Brickset Bouts: Parisian Restaurant vs Assembly Square
Posted by Huw,
Two modular buildings go head-to-head in this contest of our knockout competition to find the best set released since Brickset was founded 20 years ago.
Read what advocates 387Brick has to say about 10243 Parisian Restaurant and eMJee83 about 10255 Assembly Square after the break, then cast your vote!
If you've not yet voted in today's first and second bouts, there's still time to do so.
10243 Parisian Restaurant
The Modular Buildings range of the Creator Expert line has definitely become a favourite of AFOLs and TFOLs since its beginning in 2007.
Modular Buildings have come a long way since then and the Parisian Restaurant is the favourite of many Lego fans. But what makes this set stand out from the rest?
First off, let me start by saying that the architectural details found in the Parisian Restaurant surpasses every other Modular Building before it. Furthermore, the use of Lego elements to create such intricate details blew me away the first time I saw pictures of this set. For example there’s the roof decoration made out of head dress feathers! Who would’ve imagined such use for that piece! And who would’ve thought upside down wine bottles with an inverted dome on top would make such a good table lamp!
Another thing that makes this such a great set is the use of SNOT techniques. There are some neat SNOT techniques that are a key part in creating the design of the windows on the middle floor and the beautiful seashell design on the roof.
The next thing I want to highlight is the interior details of this building. Even though the interior of the buildings aren’t seen while on display, the Lego designers put just as much effort into making the interior look authentic, as they did on the exterior. The detail on the wine cabinet is a great example of that.
The Parisian Restaurant, unlike other Modular Buildings, still looks beautiful from a variety of different angles. This is mostly due to the fantastic wrap around deck on the second floor which really makes this a great stand-alone build as well as a building to be connected to other Modulars.
In conclusion, The Parisian Restaurant is such a great set because it’s the cheapest yet also the prettiest and most detailed of the Modular Buildings. Please consider voting for the Parisian Restaurant as it is really just a win-win for a Lego set!
10255 Assembly Square
To me, Assembly Square is the greatest set of the millennium.
To start off with: It’s the biggest (widest) modular of all - the most of the best thing Lego has produced - in one box!
It incorporates 3 buildings and an open space for the (plentifully supplied) Minifigs to wander about.
It’s a very pretty combination of the styles of many of the (also great) Modulars that came before, all coming together in a wonderful and harmonious ensemble, lauded with references to other iconic sets, being it of the Modular variety or other Creator Expert-lines; the fact it even includes the room of one of us AFOLs makes it deserving of the title BSotM.
The different building techniques used make it an absolute joy to put together too; just look at the facade for the Bakery-bit on the right for just a little of that - upside-down above the door, a garage door on its side as a window and two ways of making an awning. Just sheer joy to put together!
Playability-wise it’s also great - with 9 different “stories” to be enjoyed, with Minifigs to play out the stories you want to in there, and even an alleyway which leads to… wherever you want it to go, just let the imagination run wild! (Which reminds me I still have to properly incorporate that into my city-layout!).
As for the main criticism on this set, that it’s half a baseplate too wide - to me that is just an extra spur from the designers to use one’s own creativity to add half a baseplates of own design to the street to even it out again with the other Modulars.
To conclude - it’s all one needs in the Greatest Set of the Millennium - beauty, playability and spurring on the imagination!
Cast your vote!
Having read the above, which of these two sets do you think should go through to the quarter-final for a chance to be crowned "best set of the millennium" ?
Voting for this bout will remain open until 8am BST Wednesday morning and I will announce the result shortly after.
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64 comments on this article
Parisian Restaurant, definitely. As @Brick387 said, what makes it truly great is the fact that it works not only among a street of the other modulars, but also as a singular building standing alone, and still looks spectacular.
This is a tough one!
The iconic and much overrated Parisian restaurant. It seems greebeling became legit since that set. Sadly so. I voted for Assembly Square. True, all modulars feature their share of greebeling, but Assembly offers variety and design, where Parisian is actually one big cliché.
