Lego Architecture

Several weeks ago, I went to an unusual exhibit here in DC : “Lego Architecture: Towering Ambition” at the National Building Museum. The Museum itself is an architectural jewel that was designed in the late 1880‘s by U.S. Army General Montgomery C. Meigs to house diverse government agencies.   It is an edifice not often visited by native Washingtonians.  


The Great Hall is a huge space, but light and airy; a space that encourages visitors to consider their own scale -- relative to the colossal structure in which they are standing.  Within the hall,  is a wonderfully energetic interplay of light, space, columns and arches.

Surrounding the Great Hall are long hallways -- which have an orderly, and somewhat  military, feel.  

The LEGO exhibit itself features the work of Adam Reed Tucker.  Tucker trained formally to be an architect.  He lived in Chicago (which many consider to be the true birth place of modern architecture) when the events of September 11 changed his life.    He reportedly invested $150,000 in Legos (that's a LOT of Legos!!) and began to construct models of some of the world's most iconic modern buildings.

LEGOS allow building on a grand scale - far more than the ERECTOR sets of old!

The first table features a lone -- and eery --model of the one of the World Trade Centers:

I grew up in Manhattan.   Thus, I could not help but take note of the Empire State Building.

I realized just how dated the Empire State Building now seems-- and diminutive -- in terms of scale.  (Look at the Hancock Tower soaring above it on the same table!)

My favorite structure is one that has not been built because of the failing economy: the Chicago Spire.   I am in awe of the curves that Mr. Tucker achieved using only the traditional LEGO blocks!

I also really enjoyed the black (former) Sears Tower (now called the Willis Tower).  There are many times when I have flown into the Windy City and have been amazed at how close that skyscraper seems relative to my flight!

There was a true simplicity to the exhibit room.  The beautiful blue and the light from the windows allowed visitors to focus on the models themselves...

With respect to the photography?  I am learning that bright colored clothing can be problematic when taking photos through windows (on planes for example)  or trying to capture surfaces that are highly reflective.  The black skyscraper models readily mirrored back my light blue fleece!

Having been inspired by the models viewed, children, of all ages, enter an adjoining room with tables and multicolored LEGOS to try their hand at creating their own modest 

structures.   Midlife, so many adults are weighed down in life that words such as"play","imagination" and "fun" sound like alien and menacing terms-- to be distrusted at all costs!   We can learn much from our children!