MOC: Kahuka's Koffee

[snaillad]

Hello all.

I've finally completed my last build of the year with Kahuka's Koffee. A building influenced predominantly by neo-classical architecture. It has taken about 3 months to complete.

I've wanted to try my hand at more varied styles of architecture. It's been 4 years since I last had a go at a classical style. The problem I find with this style is that it tends to be all one or very few colours and it makes picking out details more difficult so I've opted to vary the colours of floors and put highlights in where I could. I wanted to include a rounded roof mainly to finally use the PAB cup full of 1x4 slopes in black I got a while back. I also was keen to incorporate balconies and many arches - common in classical architecture.

There is an interior but only for the ground level floor (Said here in the UK), but I've not chosen to build upper floors as it would take too long and frankly I just didn't have enough plates to build another 5 floors

If you're wondering why it's called Kahuka's Koffee, there is a subtle hint of the Islanders theme in the facade. I've included a slightly updated version of my streamlined delivery van which I made some years ago to give some busyness feeling to the street.

Anyway here's all 9 pics;

If you wish to view them at flickr my stream is here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/52656812@N04/

If you have any questions about techniques I used or any comments please feel free.

Cheers!

 

 

[peedeejay]

Stunning build with wonderful details and an awesome facade! The time spent to pick the details was very well invested because it looks so clean again.

I have to admit however I am not 100% sure about the three different levels color-wise. It looks quite spectacular but something feels a bit off. Maybe because I am so used to builds which usually only two levels of color. :-) I also wonder why you used a 3x3 wedge plate on the corner between the tan portion and the white portion of the build and not a 4x4 wedge plate like between the ground floor and the first floor. For me it sticks out a bit too much.

[ReplicaOfLife]

Wow.

While I'm also not entirely sold on the three main colors for the facade (it somehow looks like the upper floors of two separate buildings stacked on top of each other), everything else is brilliant!

I love both the tan and white facades, the roof is well done, and the ground floor and its interior are executed perfectly aswell. Nice snotted building techniques used throughout, too.

 

What's wedged inside the white 1x2x6 arches on the third floor? Looks like several bars?

[koalayummies]

Absolutely incredible. The facade of the building is amazing. So much detail, so many creative techniques. Your innovative SNOT work never ceases to amaze and inspire. Epic MOC! 

[cimddwc]

An amazing building indeed! Lots of nice architecture and details, including the interior.

Though I also think the proportions are a bit unusual, one would rather expect 3 tan and 1 white floor, but it still looks great the way you built it, I think.

[beverly888]

A wonderful build.  So many interesting details they're hard to list.  For starters, I very much admire the black light standard.

Thanks so much for sharing!

Beverly

[JLSD]

This is f'n amazing!  I love the colors, the van is spectacular!  Great job!

[Littleworlds]

So beautiful! Wonderful outside texturing, that really shows off the possibilities Lego gives today. Snot-techniques, relief-bricks, arches, slopes - great combinations!

The interior is equally enthralling. So lively and whimsical.

All in all a absolutely amazing build. The colour choice for the outside works absolutely fine. I have seen buildings coloured like this before. An alternative would be accent-colours, like framing each window. This seems to have been actually used quite a lot in neoclassim.

[Bfenz]

Really nice build and I love all the details inside and out.  Well done.

[snaillad]

On 12/27/2017 at 3:58 PM, peedeejay said:

Stunning build with wonderful details and an awesome facade! The time spent to pick the details was very well invested because it looks so clean again.

I have to admit however I am not 100% sure about the three different levels color-wise. It looks quite spectacular but something feels a bit off. Maybe because I am so used to builds which usually only two levels of color. :-) I also wonder why you used a 3x3 wedge plate on the corner between the tan portion and the white portion of the build and not a 4x4 wedge plate like between the ground floor and the first floor. For me it sticks out a bit too much.

Thanks peedeejay I'm glad you like the many details!

I agree there is not many examples where there is more than 2 colours in the facade. I decided on a third as I've made white/tan and black/white twin facades before and wanted to see if I could make it more interesting with a third. The main real-life building which was inspiration is a tiny pic which I still can't find where its from. It has a red bottom floor, two floors of tan and then two floors of white, the tan colour is perhaps less harsh when compared to lego tan and thus it blends in a bit better. It'd be great if TLG could do an off-white colour, I could always find use for that!

The wedge plates in tan and white are 4x4's. The grey one is a 6x6 wedge. I had to use smaller wedges above as I don't own 6x6 plates in tan or white - I'm not even sure if they exist. It would definitely look better but hopefully its not too detrimental to the facade.

On 12/27/2017 at 4:11 PM, RogerSmith said:

Wow.

While I'm also not entirely sold on the three main colors for the facade (it somehow looks like the upper floors of two separate buildings stacked on top of each other), everything else is brilliant!

I love both the tan and white facades, the roof is well done, and the ground floor and its interior are executed perfectly aswell. Nice snotted building techniques used throughout, too.

 

What's wedged inside the white 1x2x6 arches on the third floor? Looks like several bars?