I had Parisian Restaurant but ended up selling it. Modulars are great but I missed the first few and as a result never collected the rest. It’s a silly reason for sure. In the end I voted Assembly Square since it’s the one that looks the nicest to me.
Had to go with Assembly Square given that it's basically a super-modular.
Creative Assembly is beautiful set indeed, but I voted for Parisian Restaurant. It is THE set that ushered in the new era of modulars, looks good just by itself, and has that sweet air of romanticism.
I mean if people vote with their wallets Brickset database would indicate this is no contest. Will be interesting to see.
Tough one again, both are connected on my street display !! Assembly in the middle, Restaurant on the right (facing it), with the bank on the left hand side... Picked Assembly finally, mainly because it's such a great centerpiece in my display... But wouldn't look so nice without the other sets around !
Fun fact about the Parisian Restaurant marketing pictures: in the photo where the minifigure is proposing, they flipped his legs around 180 degrees and used a strategically placed flower to hide his backwards feet.
https://images.brickset.com/sets/AdditionalImages/10243-1/10243_back_11.jpg
Parisian. It will stand the test of time better than the square. Classic design, amazing build. The square is also very good, but too cramped for my taste.
There is so much more to assembly square than to the French restaurant.
@rljf311 said:
"Parisian Restaurant, definitely. As @Brick387 said, what makes it truly great is the fact that it works not only among a street of the other modulars, but also as a singular building standing alone, and still looks spectacular."
Hey guys, I wrote the article and accidentally sent Huw the wrong name. My name is actually 387Brick. Sorry for the mistake to whoever the actual Brick387 is.
I still remember when I first saw pictures of the PR (before officially unveiled), and I was blown away. I've collected modulars since the Fire Station, and PR was just so much better than all previous modulars. It effectively 'reset' the modular line, and modular sets are still discussed as 'before PR' sets and 'since PR' sets.
AS is a good set, but the only thing it really does differently is the size. PR changed the modular line. AS wouldn't exist if there hadn't been the PR.
An easy choice.
As much as I love Assembly Square I think the original is even better, so voted for Parisian Restaurant.
As good as the Assembly Square is, the Parisian Restaurant is an easy winner for me.
Absolutely beautiful set and sits with pride in one of my cabinets
Not sure we can really compare the two.
The Parisian Restaurant is a proper modular building, the Assembly Square is a celebratory set with a couple of smaller buildings celebrating past modular sets.
So I'll have to go with the Parisian Restaurant.
I've never understood all the love for the Parisian Restaurant. I like the set and all. But I don't see it as standing so far above all the others.
Going with Parisian. Not a modular fan (they're nice, I can appreciate them, but they're not my thing) so I feel fairly objective here. The Parisian gets it for the stories being told: the proposal, the artist, the small apartment life. The baby fig and saxophone musician made strong arguments, but not strong enough against the Parisian.
Parisian Restaurant... but for me the two greatest modulars are Cafe Corner and Green Grocer.
Ouch, tough one, modular v modular.
PR was my first modular . . . I have nothing but fond memories of building it.
More and more comments on these topics are about how one dislikes a LEGO set instead of sharing why they like the other one. Not saying you can't critique, but whats the point of sharing you don't understand the love for one set while not sharing your love for the other yyourself. Than nobody gets any wiser and it's just a bunch of negative comments.
What frustrates me about this bout, is I have now read two great 'for' arguments, but I wasnt really into modular and don't have any and dont want any. Now. I want both.
Damn you!!!!!!!
Parisian restaurant for me. As others have said, the release of this set was the dawn of a new era in modular building design. It really set the bar high on creative parts usage and is the gold-standard for all the other Modulars! Also, it can be a stand-alone set.
The Parisian Restaurant is the one that got me into modulars but honestly Assembly Square is probably the best modular released so far, not just because it's bigger but because of it's great variety and how ti works so well on it's own as well as alongside other modulars, some of them modulars look a bit odd alone.
