice. I'd say that could be put next to a pizzeria in one set, as competing restaurants. Either that or a full-set diner, which could go for the retro 60s feel, complete with a jukebox, a counter with stools, a checkered floor and booth tables.
Something unconventional is also welcome - a Chinese restaurant would demand some modern Asian-styled architecture inside and out, with an excuse to reuse the takeout boxes from 21302 The Big Bang Theory.
I also would love to see what a LEGO fast food franchise would be branded as - BrickDonald's? Permission required, of course...
7. Mall
I think most of us can agree that while 10211 Grand Emporium is fantastic in looks and construction, it lacks in content. While it does its job of being a singular department store, I (and I'm sure others too) firmly believed that a typical mall-style building is in order.
It wouldn't even need to be that extraordinary - just six stores (two on each floor) would do. I think the most obvious picks would be a LEGO Brand Store (duh), jeweler, pretzel shop (I think most malls in the United States have one), 'goth' or pop culture shop (think Spencer's or Hot Topic, respectively), sports shop and finally, a shop akin to Newbury Comics.
The exterior would even have a very similar aesthetic to 10211, to match and go next to it as an extension of sorts.
6. Bus Station and Post Office
A lot of you suggested both a bus station and a post office, so this is a fair compromise. It would be awesome, too, with both a modern city bus and postal truck in the same set!
- The bus station (first floor) would contain multiple ticket lines (two or so) as well as the time to departure - a possible choice would be 8:10, the day The LEGO Group was founded in 1932! Also included would be a board with the locations the bus stops at; a chance for allusions to fictional LEGO locations.
- The second floor would be the post office, with an area to purchase stamps, lines leading up to the main counter, and conveyor belts behind the counter to move parcels and envelopes along.
- The exterior would feature the bus stop, with seats for waiting and a small roof above that, as well as a few mailboxes and a singular old-fashioned telephone booth.
I think tan with grey highlights would be a very attractive color scheme.
5. Entertainment Center
This is one which I have a feeling would be extremely popular.
You guys asked for a bowling alley and clamored for an arcade - so why not combine the two? What better way to represent a two-in-one building? I don't know about other countries, but this type of "entertainment center" complex is pretty common here in the United States.
- The first floor would be dedicated to shoe rental, a snack bar and the bowling alley itself; with four different lanes.
- The second floor would host multiple arcade games, with some akin to the machine found in 71235 Midway Arcade Level Pack. A test-your-strength machine and other specialized games would fill the floor as well. Capping it off would be the prize trade-in counter; housing everything from stuffed animals to 'action figures' (nanofigs, of course).
- Finally, the third and final floor would be the room where childrens' birthday parties occur - with a long folding table, multiple chairs, balloons and a pile of gifts.
Furthermore, the exterior would lend itself to being both modern and extremely colorful.
4. Schoolhouse
This would be a major step for LEGO - never before has an official modern-day school set been produced for City or Creator.
A red and white color scheme seems most appropriate here, with the construction consisting mostly of masonry bricks. A stereotypical bell tower would be central to the roof, and a large cement staircase would lead into the building - with even a disability-accessible ramp to the side, made to fit the new wheelchair seen in 60134 Fun in the Park! Basically, think of a shorter 10224 Town Hall, except with different colors, part swaps and additions.
The first floor would contain a principal's office and library. The second floor would be a classroom - complete with chalkboard, desk with globe, and a few rows of a few desks each. The third floor would have a teacher's lounge plus music and chemistry rooms.
The school bus included would be much the same as the one that appears in 41134 Heartlake Performance School, as it is already a pretty-perfect model ignoring the lavender.
3. Hospital
Sure, 10255 Assembly Square includes a lovely little dentist's office... but what about the more major, non-dental operations? This highly-requested Modular Building would certainly deliver on that.
The first floor would consist of the waiting room and front desk, while the second would have multiple emergency rooms accessible via a main hallway. The third could be dedicated to an x-ray room, an optician's office, physical therapy, you name it - miscellaneous medical treatment would go here.
I'm going to let you readers debate on what an exterior would look like for such a set, but needless to say a minifigure-scale ambulance would be included. The color scheme for the entire building would consist of mint, azure and white with trans-blue windows - and yes, I took that idea from the Medix Mixels tribe. But it would work perfectly!
