Modular Building Sets - Rumours and Discussion

[Lyichir]

I'm not a fan of the somewhat prescriptivist notion that all modular buildings have to fit in in a particular time period, particularly one that is so dated. Like the ridiculous theory that each modular foreshadows the next one in some way (which I thankfully haven't seen bandied about much lately), it strikes me as an attempt to see an explicit pattern where none has really been stated. And like the constant whining about which Star Wars sets are "true" UCS sets, it uses a "No True Scotsman" approach to disregard any sort of contrary evidence (like the computer in the Town Hall, the glass-fronted beverage coolers in the Green Grocer, or the Café Corner box in Assembly Square) by insisting that those models are not legitimate parts of the series. Many of the modulars do seem to draw influence from a particular style and period of architecture (like the Detective's Office, which clearly draws from prohibition-era subjects), but that doesn't mean that they all must conform perfectly to one particular time period, any more than they have to conform to one specific geographical region.

[Tom Jurassic]

Just ordered my first Modular - the Palace Cinema! To avoid missing out on sets getting retired, should I get the restaurant next?

[lightningtiger]

16 minutes ago, LegoFan117 said:

Just ordered my first Modular - the Palace Cinema! To avoid missing out on sets getting retired, should I get the restaurant next?

Yes, indeed it fits nice with the Cinema you can go and eat either before or after the movie 

[koalayummies]

20 minutes ago, LegoFan117 said:

Just ordered my first Modular - the Palace Cinema! To avoid missing out on sets getting retired, should I get the restaurant next?

Unless you like and want Pet Shop as its on the chopping block (retiring soon). If they don't go out of order of succession like they did with TH, then PC is next followed by PR. 

[Tom Jurassic]

1 hour ago, lightningtiger said:

Yes, indeed it fits nice with the Cinema you can go and eat either before or after the movie 

Good idea 

1 hour ago, koalayummies said:

Unless you like and want Pet Shop as its on the chopping block (retiring soon). If they don't go out of order of succession like they did with TH, then PC is next followed by PR. 

Not overly bothered about the Pet Shop, but thanks for the information buddy! I think it's already retired on LEGO GB Shop At Home. I am gutted I missed Town Hall, however - Government buildings are a must!

[koalayummies]

1 hour ago, LegoFan117 said:

Good idea 

Not overly bothered about the Pet Shop, but thanks for the information buddy! I think it's already retired on LEGO GB Shop At Home. I am gutted I missed Town Hall, however - Government buildings are a must!

You're not alone. I was saving up for it when it went out of stock over the holidays and figured I'd get it in January then to the surprise of many it was suddenly retired. Ended up getting one off the scalpers for an outrageous price paid for by selling other stuff. Love the building but I still have mixed feelings about it due to that. 

[Tom Jurassic]

10 hours ago, koalayummies said:

You're not alone. I was saving up for it when it went out of stock over the holidays and figured I'd get it in January then to the surprise of many it was suddenly retired. Ended up getting one off the scalpers for an outrageous price paid for by selling other stuff. Love the building but I still have mixed feelings about it due to that. 

Sorry to hear you got scalped - resale prices can be real sucky sometimes!

[Tavis75]

I managed to pick up a Pet Shop at RRP in Smyths Toys using click and collect in the UK just before Christmas, so there might still be a few out there if you shop around.

[Tom Jurassic]

18 minutes ago, Tavis75 said:

I managed to pick up a Pet Shop at RRP in Smyths Toys using click and collect in the UK just before Christmas, so there might still be a few out there if you shop around.

Still in stock so might be a future purchase! Thanks for the heads up, Tavis!

[LegoSjaak]

On ‎3‎-‎1‎-‎2017 at 3:01 AM, Vindicare said:

 

 

Nice, you've got them all too... Which one is your favourite?

[Vindicare]

18 hours ago, LegoSjaak said:

Nice, you've got them all too... Which one is your favourite?

Hmm...I'd say it's between Cafe Corner & Green Grocer. Without Cafe Corner I don't think I would've got back into LEGO like I did. Green Grocer because I love the exterior so much. It reminds me of an old Victorian in some aspects. 

[Boettner Builds]

11 hours ago, Vindicare said:

Hmm...I'd say it's between Cafe Corner & Green Grocer. Without Cafe Corner I don't think I would've got back into LEGO like I did. Green Grocer because I love the exterior so much. It reminds me of an old Victorian in some aspects. 

I need to Bricklink both of those!

[TheLegoDr]

^Good luck. Read this. It shows a lot of tips on what people have changed...although it is a hefty read.

[Boettner Builds]

39 minutes ago, TheLegoDr said:

^Good luck. Read this. It shows a lot of tips on what people have changed...although it is a hefty read.

Thanks for the link! I'll be substituting plenty of pieces to keep it as cheap as possible!!!