This one is hard to choose, but for me Parisian Restaurant is the one. It has a look that no other has, it just has more charm. It looks like a beautiful house that became a business rather than just a building. The colors too, the dark blue roof with the white trim is just beautiful and sets off the olive green (which i generally am not a fan of), makes this set truly striking on display.
I voted, then read the comments. Looks like I went with the underdog again... wow, that's a lot if love for PR.
Assembly Square, just looks better to me. Looks like you're getting more too... just an opinion.
As a proud owner of both sets, this is almost an impossible choice for me. In my opinion, both of them are practically flawless works of art that are honestly some of the best sets ever made. However, after much thought, I had to go with the Parisian Restaurant as it was my first modular and also because it started the trend of much more detailed and intricate modulars. Assembly Square is still so close though!
Oh yay more big sets to vote on :-(
Wish I had the space for modular buildings. It just seems that Assembly Square took what was good about the buildings preceding it (including the Parisian Restaurant) and improved upon them.
This is really tough! These are the two best modulars IMO, and comparing them is really difficult because they excel in different ways! As stated, Parisian Restaurant was a revolution for the entire series, especially compared to the modulars that had come before it, which - while still great sets - were more open and empty, and generally lighter on the details. Parisian came in swinging with an enormous density of detail, a stunning facade with beautiful, earthy colors, and some really creative parts usage and SNOT techniques. Every inch of it is filled with marvelous detail, down to the contents of the fridge. It even has details you CAN'T really see, like the tiling of the patio. It displays beautifully from angles that other modulars don't, making it arguably the best one to own if you're only going to own one.
But... that said, Assembly Square brings something else entirely to the table: it's almost an entire block, designed as a cohesive scene and a love letter to the entire modular series. The fact that it includes multiple buildings allows it to bring something new to the table, which is composition - the contrasting heights and depths of the buildings add some much texture and life to the scene. The bakery's protruding spire in the foreground of the flower shop contrasts beautifully against the stately, standalone coffee shop building. It pays homage not only in terms of direct references (such as in the AFOL's room), but in terms of architectural nods, evoking imagery of the best of past modulars. Even removing all of that from the picture, it has detail that rivals anything else. Standouts include the bakery, with its rolling door windows and oven; the photographer's studio with its camera, backdrop, and partial blinds windows; and the coffee shop, with its incredible signage (that plume piece!) and cozy interior.
This is the hardest choice so far. The Parisian Restaurant is my personal favorite between the two, but if we're voting for an objective best, then... I just barely feel like I need to give the edge to Assembly Square. I won't be sore no matter which wins, though, because both are incredible, and both are probably "top 10 of all time" sets IMO.
I own both sets, both are great but I had more fun building the Parisian Restaurant. So it will get my vote. Would have voted for the Diner if I had the chance. Favorite regular modular so far.
I am biased towards the Assembly Square because it has a dental office. My father is a dentist and that's something I never see in a LEGO set anywhere else.
That and one time we were in the LEGO store we found the display with this set had it so that the dentist was climbing out of his office through the window. I don't know why a dentist bailing on his patient like that is so funny to me.
Really tough one this. Lots of other themes / sets are great too, but modulars and architecture is where I'm really drawn to. I would have included other modular sets as contenders, but what we have is these two.
Assembly square is obviously the biggest expression of the modulars, and as such has the most variety in one set - different buildings, different units. But that also leads to it's negative - it's wider than the other modulars. and because of that you have the always awkward building-straddling-baseplates. It's a pity the didn't at least design it using three separate baseplates that connect together at the end (like the Book shop, etc.), even if it wouldn't be possible to re-arrange the order of those constructions.
The Parisian restaurant is just beautiful. More than any other modular (possibly excepting the Diner), the architecture of the set stands out - the use of elements to create a stone facade on the roof is sublime. And the interiors are cute. Not a lot of different things going on, but it's coherent and well detailed.
I think I have to go with the restaurant.