2. Museum
If I am not mistaken, the closest to a LEGO museum we have ever gotten is 21110 Research Institute; and I'm not even sure if you can call it one!
The first floor would be where tickets are purchased and where tours begin, with a small gift shop to the side. The second would be science - fossils, DNA strand models, and all that. The third floor would contain portraits and exhibits based on LEGO history. On the roof, one would find an art gallery as well as a few tables to relax after a long day.
Outside, a popcorn-selling cart would be found, as well as a bench and lamp post. Large support columns would be on either side of the double doors leading into the museum, and the entire exterior of the building would have a rather "scholarly", stone look.
And number one is... drumroll please...
1. Police Station and Courthouse
This was the most requested Modular Building out of any other in the forum thread - and what a perfect complement to 10197 Fire Brigade, it would be!
On the first floor would be the reception and break room, with a plate in the center of the table for donuts of course! The second floor would be a hallway with three prison cells, and the other side of the room would have a small detective's work area - perhaps with some references to 10246 Detective's Office. Finally, the last floor would be a large courtroom, with chairs for the jury and the main bench area in front of that.
A light bluish-grey and navy blue color scheme would be quite the fit, and a little of the side of the building would be dedicated to a garage with a police car - accessible from the first floor. On the roof, one would also find a landing pad to put a small police helicopter on.
Overall, it would be a fantastic playset and display piece that absolutely needs to happen.
Now, I dare somebody to MOC any or all of these! ;-)
79 likes
99 comments on this article
JangBricks has made both a custom hospital and shopping mall. As well as a bike shop and arcade building, machine shop, zoo w/aquarium, AND an auto repair shop. It's all on his channel, in the Jang's custom builds playlist.
^ I've seen! They all aren't the typical Modular Building scale, but they did give me some great ideas.
It would be near impossible to make it a modular but we really need a zoo!
^^ Thanks! And within the next few days.
Love the idea of an arcade--would make a lot of sense to combine it with the Pizzeria. Of course the real question is should it be modern, or run-down, hasn't-been-remodeled-since-the-80's :)
I love both the entertainment centre idea and the 50s diner! I'd really love a post office too...
@ra226 Definitely a retro 80s arcade complete with retro arcade cabinets, pinball machines and fruit machines. I don't know how you would replicate the dark, smoky dingy atmospheres of these places though.
I also think it would be great to see larger modular buildings that use 2 baseplates, a bit like 10255 but 2 full size baseplates to do things like a school or proper shopping mall justice.
Of course, The answer to all this is simple, all you have to do is MOC the set you want and lepin will do the rest lol!!!
Regarding the school: "This would be a major step for LEGO - never before has an official modern-day school set been produced. And I'm not talking about super hero or performing arts ones. I'm talking a real, academic schoolhouse."
Actually, the original LEGO Ideas Book (6000) had a school design on pages 40-41 in the old Legoland Town style. More recently, the 41005 Heartlake High set certainly qualifies as a "real, academic schoolhouse."
I would love to see a school, though, particularly if it is along the lines of the "Modular Brick School" designed by hermez (http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/topic/115030-moc-wip-modular-brick-school/)
^ My bad, completely forgot about Friends. XD
Instead of a police station I think a courthouse would be a more interesting option. It can incorporate some police functions (small holding cell, cops walking around) while being something we don't get every year. I imagine a courtroom, some press, a holding cell and some offices behind a grand façade with columns and lady justice on top.
^ This would be a combination courthouse and police station, in case it wasn't clear enough.
Well I am working on one right now but I would sure love a school for the Empire.
@the brick pal, Sorry, completely missed that
I think 10211 could very well be converted into a museum, and we definitely need a soda shop for a modular.
Now, if we want to continue Modular Town, then we need a diner, a soda shop, police station, a courthouse, an elementary/high school, a butcher shop, a video rental store, maybe a furniture store, a doctor's office (a hospital would be too much), a radio/TV station or even a movie studio.
