MOC: Department Store - Modular Standard

[Lord Admiral]

Nice! I like the color scheme. Believe it or not, it kind of reminds me of the Saks or Macys buildings.

Like everybody else, I love the potted plants. Simple and effective, and that's really what hits the spot for me when I look at a model. It's a little on the large side, but it works as giant hedges in minfigure scale.

Now all you need are escalators in the interior and you could sell minifigure merchandise right out it.

If there is any criticism at all, my only issue is that the backsides are too plain. Cafe Corner is the same. Large buildings are rarely attached to their neighbors. There's usually an alleyway of sorts in between for various reasons (trash, side door, fire escape) and the small space there provides enough room for the decorative cornice to go all the way around.

[wednesdayware]

Wonderful. I LOVE the windows with the displays.

[Zzz]

Amazing! Would buy it at once. Love the colours you always use in your creations, they always seem to be the perfect combination between realistic and comic-Legoish! Oh and I love that you use so many Indy- and other fleshy minifigs! Cause I prefer them way over the yellow ones by myself! Love it, superb work!

[Rufus]

Holy Cow man, that is fantastic! Probably the best modular building I've seen. Just another 23 of those, and you'd have a lifelike Harrods!

Are there any features on the first and second floors? Also, I'm not sure what the body-builder torso is doing in the shop window, is it a swimwear display?

If the promised official set is anything like this, I'm a gettin' it!

[samthelegoman1]

A wonderful piece of architecture!

[Izzy]

Awww Svelte! That is just amazing. (and very funny Whitefang )

I just love all the detail! Everyone else had mentioned everything I wanted to comment on so I shan't go on, expect to say that roof top garden is so cool. Reminds me of

scene from 'Just Like Heaven'.

[Fumoffu]

This is amazing.

I like the use of parts from IJ ... gives it the right atmosphere/era. That Indian fella with the Turban is a great minifigure. I suspect Lego's version will be finalised but if not they should just buy your concept off you and run with it. I'll love to have this Department Store in my modular street.

[JimBee]

I saw the teaser in your sig the other day, and was about to ask what it was...

Absolutely fantastic! Bravo, Svelte, I think this could be your best creation yet. I love all of the little details, like the mannequins and the potted plants outside (what pieces were used for the plants?). Lovely color scheme, too, indoors and out. This is something I would buy if it were a real modular building set.

EDIT: Never mind the question about the plants, I noticed that's been answered already.

[Svelte]

Wow! I'm overwhelmed by all these amazing responses! Thanks everyone!

Now that I see the picture of the 'pot': you could even fix them to the pavement...

Good point! I wish I thought of that before I was moving it all around the place whilst building and for photos, and everything on the street was sliding all over the place!

The figures are very nice as will even though you're showing off your rare fig parts.

There's not much rare here Populating this MOC made me realise just how much I love the Indy license. It is without question the best minifig line ever! Just this year we got 4 different types of female outfit, ranging from glamorous evening wear to peasant blouses to suiting to a sari, not to mention all the sharp men's tailoring (black gangster suits & fedoras, white dinner suit) and then all the other cool Temple of Doom and Cairo 'historical' costumes. Yes, the Prince of Persia figs look nice, but they are not a patch on Indy when it comes to versatility and modern costume. Really, this creation would not look the same without all the beautiful Indy figs :wub: City cannot compete at all, which is why I decided to use fleshies.

Now all you need are escalators in the interior and you could sell minifigure merchandise right out it.

If there is any criticism at all, my only issue is that the backsides are too plain...

An escalator is planned for the ground floor, but I haven't begun on the interiors yet. You raise an interesting point about the plain back walls. I guess the practical reason is so that buildings in the series of modulars can sit comfortably next to each other. In this case, I wanted to keep the interior walls plain and window-free so that shelves of merchandising could fit in front of them without looking cluttered or odd. 10197 actually has a very detailed rear, as does 10185.

Love the colours you always use in your creations, they always seem to be the perfect combination between realistic and comic-Legoish!

Thanks for noticing Zzz! Colour is my first point of reference wgen building. It was interesting to read in Zuloo's interview with Jamie Berard that he builds all in white initially to get the basic shape and then adds colour afterwards. I don't have that luxury! Colour is highly important to me so I have to plan ahead and constantly adjust to go along to make sure the balance is right. I think I have improved in this - whereas previous MOCs have been super-gaudy and over-detailed, I think this strikes the right balance. Choosing 2 key colours with some secondary accents is the key, I think. But other minor details are just as important - for example, I think the contrast of the blonde woman in glittering pink outfit really sets all the other colours in that part of the MOC in harmony (sand green of the plants, all white dress of the doorman).

Just another 23 of those, and you'd have a lifelike Harrods! ...Also, I'm not sure what the body-builder torso is doing in the shop window, is it a swimwear display?

