Open back buildings, does anyone MOD them?

[Hrw-Amen]

I have until this weekend avoided buying any actual CITY buildings recently. The last one I had was as a child and it was in the old scale around 1975/6'ish if I had to guess. I have built many buildings myself but always in the style of modulars that you lift the floors off to access inside.

I have been aware of these 'open' backed CITY buildings of course for a long time as I have bought and made trains and other CITY vehicles so have seen what was on offer.

Now this weekend I finally bought the Forest Police Station, more because I wanted to get the complete set of Forest Police as well as the bear than anything else, although I have to say that the overall look of the set did remind me of a police station near to where I live which although made out of old red brick nonetheless has a central entrance and offices on one side and cell blocks on the other.

Anyway, after building it I found myself thinking that it looked a little, I don't know, open I guess. I mean the inmates can just walk out the back not to mention that they and the police will get very wet if the wind is blowing the rain or snow the right way! Now of course I realise that these are made like this to allow kids easy access to sets for playability and I am not grumbling about that, I knew what I was getting after all.

What I wanted to ask though is it common or indeed does anyone ever build backs to add to these open buildings? I find myself wanting to build rear walls as well as fill in little gaps like in the sloping roof where a little 1X1 blue plate would nicely fill in a hole. I was thinking of building them in the manner such as they would still swing open on a hinge like in a lot of other sets, (Say the LoTR Weather top for example.) in order to keep the playability to a degree but still make it a complete building so that it would if required fit along with my own buildings.

I just wondered how common this was?

[danthaman11]

I convert the open backed buildings to modular style if I like the building and want to put it in my town. All the buildings in my city layout are modular style so open backed buildings would not look right. I converted all 3 buildings in 10184 Town Plan to modular style and did the same for the red pizza building from city corner. I have seen other mocs where the builder has modularized and expanded different sets such as the buildings from Diagon Alley and the bank from Bank and Money Transfer so it's pretty common.

[LegoCityMann]

I actually modified the Bank and money transfer set into a modular a while back.

More pics in my photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/legocitymann/sets/72157627018090746/with/5853783104/

[eurotrash]

I MOD them, but rather than build the back I tend to build them upwards and outwards.

[SalvoBrick]

I simply use the bricks and build my own modulars that may recall the original sets, but this doesn't happen often...

Normally the modular I build has nothing that recalls the original set

Edited December 17, 2012 by SalvoBrick

[Big_Tuna_1]

cool?

[Henchmen4Hire]

I like open-back buildings because of the accessibility, but for making photocomics you need to have closed backs so it'll look good on camera. Of course, having no back (or side, or front, as the case may be) also makes taking some shots a lot easier. Everything has its pros and cons.

Edited December 20, 2012 by DrNightmare

[Bricksan]

I always put the back on buildings, I have a few I plan on making into full blown modulars.

[Johan J]

I rather enjoy the old look, and plan on opening up my three modulars instead.

To each their own I guess.

That less pieces are needed is a plus. When I opened up one Creator Villa I could almost build another house with the roof slopes and white bricks I removed!

Edited December 21, 2012 by Johan J

[Martin_B]

Yeah. I'm planning to modify/modular-ify an old 80s Town set to incorporate it into the layout I'm planning in the new year.

I can understand the charm and convenience of open-backed buildings for playability, but for AFOLs it makes sense to modify them. It's better for display purposes I think.

Edited December 21, 2012 by Martin_B

[Johan J]

I can understand the charm and convenience of open-backed buildings for playability, but for AFOLs it makes sense to modify them. It's better for display purposes I think.

I'm an AFOL and it doesn't make sense to me. I think I understand what you mean, but not all AFOL's want a 360 model of a building.