There was a City museum - http://brickset.com/sets/60008-1/Museum-Break-in - but it emphasised play features over realism (not unreasonably, for a Police set). Ideas sadly rejected the Natural History Museum - https://ideas.lego.com/projects/46720 - but hopefully that doesn't mean there'll never be an official museum set.
Nope, sorry, the last thing we need is LEGO making ANOTHER police station!!!
I love the museum idea and very disappointed it wasn't picked up from IDEAS.
An arcade could be good - like FLYNN'S on a corner. It could be big with lots of different games, or it could be smaller with games split over two floors - maybe video games and ball games on the ground and pinball tables upstairs with an office, toilet etc. Then above that an apartment kitted out with lots of tech. You could probably do that in half a building along with something else in the set.
Or have the games around the back 3 sides of the building with a central escalator or elevator at the front. Though that would work well for a museum, too.
I'd love a library - that could also work well as a floor of a museum.
Here are some sets I wouldn't mind seeing rehashed. Particularly, Cafe Corner and Green Grocer, particularly the inclusion of interior details on Cafe Corner.
My 1 is torn between a Museum/Aquarium and Entertainment Centre/Bowling Alley. I would hope the amusement centre would come with the following (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6eRqMiAxQ0) since virtual reality is all the rave at the moment.
Nice idea for an article but I think most of your suggestions are flawed. For instance, a tall office building would not be in-keeping with the established Modular Buildings and a hospital wouldn't fit into the Modular street either. A doctor's surgery might be more likely.
Sorry, the SW articles worked but this one doesn't for me.
i really want a museum, like The Natural History Museum - Creator Expert
by tjspencer1
It seems like LEGO is really going towards a combination of smaller buildings in the modular line, with multiple small spaces. The last three modular (Detective's Office, Brick Bank, Assembly Square) all have this layout.
So it is unlikely that we will ever see any more large single-use buildings like we had in the past. It seems like a hospital, court-house, museum, etc. are out of the question. (Of course LEGO can always change their mind).
However small eateries, stores, and clubs mentioned in the list could very well be happening. I actually really like this new trend. The smaller mixed buildings make the layouts more interesting, and they are also easier to customize.
Well, for me, I think an Apothecary would be nice. As LEGO originates in Billund, and most of Europe has either Pharmacies or Apothecaries, and our US equivalent is a Drugstore, I think the modular series would benefit from this 'old-world' charm, as the Modular line seems to me to reflect a business/neighborhood environment. You could easily see an apothecary sign on the building (the Rx symbol) and the store front would display the medical symbol (a much needed part in larger volumes; we have enough fire and police.) Hospital as others have pointed out has been lacking in quality treatment. I think of all neat printed pieces and clever use of parts I could easily see the injured guy from the Minifigure series would be seen here filling his prescription, hobbling on his crutches. And as most of the modular LEGO sets have an apartment, that could fill the second and third floors.
I always wanted a Modular theatre but with the arrival of the Palace Cinema I knew my dream was doomed. I like the idea of a school and with a suitable school hall there would be space for a school play, musical, nativity etc. Also like the idea of a hospital but think unlikely until the dentist's room in the Assembly Square set begins to fade into memory as probably too similar.
I made a police station modular building :) It was on Lego Ideas but has since expired. Several ideas in this article I'd like to see. It will be interesting to see what types of buildings they will move forward with.
More or less I agree with TheBrickPal's suggestions. Museum, courthouse and school buildings are on the top of my list. A nice hospital and police headquarters would be fine to, but forget the stereotypic colour scheme. Police headquarters can be light yellow with white corner bricks, or even more the courthouse shall have this colour scheme.
And forget the vehicles. I think NONE of the modulars should come with vehicles, don't waste partscounts on vehicles. We have several vehicles from the City theme that can be combined with the modular buildings.
Oh, I almost forgot one necessary building: an old style apartment house like there are in downtown Budapest, Vienna or Paris. This is a huge problem in LEGO Modular Town that there is no place for the citizens to live in.
Great article...I really enjoyed it.
Perhaps, for those who have a waterway in their town, the old fishing store will be adaptable for a small maritime museum or a small aquarium.
I am anxious to see how it will fit in with the modulars.
Natural History Museum - Creator Expert and take my money. Lucky enough to be in walking distance (a longish walk) of this magnificent building, and would love to build it.
