MOC: BrickMiner's LEGOPOLIS

[Captain Green Hair]

Those are excellent buildings you've created and I already love the way your layout looks.

Thanks for sharing and keep it up!

[lightningtiger]

Just AWESOME 'Brick Miner' , your latest building is beautiful - interesting roof fixtures, but they work for me and those street lights......you have given me an idea for redesigning my towns street lights....thank you.

Keep up the cool work and keep on MOCing !

[BosniaFTW]

Lovely city. Your buildings look amazing. What I've seen of your layout so far, it looks great. It has a nice modern feel to it.

[Brick Miner]

I used some of your building techniques to get my own buildings going (for example the corners, I really like those)

Yes. Obviously this technique became my city's trademark But, as with my LEGOREDO layout, I want my LEGO City to be a cohesive unit, and this technique happened to become the visual "glue." I have experimented with other cornering techniques in this scale (particularly on buildings in which I have attempted a more modern architectural style) however, I have not found another method which I am satisfied with. And, as of now, I don't feel that I have exhausted the possibilities of this technique, so I will continue to use it.

I do have to admit, I have never seen this cornering technique used by any other AFOL. I am surprised by this since it is so effective!

You have given me an idea for redesigning my towns street lights....thank you.

Hello Lightningtiger! Actually, the street light design is not my own. It is taken from the packaging artwork for the City Roadplates sets:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=7280-1

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=7281-1

What I've seen of your layout so far, it looks great. It has a nice modern feel to it.

I am shooting for a visual identity circa 1960s, midwestern United States (Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, etc.). So, most of my buildings will feature architectural styles from the 1880s (decade of the birth of the steel frame high-rise) through 1930s. During and following World War II major urban development didn't resume in the United States until the 1960s. So, while I would like to do some "Mid-Century Modern" architecture, I have no plans to design any building with an architectural style which came into popular use beyond that.

Thanks everyone

- BrickMiner

[Night City Dream]

Just stunning. And I really appreciate that it does fit into the layout as well as minifigs fit into it.

[Brick Miner]

Brickminer's LEGOPOLIS

Featured Model: Mack's Snack and Soda 16031

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Here is the convenient store (also known as a C-Store) in my LEGOPOLIS, Mack's Snack and Soda, with 966 pieces:

Here I have not included a reference image, since this building was not built from a reference; however, was inspired by the many brick structures in the "Bottle District" of Saint Louis, Missouri. The Bottle District is exemplary of what I call "Middle America Mid-Town" (An area just outside of downtown, but before the sub-urban areas begin, which have become run-down and condensed residential "ghettos.") Currently, the Bottle District in Saint Louis is under redevelopment, and consequently will be loosing much of its present character.

Digital renderings of components.

Photo of the building in my home layout.

In this shot you can see just a few of my custom decals produced for my LEGOPOLIS (which won me the position with LEGO!): the billboard, the news paper, ice cooler decal, and the street sign.

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This presentation rounds out the three buildings in the downtown area of my LEGOPOLIS. I have tackled the models as though each were to be produced as a marketable set. In doing so, I have attempted to create each with a different character, which has been accomplished 1) by selecting a different utility for each building, 2) by choosing a different architectural style iconic to that particular utility, and 3) by selecting a different wealth level for each building.

Unfortunately, in the current presentation the figures which I had planned to be included with each set are not necessarily shown, and when they are, their exclusivity to that set is not made obvious. Of course, their presence adds a great deal to the visual atmosphere of each setting, and without them, much is lost. However, one can imagine that office workers are present in the Metropolitan Park Tower (along with a hot dog stand attendant, security worker, city park cleaner and delivery man). These figures were chosen to give us the feel of a commercial office tower (bankers and investors, etc.)

In the Dan Burgess Building most figures are residents. I imagine the first floor of the building to be commercial office (or commercial service) with three levels of apartments above. So, there is a dog walker and girl waiting for the bus, girl on a bike, a mail carrier and a professional (professor or lawyer).

In the current building, Mack's Snack and Soda, the utility is encoded into the name. In this set I included a blind man and his dog, security worker, a basketball player (street ball), girl and a boy with a candy bar snack.

I know that these descriptions do not convey (with the same completeness) what the images would, but they will have to substitute, since now I have already begun to break down the city for its trip to Denmark.

As well, I have differentiated each model by choosing different accessories: Metropolitan Park Tower with park, Dan Burgess Building with street scene, and Mack's Snack and Soda with an alley. Also, my original conception was to include different animals with each model. So, dog for the residential, rat for the alley, and a bird for the park. However, when I couldn't find good placement for the bird, this idea was dropped altogether.

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In closing, I will leave you with one final image of the downtown area, before moving on to the buildings within the industrial district.

