Modular Building Sets - Rumours and Discussion

[lightningtiger]

What about a Dentist ?

There is a lot of illegal candy and cookies being eaten right ?

Oh, I should give myself ideas !

[Robin Lego]

How about a school, private hospital or a nightclub?

[Rob1321]

A school sounds like a great idea.

[notaromantic]

Could someone explain to me, why it is that so many of the suggestions that arise, when talking about future modulars, seem to be civil/ commercial/ business in nature?I've always found the residential builds to be the more interesting - even going back to my preferences for classic town kinds of sets. The Swiss Villa, Spanish Villa, Bungalow, for instance, always appealed to me way more than any police station, storefront, etc.. ever did. And it seems we have so few of these kinds of modular builds available as official sets these days. And yet, if you browse many of the popular "custom instruction" types of builds that one can find on the bay, most of those are also residences, vs. the latter.

I'd like to see more rowhouses, perhaps a brownstone, a painted lady, anything victorian.

I guess I've never been one to like to cruise the commercial area of a city to take in its flavor; its always been the historic home districts that wooed me...

[Herky]

notaromantic, I think it is due to the nature of the modular buildings so far, while there are elements of living quarters in many, and I share the desire for a Brownstone with you and have mentioned it, the residences are likely not something that any of the designers will key on. They seem to be building a city block from the 1930's or so and building the infrastructure first.

I would go for a Victorian for sure, the Green Grocer is Victorian to me, but I think the far off future, once they complete all the businesses they have, the may move in that direction. I could see a Brownstone though in the next 5, would be similar to Pet Shop and not too hard to do really. You could pick up 2 or 3 and really do a residential area if that was your thing. Good thoughts

[Off the wall]

Residential is a logical MOC and maybe the easiest (I've done a few). The PS, GG and haunted house instructions are all great starting points in building your own residential building. I've done two residences based on HH instructions and one flower shop/residence based on PS instructions. I've also done multiples of the PS apartment building to give the look of a residential street with several residential buildings.

Doesn't mean I wouldn't welcome an official residential building, but I'd rather see the designers concentrate on more unique themed buildings.

[Faefrost]

Here is a concern of mine, possibly repeated.

Say there is a pharmacy/drugstore modular internally pitched for development/sale, which by the way I am 100% for.

Would the design team be limited/restricted by a directive to include play features or is this a one off instance with only the Detective's Office? I could only imagine it would be rather difficult to incorporate actual play features into the building of a pharmacy. Not so much worried about it affecting a future bank modular, but other establishments like drugstores or fish markets or recording studios may face the chopping block by default due to their inability to house a play feature.

I can only hope there is no such initiative in place hindering the future selection of modular ideas/themes.

If there is I fear we will end up with police/fire/hospital modulars for years to come.

Not so much play features as story. And that would be easy to do with the classic Pharmacies. At least in the US many Pharmacies also incorporated the local "soda counter". They were basically an ice cream shop as well as a drug store. With the classic counter/bar type area manned by the Soda Jerk. Heck Coca Cola was originally a Pharmacy distributed product. There is a lot there for Lego to work with. It isn't just the modern counter handing out pills. Classically they were closer to a small bodega mixed with a soda shop.

[Off the wall]

When I walked into that type of pharmacy, there was a comic book rack on the left, a soda counter on the left beyond it stretching almost the length of the small building, a magazine/newspaper display on the right, in the middle was all of the non prescription items and in the back was a slightly elevated actual pharmacy area where the prescriptions were filled. A black and while linoleum type floor. Neon signs in the window. Oh, I almost forgot. There was frequently a tube tester on the right of the entrance. Next to a cashiers area (where you also presented your rolls of film to be sent out and developed). Only thing I would change is to place the neon green cross on the outside that you see on many European pharmacies. The exterior was, of course, a dark red brick. Sometimes, there was an apartment over the drug store/pharmacy.

[Moebius118]

What you all are describing sounds like an ideal modular to me. This is quite some hype.

