LEGO Historian Posted February 6, 2013 Posted February 6, 2013 As the famous French architect Le Corbusier once said "Architecture... est un jeu magnifique"... (architecture is a magnificent toy)... That became the slogan for a 1985 exhibition in LEGO by 30 European architects at Paris's famed Centre Pompadour.... that modern Tinker Toy abomination that is in the heart of Paris... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_Georges_Pompidou TLG gave an unlimited supply of LEGO to the 30 architects... to build their dream project with (must be nice!!). About 1/2 dozen of these entries are displayed in the 1987 THE WORLD OF LEGO TOYS book by Henry Wiencek... http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?B=204 I got a phone call by Mr. Wiencek in 1986, and we talked for about an hour... (I'm the only AFOL mentioned in the book, on page 30).... so I was thrilled to help out with questions he had about LEGO. Back in 1986 there was no Internet.... and discussions with collectors was nearly impossible to have. But many years later I got a copy of a set of all 30 images from the Paris show (as boxed post cards), and produced high level scans of them. Unfortunately I never got a reply from the Belgian company that printed them, so I have been unable to include them in my 2,800 page Collectors Guide (DVD/download) due to potential Copyright sales issues. But I came across them again in my 10,000 image LEGO archives... and want to let anyone who has purchased my DVD/download to know that I'll give these out free to those folks. I just posted 12 of the 30 of them on 1000steine... and they can be viewed here.... http://www.1000steine.de/de/gemeinschaft/forum/?entry=1&id=26238#id26238 http://www.1000steine.de/de/gemeinschaft/forum/?entry=1&id=26362#id26362 These are some really wonderful models... I wonder where they are today?? Anyway... I'm still selling my download in Bazaar... and the 30 images will be sent free as EMAIL attachments. (These are retroactive for folks who already bought the download). Quote
antp Posted February 7, 2013 Posted February 7, 2013 (edited) These are really impressive models indeed. That reminds me that in the 80s (most likely around 1985-1987, so it would match these years) I saw here in Belgium a expo with that kind of big Lego models, more like an architecture expo than a Lego expo. I wonder if it is those or just something similar. The only one that I vaguely remember isn't amongst those pictures. Being born in 1980, I was just a kind then. Edited February 7, 2013 by antp Quote
Lyichir Posted February 7, 2013 Posted February 7, 2013 I recognize some of these from the book "The World of Lego Toys". I didn't realize that they were all made for a single exhibition, though. Quote
TheLegoDr Posted February 7, 2013 Posted February 7, 2013 Those are impressive. And to think if it was the 80s they didn't have a lot of the specialized pieces we have today. Very interesting. I had never heard of nor seen this before. Thanks for sharing! Quote
LEGO Historian Posted February 19, 2013 Author Posted February 19, 2013 For any of you that have the 1987 book THE WORLD OF LEGO TOYS... there are 6 very unique models shown in that book that were first seen in a 1985 Paris exhibition in the "artsy" Pompidou Center cultural center. The center coordinated with TLG to have a display from 30 up and coming architects from Europe. Each of these young architectural groups provided TLG with a set of architectural designs for a LEGO house or villa, and TLG built these in their own model shop, and shipped them off to Paris for a 3 month exhibition in the summer of 1985. Some of the designs were very unique (to put it mildly)... and others were so abstract that they defied being labeled as a "dwelling". These 30 images I've had in my possession for about 10 years, and am going to include them in my next 2,800 page Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide - DVD/download... version... which is a free upgrade as a download to current DVD or download owners. I just finished the chapter (74), and am working on a few other new chapters to add to the next version of the E-Book. I just posted some of these on 1000steine, and can be seen here... (some one else posted a few images from another show mixed in)... http://www.1000steine.de/de/gemeinschaft/forum/?entry=1&id=26238#id26238 Cheers, Gary Istok I'm also working on other additional chapters, such as on on the evolution of LEGO Figures (Chapter title picture).... And adding additional chapters on LEGO Space, Pirates, Castle, Town and Basic Sets chapters. Also I've gotten a lot of old items never before seen... (even by the LEGO Archives). Just more and more historic and modern rare items show up at my doorstep (well "inbox" to be exact)... and that's why I'm going to a download only in the future... with free upgrades to current owners... Quote