I have to go with the restaurant, I think. To me it just looks the far more appealing design; Assembly Square IS very neat too, but I've always thought it looked a bit too crammed together, with barely enough space for any of the minifigures to turn around without bumping into one another!
...True to life though that may be on many a busy street, granted!
I dunno, the restaurant's elegance, I think, most wins me over here. It just has more aesthetic appeal to me, and feels like more of a unique location - and an expertly captured one, at that, with the roofing decorations, the fantastic balcony, and the way it all flows so neatly together ^^
@colay said:
"What frustrates me about this bout, is I have now read two great 'for' arguments, but I wasnt really into modular and don't have any and dont want any. Now. I want both.
Damn you!!!!!!!"
My absolute pleasure, and am sure 371 feels the same! ;)
Think I actually voted for both in the first round, being asked by Huw to write on AS felt like an honour but a little bit a bitter one actually ;) Still, voted for AS, exactly because what I wrote above!
Parisian Restaurant is my second-least favorite Modular Building set, second to the Downtown Diner. Voted for Assembly Square, it would be tougher if it were AS versus Palace Cinema.
The roof detail sets the Parisian apart
Assembly Square is a tribute, a "best of" for the 10 years of the Modulars, but that kind of works against it in my opinion. A lot of comprises went into it to become this monument of past modulars. While it was a fun build I wouldn't call it my favorite.
Parisian Restaurant not only introduced a new generation of modulars but is also a great build and a beautiful finished product. Yes modulars became more playful starting with this set but it still goes well with older or newer buildings. It has my vote in this round
A bit unfair to compare a 32x32 base to a 32x48 base. 3 floors to 9 floors.
I also agree that PR is completely overrated. It's nice, no doubt, but AS in all the (more) details with its size blows it out of the water!
Please release the numbers for the original vote.
Parisian has an awesome kitchen, dining room and terrace and classic look to it for sure.
But the Square, while obviously larger, just feels a lot more varied to me, with the different shops and the studio inside it.
This is an impossible choice. BUT! I swapped the two baseplates in the AS and I then got not only one, but two separate buildings. Therefore my vote this time goes to the AS. But only because of my own idea swapping the baseplates = two separate buildings. I like the PS' look better overall.
Parisian Restaurant for me. It's the only modular that feels complete; everything about it is perfect. The colour scheme, scale, build techniques, storyline... It will stand the test of time.
Assembly Square is very nice, but it's essentially a culmination of other designs.
I don’t how anyone could vote for assembly square. It’s a great set for sure but the Parisian restaurant is just too good
I own both. They both include fantastic building techniques, but as you're building Parisian Restaurant it continually brings delightful surprises of one novel building technique after another! Hence my vote for the Restaurant.
Nope. I won't choose. Can't make me.
By far the hardest knockout so far. Parisian is great, but Assembly Square as everything.
Parisian Restaurant all the way!
Downtown Diner is my favorite modular. There. I said it.
My wallet voted in this particular bout. The Parisian Restaurant is one of four official Modular Buildings that we own. Assembly Square is not (yet).
I honestly like both, but I voted for Parisian Restaurant. For me the entire build was more enjoyable, where as after the first floor or Assembly Square it kinda got a little boring.
Assembly Square is my second least favourite modular (if you consider Market Square to be a modular).
I have it but will probably never build it.
Ah, two of my favorite sets that I own (and they're literally connected to each other on my countertop).
I find Assembly Square to be much more "impressive" of course from a scale perspective, and I love the courtyard/fountain and the general exterior design (especially the roses which were a wild building experience). But other than the incredibly fun AFOL apartment, the bakery, and the dance studio with an actual mirror, I actually find the interiors to be a little lackluster and spare compared to the incredibleness of the exterior.