Hi Roger. I've went with vertical columns and arches in line between the different colour floors to try and make it somewhat continuous. I felt it may of just got lost in a sea of one colour being 4 floors and a single colour.

I'm glad you noticed the roof, its a bit precarious in places and its photographed to hide the ugly gaps on the corner, but pretty pleased with how it looks!

Yeah it's normal 4 stud length bars in the arches. I've used a bracket with studs on the side to kepp them in place, they do easily mis-align though.

On 12/27/2017 at 6:09 PM, koalayummies said:

Absolutely incredible. The facade of the building is amazing. So much detail, so many creative techniques. Your innovative SNOT work never ceases to amaze and inspire. Epic MOC! 

Thanks very much Koala, glad you like the details! The SNOT I was probably most pleased with is the doorway hidden behind the van. Oh well!

On 12/27/2017 at 8:52 PM, cimddwc said:

An amazing building indeed! Lots of nice architecture and details, including the interior.

Though I also think the proportions are a bit unusual, one would rather expect 3 tan and 1 white floor, but it still looks great the way you built it, I think.

Thank you cimddwc, building the interior was alot of fun.

The proportions may be odd but then again so is having windows and arches on the inside of my coffee shop I'd definitely be thrown out of the architects circle - if they have one!

23 hours ago, beverly888 said:

A wonderful build.  So many interesting details they're hard to list.  For starters, I very much admire the black light standard.

Thanks so much for sharing!

Beverly

Thanks Beverly. I couldn't of made a fitting like that until some of newer pieces in black came along just recently.

21 hours ago, JLSD said:

This is f'n amazing!  I love the colors, the van is spectacular!  Great job!

Thank you JLSD!

20 hours ago, Littleworlds said:

So beautiful! Wonderful outside texturing, that really shows off the possibilities Lego gives today. Snot-techniques, relief-bricks, arches, slopes - great combinations!

The interior is equally enthralling. So lively and whimsical.

All in all a absolutely amazing build. The colour choice for the outside works absolutely fine. I have seen buildings coloured like this before. An alternative would be accent-colours, like framing each window. This seems to have been actually used quite a lot in neoclassim.

Thank you very much littleworlds!

I've done a fair bit of window framing here but it's less noticable as I've put columns in between so they appear set-back rather than protruding. If I can get some more jumper plates in weird colours I'd certainly try framing and go for colours instead of columns just to see how it looks. Something like from St.Petersburg would be nice!

Really please you also like the interior!

Cheers!

19 hours ago, Bfenz said:

Really nice build and I love all the details inside and out.  Well done.

Cheers Bfenz!

[Man with a hat]

Wonderful. Inside and out. I like the architectural style and you got it really well done. I am not so sure you needed the three colours. The white top part for me looks the best and the middle part could have easily been white as well, but nonetheless a beautifull creation!

[kevin8]

This MOC really urges me to put my effords back to modular buildings. It' s really an inspiring one.

I love it.

 

The interiors of the Cafe are so equilibrated.

[gabrielerava]

Really like the roof, the chimneys and all the curved lines along the whole structure!

Don't mind about three colors thing, since they go together very well!

Great job (as usual)!

[jalemac34]

Aaaahhh, you're back!!!

I was'nt a big fan of the latest moc you did, they were beautyfull indeed but not like the first big modulars you've made.

But this one is superb, and the interiors also (like always)...

Good job snaillad!!!

[snaillad]

On 12/29/2017 at 1:25 PM, Man with a hat said:

Wonderful. Inside and out. I like the architectural style and you got it really well done. I am not so sure you needed the three colours. The white top part for me looks the best and the middle part could have easily been white as well, but nonetheless a beautifull creation!

Thanks Man with a hat! It's a slightly different style to what I've made recently but I'm definitely going to keep on varying my styles.

On 12/29/2017 at 1:49 PM, kevin8 said:

This MOC really urges me to put my effords back to modular buildings. It' s really an inspiring one.

I love it.

 

The interiors of the Cafe are so equilibrated.

Thanks Kevin. If it inspires you I'm flattered! I look forward to seeing your future builds!

On 12/29/2017 at 11:32 PM, gabrielerava said:

Really like the roof, the chimneys and all the curved lines along the whole structure!

Don't mind about three colors thing, since they go together very well!

Great job (as usual)!

Thank you Gabriele! The roof is quite flimsy, but least it stayed sturdy for the photos!

14 hours ago, jalemac34 said:

Aaaahhh, you're back!!!

I was'nt a big fan of the latest moc you did, they were beautyfull indeed but not like the first big modulars you've made.

But this one is superb, and the interiors also (like always)...

Good job snaillad!!!

Thanks Jalemac! I've always been here!   Although admittedly it's been a couple of years since I made something this tall! Glad you like it and the interior too (It was really fun to make!)

Cheers!

[Palixa And The Bricks]

I love it! It's absolutely perfect! There are so many wonderful details and clever building techniques. The colours work very well together. My favourite parts are the rounded roof and the top balcony. The whole building reminds me somehow of Barcelona or Madrid.

I will keep looking at it for a while since there's so much to discover.