Churches/Cathedrals/other objects of worship are on LEGO's forbidden list because they do not fit the brand values. I agree that it would be great to see a gothic-styled building, perhaps as a concert hall (that way they may even fit an organ inside) or a museum.
I'm liking the idea of a Courthouse more and more. Made me start thinking about the Courthouse I was last in, Delaware County (in the image the large building in the center) and I just spent around 4 minutes searching County Courthouses for reference. Imagine what you could find doing REAL research? Could be a fun MOC.
And there was a police presence in the courthouse I was in. Not a full precinct as I recall, but there were holding cells and lots of cops.
(https://www.flickr.com/gp/blogzilly/723QQ7)
I would like to see a bookstore, coffee house (with a small performance nook), and an art gallery combination. Sort of a cultural section of town for intellectual pursuits. I suppose an architects firm or design office could be swapped for the gallery.
Lots of potential for story interaction in this scenario.
Sorry, something totally unrelated, but, when I click the comments section, under My Menu, it just says "no comments found", even though I've commented on a lot of stuff.
^ I can see why that is and I'll get it sorted with the next update, later this week.
A modular I've been thinking about, and might try to MOC if I can settle on a design I like, is a 'Curiosity Shop'; a shop that sells all kind of unusual artefacts and strange items, the kind of shop where you'd buy a Mogwai... And they'd also sell frozen yogurt! And what I'd really like, is for it to be an inverse corner building- if you had two lines of modulars in an L shape, with their facades facing inwards, this one could fit in the corner. This way, the seemingly small front of the building gives way to a much larger interior.
Nice article. Not a lot of surprises on the list. Still waiting for a train station. Maybe could be combined with a bus depot and post office as a lot of mail sent by rail.
I would really like to see an article like this but in the theme of if the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings hadn't been discontinued. I would really like to see people's thoughts on that, seeing as how much there was that Lego didn't cover.
^That would be a really good article
School and hospital seem to be just crying out for a modular. Also a mechanic's shop with a garage on the bottom (like the firehouse) might be a neat idea.
I personally would like to see a zoo
Hospital definately, complete with a doctor strange operating theatre
@Huw Thanks! ^-^
Office tower would be interesting if they sold middle floor expansions separately... build as high as you can afford.
Didn't expect Brickset to start doing Top 10 posts..
^ Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
^depends on the quality of the top ten!
I like them!
I can assure you readers that I shall strive for the upmost level of quality in any Top Ten article I do, now that we've begun doing articles like this.
If this article seems that it's of little quality, it's probably due to the looseness of ideas - which was intentional, by the way, as I had a lot of people come up with new Modular Building themes without asking for much more than "police station" or "mall". I couldn't elaborate SO much on all of these, or else this would have taken WEEKS to write! Thus, I was totally expecting people to continue expanding on these ideas more in the comments - which they indeed have! And I thank them, for if Jamie Berard and others stumbled upon this page eventually, they'd find plenty of fan inspiration.
Future articles in this format will likely not pertain to set or theme ideas as much as they would be ranking content that TLG has officially released already; think just2good's videos of this type. They will also mostly be based on timeliness; as in, aligned with certain announcements (like how this one sprang from the Assembly Square reveal).
Well done, The Brickpal. I'm intrigued with the entries. However, in my opinion, the ones I would appreciate the most are the police station/ courthouse, entertainment center, schoolhouse, restaurant, mall, hospital, museum, office tower and the bus station/ post office.
Thank you, keep up the good work!
I'd really like to see a Health Club/Gym, with plunge pool, sauna, treadmills, exercise bikes, rowing machines, weights etc. Could also include changing rooms, health food cafe/shop, maybe a small squash court, jacuzzi etc. This is a great MOC: http://www.brothers-brick.com/2016/09/04/hit-the-court-at-the-squash-centrum-maastricht/
I would also like to see a warehouse/factory one too; perhaps loading docks, big roller shutters on the ground floor and some sort of automation/machinery on the other floors that links to a goods lift, would also include a small office and storerooms, waste disposal etc
I'm taking up the challenge and building the pizza/food restaurant build. If I do it, will you do something since you challenged us?