Another 23? Haha! Yes, I definitely had Harrods in mind - indeed, the reclusive owner on top is a nod to Mohamed Al-Fayed. As for the swimwear displays - maybe it's a cultural thing, but in beach-centred Sydney, most department stores have mannequin displays in bikinis or Speedos at some point before summer!

I just love all the detail! Everyone else had mentioned everything I wanted to comment on so I shan't go on, expect to say that roof top garden is so cool. Reminds me of

scene from 'Just Like Heaven'.

Cute video! That garden does look sweet! Thanks Cutlass!

And here's a pic of whoever asked for it shown in relation to other modulars - excuse the bad lighting - you can see it's taller than average. I think it looks good next to the Fire Brigade.

[vmln8r]

Wow. I can't imagine the official set being better than this.

There are so many great techniques in this, the overall look is superb, I love the colour scheme and it has that wonderful air of London opulence.

If you made more similar buildings and joined them up, you could make a mini Knightsbridge!

Congrats

[prateek]

I certainly wouldn't mind this being the real Grand Emporium. I am just amazed how someone could make such a wonderful MOC

[ZO6]

Beautiful creation! You've got yourself a customer

Everything looks incredibly well thought out, your detailing is just stunning. Thanks for sharing!

[marvinblue]

Absoulety Fabulous Darling!! Sorry, had to chuck that in!! Serously though, awesome job!!

[posades]

Absolutely love the potted plants at the entrance, reminds me of aloe vera or something. The pots are ingenious, thought I would have thought of something that simple.

Overall wonderful job, I'm sure this is going to top the official version when it comes out in detail and creativity.

[castlestrike666]

If this creation would be a piece of the modular street, I would say this one's the best of them all!

[CommanderFox]

This is Surperbly Amazing Svelte

I really like the street.....Snot.....*drooling*

I like the colour scheme aswell.

Fingers crossed, that the new 10211 will look something like this!

Great job!

CommanderFox

[Commander Flash]

Great set Svelte! The mannequins are a nice play feature The revolving door is great as well. Good job

[ILikePi]

Wow, that looks beautiful! Words can't describe how magnificent that is.

I've been waiting ever since you put that teaser pic in your signature to see the whole building.

I can't wait to see when you put for the interior and what you will do with it for Christmas!

And I was wondering, what piece did you use for sand green leaves of the two potted plants?

Once again, splendid job - it looks just as good (even a bit better, since you didn't have any price limitations ant other things) than the official modular building sets!

Edited November 3, 2009 by ILikePi

[Piranha]

Excellent work

The color scheme as you said is really awesome

This would work well with all the other modular buildings and be very popular if LEGO made it an actual set!

Very sweet MOC!

[JCC1004]

There's not much rare here

You don't call dark tan male hair and a tan Indy satchel rare? Do you live in a land where all parts that were only in one expensive set grow on trees? The Indy lines does feture some really great parts. PoP parts couldn't fit in for modern day clothing. BTW those shopping bads are very nice.

[ACCURATEin]

Excellent work in this MOC!!!

The use of the panel walls to house the mannequins is a clever idea.

I look forward to seeing future MOCs from you.

[WhiteFang]

Svelty, you have certainly accomplish a whole new level of modular building and this Departmental Store of yours, is one of my favourite MOCs so far.

I can't help myself but to relate this amazing Department Store with the ongoing rumors of 10211 Grand Emporium and for sure, this is the kind of modular building that every City collector must own or even build. I don't see many modular shopping centre, and to see this one of a kind accomplish in both Cafe Corner distinct facade and Green Grocer details, and mixing your innovative color schemes of dark brown and dark tan, along with those golden pearl windows and brown tiles with cool playing details such as the revolving door and minifigs' design. Yes, you have used your minifigs torsos' combination very well especially those on the window display that simply entice shoppers' sight.

I must admit if I just merely view at the front of the entrance from top to bottom, I could have easily mistaken that its a 1900s British Hotel during the Colonial period of such, but with those beautiful dress ups at the display, I couldn't give it a miss for anything.

Simply breathtaking.

Thanks for sharing it with us.

This Department Store has been blogged in Classic-Town.net.

[kinjai]

My first impression of the potted plants were a pair of overgrown cacti that would have left a prickly experience at the entrance. :)

Either than that, the choice of colours were amazing - brown does really stand out in some surreal ways. Maybe you can put it beside GG (predominantly green) and MS (mostly blue) and see whether the overall setting is seamless. CC and FB should be placed further away from this department store - their brown elements will not do justice to your magnificient creation.

Just my two cents.

[rjack]

WOW, this set i simply amazing. Its just like an emporium of the XIX.(with the WOW i am not making a reference to World of Warcraft)

[UsernameMDM]

Those are some sexy colors you used! Can't wait to see the completed model.