Besides being a nice shot of the transportation systems of LEGOPOLIS (bridges and elevated rail), here you see the potential for a few more buildings. Given time in Billund, when I'm not designing for LEGO, I would love to fill these two spots with a department store and a historic hotel.

- BrickMiner

[Izy]

I must say, I like this model a lot. The bins on the side really complete the "downtown" vibe your city has. I also noticed the street signs wich are really great!

Overall: great update, I really enjoyed reading it.

[Brick Miner]

Brickminer's LEGOPOLIS

Featured Model: Armstrong Metals 16053

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A few years ago I had started a thread here on EB regarding the possibility of an industrial sub-theme within the LEGO City line. Here is a link to that thread: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11228

The next buildings which I will present are a realization of some of my own ideas. First is the metal processing plant, Armstrong Metals, with 1584 pieces:

Unlike my residential and commercial buildings, I have designed an interior for each of my industrial buildings. Here you see the removable assembly line within Armstrong Metals.

This modular component was designed with a mechanism. The yellow handle (pin joiner) can be turned in either direction, this movement then turns a pulley (attached by a rubber band, not pictured), which then rotates the tread in the center of the machine. By placing the "sheet metal" (a 4x6 light bluish gray tile with studs on three edges) on the tread you can have it move forward and backward.

The truck's bed can carry a pallet (4x6 tan plate with two 1x4 tan plates attached to on bottom). The pallet, in turn, can carry a piece of sheet metal or a spare component from the assembly line. This feature adds to playability.

Finally, photos of the model within my table top city:

I hope you enjoyed this segment.

- Brick Miner

[buddy]

Great metal factory! I especially like the truck that you've made to go with it, they compliment each other well.

Very well done.

~buddy~

[Teddy]

The buildings are beautiful and the scaling is really interesting.

It makes for an excellent cinematic result.

The buildings seem to be more in a classic town scale.

Although I feel, probably because the buildings look so realistic to me, the vehicles such as the city bus are a bit too large compared to the lovely buildings. Thanks for sharing.

Kind regards,

Teddy

Edit:

I do have to admit, I have never seen this cornering technique used by any other AFOL. I am surprised by this since it is so effective!

Hi Brick Miner, I have used that cornering technique quite extensively over the years, and I think I have seen it been used by other AFOLs as well. As you may see on my MOCpage I at least used it for my two railway stations an my library: Link to Mocpages

Kind regards,

Teddy

[Brick Miner]

Hi Brick Miner, I have used that cornering technique quite extensively over the years, and I think I have seen it been used by other AFOLs as well. As you may see on my MOCpage I at least used it for my two railway stations an my library: Link to Mocpages

Thank you Teddy! I knew my comment would provoke a response and surely I would be proven wrong Of course, I had become worried, then, when my comment was lost by all of my new additions in this thread and the topic still had not been addressed.

In any case, you provided a fine example of the cornering technique. And, to be honest, I might have expected this technique to feel very different when used in a larger scale, as you did. That is to say, I expected to see a difference between a decorative use (facade approach seen in the Modular Series buildings) and a structural use (my application of the technique). However, now that I have seen the technique implemented in both instances, the visual difference is not so large.

- Brick Miner

[Teddy]

Thank you Teddy! I knew my comment would provoke a response and surely I would be proven wrong Of course, I had become worried, then, when my comment was lost by all of my new additions in this thread and the topic still had not been addressed.

In any case, you provided a fine example of the cornering technique. And, to be honest, I might have expected this technique to feel very different when used in a larger scale, as you did. That is to say, I expected to see a difference between a decorative use (facade approach seen in the Modular Series buildings) and a structural use (my application of the technique). However, now that I have seen the technique implemented in both instances, the visual difference is not so large.

- Brick Miner

Hi Brick Miner,

thank you for your reply! I really think your buildings are excellent.

Although I generally build in a larger scale I think what you are doing is absolutely fascinating and of pure quality.

Kind regards,

Teddy

[CMP]

I very much enjoy all of your buildings. It's like a small, 1930s New York. I especially like your factory. The machinery and the conveyer look spot-on. Nice truck, too.

[Brick Miner]

Brickminer's LEGOPOLIS

Featured Model: Grimwald Chemicals 16039

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The second build within my industrial City sub-theme, Grimwald Chemicals 16039, with 1055 pieces:

This machine is built inside of the brown structure, and is connected to the horizontal cylinders in Section 1 by varying lengths of 7mm metallic sliver tubes http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=78c02

And, as expected, photos of the model within my home layout.

By this time, my photo shoot had been going on all day, and I was losing day light, so I was forced to bring in some secondary lighting. I was able to position the lamps next to the models I was shooting, thanks to a goose-neck lamp I own. This provided me with the opportunity for some drastic lighting - the end result was perhaps better then I was getting with the day light. In retrospect, I wish I had used this dramatic lighting throughout the entire shoot.