I know it would be considered religion, I really think Lego should make a church or maybe a cathedral. This would make any town or city complete with great architecture. Also, a museum modular reached 10,000 supporters on Lego Ideas but was rejected. I like this article and I have loved modular building theme for a long time (even though I don't have one, yet). Good article and I hope some sweet sets come in the future years!
^ health club is a great idea!
^^^ I'm sure that can be arranged. :-)
I have actually been thinking of a MOC Spotlight articles series for this site - I just don't know if it would be appropriate. And by that, I mean I need Huw's permission first.
I've always thought we needed a police station, a hospital, and an office building (Octan preferably) to complete the modular series. I'm glad to see you mentioned each of them! Hopefully we'll get to see at least one of these in the near future!
Nice article, but with the first floor of Detective Office sporting "The Highlander" windows we have a "pub" already, just for darts and cookies and a clear mug from nowhere ...
Also, Friends has the mall setting down with the 41058, so a street market or fair as part of outside scene would be more welcome (imho) - crossover towards Medieval Market and Winter Village mood
What is the number of the set shown in the picture under the "Mall" idea, selling the miniature Lego sets?
antique shop or library would be fab!
^^ Tip: click the photo!
I would love to MOC a lot of these ideas, but everytime I decide to do something, LEGO releases their own version of it. Then I feel weird having two of the same, so I either change mine or theirs....I built a nice flower shop, and now Assembly Square will have one. I had a bank in the works, until they released Brick Bank. So I end up not creating anything instead. I don't want to put a lot of money into a project to then feel duped because I will want the official Modular version also.
How about a Car or bike dealership or LEGO store, but granted... hospital, police and library seem past due...
While we wait for Lego to produce these modulars, I can recommend the designs at www.brickcitydepot.com and www.brickbuilderspro.com
These sites sell PDF instructions (with parts lists) for all sorts of buildings, including modular standards. You still have to use bricks from your own collection - and if you buy new bricks from Bricklink or Brickowl you will spend almost as much as a modular building costs - but they are great to include in your city layout for something different.
A modular antique store would be pretty great. It would really suit the typically crowded interiors. And thing of all the interesting and useful pieces in new and interesting colours they could cram in!
Ugh, a Top-Ten opinion piece, sinking kind of low aren't we?
Nice article! I would love to see any of these, especially the entertainment center. Can't wait for more of these articles!
The Mall idea would work if they went for another large footprint much like 10255 - Assembly Square, I reckon that could be the next anniversary set celebrating 15 years, 20 years or even 25 years!
I just spent like 30 mins typing a comment, I clicked post and now its gone! Its definitely not here and it says I have not commented on this page! Help!
@akunthita
You really stole my words. :)
What's missing is the next collection of mini-modulars for those that lack the space and/or funds and/or inclination to purchase the full size originals. :)
A pub sounds like a great idea, but not the modern day style of pub. On the ground floor would be the pub and possibly a piano bar or small restaurant, and on the next two levels would be accomodation, like they had many years ago.
I've tried to do a Gymnasium once, worked OK, ground floor was reception and changing rooms, first floor was cardio and some weight machines - they were hard, and second floor was a boxing ring and some free weights.
The Ice Cream Parlour (Gellateria) coupled with a Pizzaria on the ground floor, with perhaps a games arcade on the top floor, and maybe a fast food restaurant on the first floor?
Would be good to have a modular police station. Library and a book shop? Or A Beauty Parlour on the ground floor with a basic mens barber in a smaller shop?
Wish I'd seen this earlier.
And now for something completely different...
1) Mosque
2) Brothel
3) Mafia HQ
4) Animal testing facility
5) Abattoir
Oh wait, I misunderstood, I thought you meant what's REALLY missing ;-)
In all seriousness though, four of my five suggestions are of course complete BS, but a Mafia HQ would imho fit in well with the DO "theme". And having just recently watched just2good's YouTube video about the top 10 most violent Lego sets, I think TLG really wouldn't have a good argument against such a set.
