It is impossible to count how many young architects started their design dreams with LEGO bricks. The Danish toy ignites imagination and creativity, and has become one of the most recognizable brands of the small Scandinavian country. Soon it may help promote one Polish region.
LEGO br icks are one of the most recognizable toys in the world. The small bricks, from which we can assemble and construct anything physics and our imagination allow, stimulate imagination all over the world, regardless of age or place of origin. Today, LEGO is not just an infantile toy, but often a useful tool—the Danish toy was used, among other things, during Horizone Studio's Open Architecture Festival.
A house with open shutters
© Lukasz Więcek
Coming from Billund, the bricks can also contribute to the promotion of Podlasie, and this happened with the project "House with open shutters" submitted to the Lego Ideas competition, which in a few days won enough votes to participate in the next phases of the competition, which may ultimately mean the acceptance of the project into the manufacturer's offer. This is an interesting and so far unprecedented way of promotion, which, if successful and the kit is introduced, could be a complete game-changer for the region.
House with open shutters
© Lukasz Więcek
Lukasz Więcek, the designer of the house and a finalist in the Lego Masters program, talks about how the idea for the "House with Open Shutters" brick project came about, why the sudden success in the plebiscite and why it's worth putting the blocks together.
Wiktor Bochenek: How did the idea to design a "House with open shutters" come about?
Lukasz Więcek: The initiative came from the association Podlaska Regional Tourist Organization, and after thorough arrangements, the decision was quickly made to have this type of place/building created with LEGO bricks.
Wiktor: In the project it was important to accurately reproduce not only the facade and shape of the houses, but only the interior. How long did it take you to create this project?
Lukasz: As far as the design is concerned, it was actually a sketch" and photos I took while visiting the "Land of Open Shutters" trail. The facade design and the choice of blocks was only in my mind :) As for the interior, I wanted to modernize it slightly which worked out really well.
The project was created during trips around Podlasie
© Lukasz Więcek
Wiktor: At an express pace, just a few days, you managed to cross the threshold of ten thousand votes on the Lego Ideas website, which brings the project much closer to realization by Lego. Did you expect such an outcome?
Luke: To be honest, no, I did not expect such a quick response. During one week two thousand votes came in, and suddenly it shot up and it came out that in ten days the project got ten thousand of them.
Victor: What are the next steps in this competition? Can "House with open shutters" be put on sale? What does such a process look like?
Luke: As for the next steps, the project has made it to the final thirty-six, and now we just have to wait a few months for LEGO to make a decision.
A house with open shutters—detail
© Lukasz Więcek
Victor: Will we see more architectural designs of your project?
Lukasz: By all means. The latest project I just finished is a building inspired by the Podlasie Opera House and Philharmonic Hall in Bialystok, it is a construction consisting of more than six thousand bricks and was also created in cooperation with the Podlasie Regional Tourist Organization and the effect can already be seen on my social media (@lukasdata).
Wiktor: Why is it important to put Lego blocks together?
Lukasz: A simple yet difficult question. LEGO bricks develop our minds a lot, it's a fun activity that at the same time forces us to think hard, and thus it's for everyone of all ages. I personally plan to build with LEGO bricks all my life :)
Victor: Thank you for the interview.
House with open shutters—interior from above
© Lukasz Więcek