Parisian Restaurant however is just a masterpiece in every way. It feels like a real place, and the level of detail on every floor is remarkable. It was also my first modular, so there's some nostalgia there, but it's also still my favorite; the little details like having there be cooking equipment inside of the kitchen drawers that only the builder would know about were mind-blowing to me when I first built it, and I've delighted friends and family with that detail as well when I show it off. I also find the exterior design work, like the grey feathers and the shells, to be incredibly beautiful and elegant in a way that you don't often see from LEGO. I also especially love the upstairs dining balcony, which is beautiful and tastefully designed and reminds me of dining outside in Paris.
So honestly, a pretty easy vote for me despite my love of both sets. Still, what a crazy first round match-up!
This one was hard but I chose the Restaurant.
I wanted to say this is my favorite match up among the top 16 since I like the modulars a lot. Sadly, those 2 are not even my top 3 favorite modular. That would have to go to the CC, GG, FB. But between these 2, PR easily gets my vote. PR is one of the better modulars for sure (even though not my top 3) and one of the best sets among the top 16 in this contest. AS is just weird (2 different looking buildings on 1.5 baseplates). I would rather have separate it into 2 sets with 2 regular baseplates instead. They also look kinda similar to some previous modular buildings with almost no new techniques. Seriously I would rather they re release the CC and GG rather than AS.
I'm not into modulars, though I like the concept, so take my two cents for what they are worth. I'd choose the Parisian Restaurant. Assembly Square looks good, but it's too busy. There's too much going on there. PR though looks very classy and would work as even a standalone piece.
Meh. Vote for the Modular that's not the GCPD, or the Modular that's not the GCPD...
For me this was the most difficult choice. I love both of these sets. By a very slim margin I went for the Parisian Restaurant. It was the set that eventually had me buy a modular. Also much as I love the Assembly Square I always felt the dentist office was a bit out of place.
@Watsonite said:
"The iconic and much overrated Parisian restaurant. It seems greebeling became legit since that set. Sadly so. I voted for Assembly Square. True, all modulars feature their share of greebeling, but Assembly offers variety and design, where Parisian is actually one big cliché."
This is the first time I've ever seen someone who has a problem with greebling. Having an issue with that is basically being against adding detail and intricacy to a design and not wanting it to be visually interesting.
Sheesh, there is literally someone who has a problem with EVERYTHING!
@dtobin123 said:
" @Watsonite said:
"The iconic and much overrated Parisian restaurant. It seems greebeling became legit since that set. Sadly so. I voted for Assembly Square. True, all modulars feature their share of greebeling, but Assembly offers variety and design, where Parisian is actually one big cliché."
This is the first time I've ever seen someone who has a problem with greebling. Having an issue with that is basically being against adding detail and intricacy to a design and not wanting it to be visually interesting.
Sheesh, there is literally someone who has a problem with EVERYTHING! "
So true @dtobin123 !
Some people just like to complain about everything!
These are two brilliant sets, and clearly belong in any top-16 discussion from this Millenium.
So hard to split them!
Parisian restaurant.
The restaurant beats Assembly Square because Assembly Square is three buildings in one and the singular nature of Parisian Restaurant allows the set to breath and grow. Assembly Square is a set with a larger number of pieces but Parisian Restaurant seems bigger at the end of the day.
I’ve never gotten into modular buildings. Yes, they look amazing, but I’ve always enjoyed the fantasy aspect of Lego sets. If you could build anything, why not build something that doesn’t exist in this world? Or at the very least build something that exists in my world, and we don’t have anything like these buildings in Chicago. I’ll have to treat this the same way I treat judges on a ballot and not vote for either.
Didn't vote: There are now so many modular building sets with fans all over adding their own creations. Logical candidate should have been the first set of the line...
I've been collecting the modular buildings for a few years now and I am happy to say I own both of these wonderful sets. They are both amazing in their own right, however, I have to give this one to Assembly Square. Not only is it a fantastic looking set, the fact that it incorporates elements of previous modulars and celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the line makes it extra special. The Parisian Restaurant is a fantastic set as well, but personally not my favorite modular. I would actually rank Palace Cinema above it (and possibly above Assembly Square as well), at least of the ones I own.