My predictions: courthouse & diner, library & museum or antique & book shop. Ideas I like: mechanic's shop. I don't think they'll do a hospital, but they might revive the subtheme in latter 2017 / early 2018 in City under the Rescue name. A Highlander "pub" has already been done in the Detective's Office. What I would really like to see is a proper hotel (almost like the Friends Grand Hotel) but with a much better interior than Café Corner, a traditional train station (like Paddington or Grand Central) or first prize, a re-release of the Town Hall (or something similar). And perhaps they could do another car like in the Fire Brigade and Palace Cinema.
@Dedgecko If you consider me rounding up ideas from many other people an "opinion piece", then okay.
Ah, I know! They're going to do a Cluedo-style mansion!
Posting this comment again, some sort of an issue with the forum.
I am thinking an educational modular, call it Knowledge District if you will. It would be in line of the current trend of multiple modulars that Lego has been favoring as of last 3 or so modulars, as @Akunthita mentioned earlier.
One side would be a museum (Natural history for example).
1st floor: Gift shop and entrance with stairs to the next level. Gift shop can be selling little baby dinosaur toys (part 30464) and other items
2nd floor: Museum (Dinosaur skeletons, T-Rex, Pterodactyl, etc) including a nest with the eggs from Angry Birds
3rd floor: Paleontologist's study, archive room, bones, partial skeleton, etc
Second side would be a school
1st floor: Kindergarten indoor class with an outside play yard out back
2nd floor: Bigger kid's typical classroom with a little library if there is room for one
3rd floor: Astronomer's study, star observation deck with a telescope. Star constellation charts, perhaps with clues tying in meteor showers and dinosaur extinction, to tie in the museum and school themes together.
If you don't mind having bricks other than Lego,for item no. 5, Oxford Bricks from Korea have produced a 1990s arcade modular building. Google Oxford bricks Reply 1990s Game Room. It even has a detailed interior filled with arcade machines.
Oxford also has a licensed TRU modular building complete with TRU truck and some vehicles.
Seeing the rising prices of Lego modulars, I really don't mind having these sets from legitimate Lego competitors especially if their designs can rival Lego.
What's missing is a train station!!!
Taking a slight tangent on the topic, I have always wanted to see a [classic] castle themed modular collection. In my imagination of this, the sets would be a bit more generic than these, and would be intended to be bought multiples of (think, multiple castle corners, walls, main gates, shops, etc.). Some of the original classic castles did this a bit (connecting with Technic pins), so this would be similar.
More on topic, though, I would really like to see a modular set include a bike rental/purchase shop. Could include other stuff like skateboards and scooters too.
A gym/fitness center is a great idea.
There would be a lot of missing ground floors over the next decade if this list is followed by LEGO designers! Perhaps they are building on stilts? To avoid flooding? Modular buildings meet natural disasters - interesting twist.
On a more serious* note, I really like some of these ideas! Hospital has to be number 1 for me followed by either a post office (minus the bus station!) or two smaller restaurants/cafes/ice-cream parlours! Not really up for an office building - that sounds a bit bland, even if the design is beautiful!
*LEGO is not serious. It is fun.
What people are forgetting is that the sets are supposed to be based off of early nineteen hundreds buildings. I don't think the arcade and mall would fit in with the overall theme of the time period.
How about a Police Headquarters ?
https://ideas.lego.com/projects/122841
Or a Hospital
https://ideas.lego.com/projects/136102
If you like them please help us out to reach 10.000 supports. Tanks a lot
Would love a police precinct/courthouse or a hospital.
I'd also like another half-and-half building, like the Pet Shop.
I think a dry cleaners would be cool. You could have handless torsos hanging on a conveyor that goes up to a 2nd floor where they clean and press the garments.
A good top ten. Pretty much all of them would be great to see realized.
Especially Museum, Bowling Alley and Hospital.
A town Library could also be nicely done...
I feel like if Lego were to come out with an office tower I'd just turn it into some kind of ApocaLego zombie fortress. Which would be insanely cool to be honest. :-)
I've MOCed number 1 (courthouse - https://ideas.lego.com/projects/141717 ) and number 3 (hospital - https://ideas.lego.com/projects/156569 ) from your list! They don't quite follow the design you describe in your article but they are fun to play with all the same :-)
A modular police station would be a must buy for me.