Using the trans-yellow elements to represent the chemical color came to from set 7733 http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?S=7733-1

I remember The Brickster once posed a question as to the contents of those yellow containers!

You can see that topic here: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=14567

-Brick Miner

[XimenaPaulina]

Excellent work on this Chemical Plant Brick Miner! For someone who makes a living working in such a facility, I can vouch for the accuracy of the details you've put in here. I like the chemical storage tanks and the multi-level platforms, as well as the small details like the gas tanks and machines. May I know what type of chemical are they manufacturing here? Great job overall, from the design/planning stage to the actual realization into brickbuild.

[MightySlickPancake]

Excellent work Brick Miner. I think that you have done somehing very special, you have made your own style of buildings, So I tip my hat to you sir . The whole colour scheme is fantastic, It really makes it all look real .

Thanks, CB

[exon_from_youtube]

could you repost the pic of your street layout.... that canal is awesome! Wow and the gas containers are right on....

but why and whats up with the radioactive transport...LOL

[Brick Miner]

For someone who makes a living working in such a facility, I can vouch for the accuracy of the details you've put in here. I like the chemical storage tanks and the multi-level platforms, as well as the small details like the gas tanks and machines. May I know what type of chemical are they manufacturing here?

Wow, KielDaMan! I actually have no idea about processing chemicals. The design just came to me after looking at chemical plant pictures on Google images.

So, I actually have some questions for you!

If you have the time, for one, I like would like to know what function or utility is achieved by building such tall vats? In many of the images that I found chemical plants look like miniature skylines.

could you repost the pic of your street layout.... that canal is awesome!

Exon, I have now post all photos I took of the canal. All of those images can be found throughout this thread.

but why and whats up with the radioactive transport...LOL

I thought that a tanker truck was a necessary accessory to the plant. However, I do not know about chemicals or the transportation of them. So I am not sure if my depiction of them (or if my use of the the hazardous material decals) are accurate.

I would like to know more

- BrickMiner

[exon_from_youtube]

well you could do some micro versions of the standard has-mat sings.... you know the four diamonds in one big diamond with 4 colors and up to 4 different numbers

[Brick Miner]

well you could do some micro versions of the standard has-mat sings.... you know the four diamonds in one big diamond with 4 colors and up to 4 different numbers

Yes Exon, those symbols might have been more appropriate for realism, only, they are less iconic.

I think now that Minifigure Series 4 images are out, I should begin thinking about replacing most of my figures at the Grimwald Chemicals Plant with the new HazMat Guy. He is even in the right colors:

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=48475

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Ok EBers, I hope you have enjoyed each segment of my LEGO City thread. I realize now, in hindsight, that perhaps there are far too many images for one single thread, and that I might have done better to make a separate post for each building. However what's done is done. Though, I will try to upload all of these images to BrickShelf, so that each can be viewed more easily in one gallery (with folders for each building.)

Finally, I leave you with one final image from my LEGOPOLIS.

This MOC does not get a full write up and presentation, because neither am I completely sure it is finished, nor is it integrated into the table top layout.

However, I leave you with Vernon's Junkyard 16027, presently with around 800-900 pieces:

- BrickMiner

[meyerc13]

I'm sure I speak for many, but I've certainly enjoyed every new post you've made in this thread. This latest example is another amazing creation, complete with a junkyard dog! I love it. The photography is also superb. I could see images of a LEGO City like yours being collected in a book like Sean Kenney's Cool Cars and Trucks.

[Vincent Kessels]

Wow, I can't understand how I missed this thread. That are some truly great building.

I really like the colors and architectural details of the buildings. They look so realistic.

[Brick Miner]

I'm sure I speak for many, but I've certainly enjoyed every new post you've made in this thread. This latest example is another amazing creation, complete with a junkyard dog! I love it. The photography is also superb. I could see images of a LEGO City like yours being collected in a book like Sean Kenney's Cool Cars and Trucks.

Thanks Christopher, though, I wish I could have done more. I'm glad a few readers kept up with me. Again, I appologize for the inconvenient presentation method - for example, page 3 of this thread has just too many images to load for a single page. However, in hopes to remedy this, the Brickshelf folder is now public, and all of the photos are collected there:

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=454795

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It is now very close to my departure date (January 1st), and I am of course anxious! (Nearly 2 weeks away )

- BrickMiner

[L@go]

Let me also seize the opportunity to give you some well-deserved praise for the fabulous buildings you've presented in this thread. I've really enjoyed following your presentation and the creations are awe-inspiring, superbly detailed and manage to look realistic in a way that's truly astonishing for the scale.

Well done. Your structures look like official sets, and I wish they were!

[erik530195]

Im notfamiliar with the building, great design though.Verrry detailed.