LEGO Historian Posted February 19, 2013 Author Posted February 19, 2013 Thanks for merging my threads... that's the beauty of LEGO Alzheimers... you see new models every day! I post on so many sites... I sort of forget where I left off! ??? As to the question about a Belgian exhibit.... yes there was a smaller one a year or two before the Paris exhibition for Architects... and that became the inspiration for the Pompidou Center exhibition. What I would love to know is this... since these designs were never put in the outdoors (where they would eventually be weathered and UV ray damaged)... what became of them today? Quote
Jargo Posted February 20, 2013 Posted February 20, 2013 Those designs are - eye watering. I'm insanely jealous of the mass of cypress trees. Oh for a time machine..... Quote
LEGO Historian Posted February 20, 2013 Author Posted February 20, 2013 Those designs are - eye watering. I'm insanely jealous of the mass of cypress trees. Oh for a time machine..... I agree... also, one of the designs (resembling a Space Assembly Building)... has a bazillion very rare 2x2 windows in gray!!! Only ever found in the 7740 Intercity Train Set!!! Quote
Jargo Posted February 20, 2013 Posted February 20, 2013 'The villa of insanity' used about 144 Cypress trees. Though I'm assuming it was open at the back in the same way as the front. If not then it's 156. Quote
LEGO Historian Posted February 20, 2013 Author Posted February 20, 2013 (edited) 'The villa of insanity' used about 144 Cypress trees. Though I'm assuming it was open at the back in the same way as the front. If not then it's 156. Well this will make you even more upset.... (and maybe now we know why it's called "The Villa of Insanity"!)... the black, yellow and blue tower each has 96 windows in NEW condition... ..... http://www.bricklink...7026&colorID=11 http://www.bricklink...=7026&colorID=3 http://www.bricklink...=7026&colorID=7 Edited February 20, 2013 by LEGO Historian Quote
Jargo Posted February 20, 2013 Posted February 20, 2013 I think I would probably would kill for those black windows. Quote
LEGO Historian Posted June 1, 2013 Author Posted June 1, 2013 (edited) I've had the 30 high res images of the entries to the 1985 Paris Centre Pompidou LEGO Exhibition... these were created by 30 leading European architects, who were given a blank canvas of unlimited parts to build a "villa" or "dream house" of their choice.... some of these have found their way to The World of LEGO Toys book of 1987. I did a prototype of a poster of all 30 of these images... (although I only used 27 of them in this trial run. I'm going to be offering them to anyone who buys my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Guide (1949-1990s) and it will be retroactive... The final 30 (only 27 are shown so far)... will have room in the lower right that will have the 1934 (first of all time) LEGO logo in English scrip. This is going to be made available as a download from the cloud (since it is about 40MB, it's too large as an EMAIL)... and as soon I'm done with it, I'll be putting it there. This poster will also be made available as a freebie to ALL other Eurobricks members... but as a smaller size image... such as for Computer Desktop, or standard frame size, if so desired. I'm working on finishing the poster size image in a standard poster size that folks can take to Kinko's/FedEx, or other print shops (via a jump drive)... for printing on quality paper... or to print at any size you want. The final image will not have the text underneath the pictures, and it will be perfectly spaced between images. Stay Tuned!! Edited June 1, 2013 by LEGO Historian Quote
ArneNielsen Posted July 2, 2020 Posted July 2, 2020 Just got that postcard-folder from one of my collegaues (who knows I like LEGO). Unfortunately there are only 15 postcards left; the rest have been used as intended - as postcards...! One of those not posted on 1000steine is more resembling a blue castle than a villa - very creative use of what was available of bricks in 1985. http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=6658163 Quote
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