As would a modular hospital (especially if it had things like X-Ray/CT/MRI machine and an OR)
I think that some of the ideas are not compliant with the 1930's 1940's 1950's of all the modulars from cafe corner to the brick bank. If Lego is straight : no arcade store , no modern hospital . No fast food ...but an old post office or a diner's
For the museum the modular already exists : see the lepin :)
Do Lepin allow people at random to download their instructions? If so, I must go and grab the instructions for the Museum--probably the Idea that reached 10,000 only to be refused production that I most regret!
Of course, if the original designer made his instructions available for sale I'd rather buy that. But as far as I'm concerned that design would be ideal for filling this gap in the Modular lineup.
Oddly enough, even though I think the suggestions are great - part of the greatness about the modular set is that I never know which building will be next or what type of architecture will influence their decision making.
The best part, no modern buildings :)
I missed sharing my idea the first time around, but what I REALLY want is a Library or Bookstore! (Yes, I'm all about books....)
@Rui Branco, wow I love your Memorial Hospital and Police Station! I just voted for both. The lime green color of the hospital is a bit strange to me, but other than that love both the exterior and the interior. Same with the police station. Really nicely done! :)
I wish there were either a library or a theatre as a modular. Those would be cool, especially for AFOL's. The modulars are all done right I think, so I would really have my hopes up high for the opportunity to have a proper theatre (with large stage, backstage area and some winch-mechanics for the curtain), or a library with loads of shelves - quiet-zones and perhaps a basement area for storage (archives and other cool stuff).
I am keen on the museum otherwise and think it has a good chance to be successful as a set. Nice list!
Yay, courtroom, my idea got a mention...... Life, complete?
Funny to read that everybody wants a modular police station, but I also read that Everybody is sick of another police station!
^ Think of it as the police station to end all police stations. The last police station you'll ever need. Considering they did a fire station, this one seems like it HAS to be coming at some point.
...but I think we have a greater need for a hospital...even if it's not a "modern" design.
I have to agree with @joefish and the others above that a police station is the last thing Lego needs to release.
There is a really good courthouse build on Lego ideas at the moment search for 'modular' and it's in there somewhere (there is also a lot of rubbish, but there are a couple of gems!)
There is one slight flaw with most of the suggestions on this list. "Modern Era". If you look carefully at the bulk of the Modular Buildings, they aren't really modern era. They are all by and large early to mid 20th century. That which Model Railroaders refer to as "Transition Era", largely being from the late 1930's to mid 1960's. (in the US, there will of course be some variation in the years elsewhere, especially in those areas impacted by WW2).
The placing of the buildings in this era makes much sense, for the same reason that it is so popular with the Model Railroaders. It was when Main Street was still Main Street. It was the era before large Malls and Shopping Centers. It was an era of great architectural variety with lots of detail. It is an era that lends itself well to what can be represented with the Lego Buildings and provide great distinct play value. Yeah a few modern anachronisms slipped in, but largely the look and feel of the Modular City is mid 20th Century. Most of the suggestions on that list would either be later 20th century to modern, or would seem weird in their period forms. (a 1930's Hospital with Bed's lined up like a Barracks? That's not what kids have ever seen.)
I think we will see a Police Station. This is the Historic NYPD 25th Precinct which has always struck me as a near perfect subject for a Modular.
http://s3-media3.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/PVqTXIwA0ONRE2xqmQf5Ow/l.jpg
(Yeah one of these days I'm gonna MOC this)
And for those saying that a Police Station should be low on the list? I would argue that the Modular Line would greatly benefit from a true replacement for the Fire Brigade. The FB was the crossover Modular. It had appeal to those coming up from City as well as we older AFOL's. If you let a kid near your Modulars it is the one that transfixes them. It was a bridge point from child to AFOL. We could use another one of those. a PD would fit the bill.
A bit surprised that 'Hardware store' did not make it here. They could do the Police Precinct with a donut shop akin to what they did with the bank and cleaners. I think a Police station/precinct is more viable with LEGO apparently keeping at least 4 modular sets available at all times.
Do you know if this set will be offered early (like maybe two weeks early) to VIP customers? My husband wants to buy this for me for Christmas!!