[Off the wall]

What you all are describing sounds like an ideal modular to me. This is quite some hype.

Thanks....it will go right next to the Sun Records building.

Btw, the pharmacies I remember were corner buildings. Lego version wouldn't have to be, but that's how I remember the real ones.

[Moebius118]

Thanks....it will go right next to the Sun Records building.

Btw, the pharmacies I remember were corner buildings. Lego version wouldn't have to be, but that's how I remember the real ones.

I was imagining the green cross neon for a corner modular too. Made me drool a bit. Looks like you just got yourself two really solid cornerpiece modulars. Is TLG design team hiring?

[Off the wall]

Sorry, not me. I can't deal with playability and stories.

[Moebius118]

I'll pass on the playability too but the posts above on the pharmacies sounded like AFOL caliber stories to me.

The kind of stories buildings should tell on their own. History. The stories that don't really require a design video to spell it out for you.

Edited December 22, 2014 by Moebius118

[Off the wall]

I try. I think the DO may provide the basis and components to try making a pharmacy. The blue side of it is a waste for me, but the other side has some components that will at least lead to an MOC attemp by me for either the pharmacy or Sun Records. Buy a few extra DOs and see where it takes me.

Wishing you a a merry Christmas and great 2015.

[Moebius118]

I try. I think the DO may provide the basis and components to try making a pharmacy. The blue side of it is a waste for me, but the other side has some components that will at least lead to an MOC attemp by me for either the pharmacy or Sun Records. Buy a few extra DOs and see where it takes me.

Wishing you a a merry Christmas and great 2015.

I am still sold on that idea proposed in the DO thread of buying multiple DO's to convert both sides to make the "brownside" symmetrical across the scaffolding.

I doubt I will actually complete such a project though.

[Artifex]

One of the things that strikes me the most about the modulars is how Lego has NOT (YET?) released a modular Police Station. When the Fire Brigade came out it was just... Obvious... That there was going to be one (and it's a great one!).

[Traktor]

Here it is:

http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Detective-s-Office-10246?_requestid=4770657

[wooootles]

Didn't have time to reread some of the posts since DO's unveiling, but if we can consider that a Police building then it's time for a commercial, corner building:

CC - commercial, corner

GG - retail, residential

FB - govt

GE - commercial, corner

PS - retail, residential

TH - govt

PC - commercial, corner

PR - retail, residentail

DO - govt

I do like the idea of a corner bank some of you guys are saying.

[glendo]

Why don't they make a MOC into a set? Some of the modulars presented here are breathtaking, it would be a coup for TLG to make another AFOL creation into production

[lightningtiger]

Now what makes the DO a government structure.......private eye is not normally government is it ?

[antp]

Why don't they make a MOC into a set?

They did, it was the Market Street :D

Maybe it will happen again via Cuusoo/Ideas...

[Herky]

The museum on Ideas did reach 10K supporters so should be up for consideration to produce as a set. It is really pretty ready for TLG to just modify a tad and go into production if they so choose. There are definitely others that could make the cut as well. The key is to keep the piece count and price point near the same as what we get today.

Jan 1 is almost upon us, seems that day is getting to be pretty big for TLG each year, so many new sets to be release Thursday.

[alexsplanet]

Hi, all the fans of Lego Modular Buildings.

I made this 5 speed build reviews for modular buildings. Here are all the videos. And at the beginning of 2015 I will make the similar video for a new modular set.

Edited December 29, 2014 by Rick
One thread to post your videos is enough.

[glendo]

They did, it was the Market Street :D

Maybe it will happen again via Cuusoo/Ideas...

I know that market st at was... I'm talking about doing it again. 2014 quality MOC turned into a set. That was a long time ago now, we have come along way since then.

Edited December 29, 2014 by glendo

[Herky]

that's what I meant about the museum on Ideas, agree with you, hopefully that one will get made, it's the right piece count and is pretty much ready to go