[Flossie]

As Assembly Square was 48 studs wide I would like to see a 16 wide 'half-modular' like one half of the Pet Shop so that the lengths of the streets made by the sets put together match. That is unless they make another 48 wide set.

[Kjellevirus]

Maybe they will release 16 studs wide this year to fix the problem? Or again a 48 studs wide next year?

[Lyichir]

I certainly don't see Lego repeating the 48-stud size in the near future, since Lego probably wouldn't want to release something that competes with the Assembly Square at that higher price point. Another 48-stud modular might happen in 5 or 10 years to mark the next modular anniversary, but I don't see them doing so so soon.

As for a 16-stud modular, I would be a little skeptical of that as well, considering it'd likely seem mediocre in comparison to the others to many buyers. Though maybe they could make it work if it were a very unique and desirable sort of business... maybe that'd be the chance to finally get a modular Lego store?

All in all I don't know whether "evening out" the series is an immediate priority for Lego. Most buyers probably don't have enough of the modulars to put together a full block in the first place, after all. And even many people who are dedicated modular collectors don't necessarily display them as full blocks, after all—it's much more space-efficient to just line them up, since that way they can fit on a shelf instead of needing a large table. For the time being, people who want to make a full block might have to resort to the same tactic they had to use before there were four separate corner buildings—that is to say, making their own.

[paupadros]

To fix the "half modular issue" they could do something like they did with Market Street, a good 16-wide building and sth else decent to fill the space, so that people don't feel "guilty" leaving out a big building... If that makes any sense...

[Tom Jurassic]

So I finished Palace Cinema...and I am absolutely delighted! When I first started collecting block-based products it was Mega Bloks, with no numbered bags, so I was a little thrown off when I had to open like seven bags at once, but as per usual the LEGO system works heaps better! The design of this building is beautiful - so much in the way of nice architectural design and texture which really creates a period-authentic sense and makes the building itself feel beautiful and regal. And oh my - the design on the roof! Being my first modular, I can definitely say that the photos don't do these things justice - they are HUGE! The sense of scale is phenomenal. I know a few people commented on the spartan interior with this set when it first released (Apparently a lot of excess space - not much seating) but I feel that what is there is fantastic. For £130 it was a bargain!

[Wesley D]

Glad you like your Palace Cinema too! On to your next modular? Mind you, it's addictive!

I wasn't sure to buy the Palace Cinema, but I was impressed when I had build mine. I'm thinking about making an interior for the modular.

[jus1973]

5 hours ago, LegoFan117 said:

... I know a few people commented on the spartan interior with this set when it first released (Apparently a lot of excess space - not much seating) but I feel that what is there is fantastic. For £130 it was a bargain!

Glad you liked the Palace Cinema, although it does feel empty inside when compared to the detectives office, or Parisian restaurant where you have milk cartons in fridges which you can't actually see most of the time.  I think that's what they're referring to. Pick one of these up, and I'll think you will agree. Having got these three, I'm looking forward to many more, when funds allow.

I'm hopeful of some form of hotel complete with interesting scenarios in some of the rooms in the near future. I'm trying to design and build one without resorting to brick linking my savings away.  

[AFOLguy1970]

5 hours ago, LegoFan117 said:

So I finished Palace Cinema...and I am absolutely delighted! When I first started collecting block-based products it was Mega Bloks, with no numbered bags, so I was a little thrown off when I had to open like seven bags at once, but as per usual the LEGO system works heaps better! The design of this building is beautiful - so much in the way of nice architectural design and texture which really creates a period-authentic sense and makes the building itself feel beautiful and regal. And oh my - the design on the roof! Being my first modular, I can definitely say that the photos don't do these things justice - they are HUGE! The sense of scale is phenomenal. I know a few people commented on the spartan interior with this set when it first released (Apparently a lot of excess space - not much seating) but I feel that what is there is fantastic. For £130 it was a bargain!

This was my first modular, and it easily got me hooked to buy some of the others.  It does have a nice exterior.  Even the interior is not too bad with the lobby features.  Limited space makes the relatively few seats in the screening room understandable.  The set received a lot of criticism for being the only modular with stickers, but I can understand why the decision was made to use them.  It would have been prohibitively expensive to have to print the movie posters on both sides of the plastic.  The colors scheme on PC is very nice, and it does seem towering compared to some of the later ones.  

 

18 hours ago, paupadros said:

To fix the "half modular issue" they could do something like they did with Market Street, a good 16-wide building and sth else decent to fill the space, so that people don't feel "guilty" leaving out a big building... If that makes any sense...

For those who need that extra 16 studs, the current options seem to be:

(1) make their own modular to fill it in

(2) buy another AS and double the size of it.  

(3) Buy another creator set like the new townhouse and mod it fit in the gap

(4) Create an open "green" space like a park.  

[SwissBrick]

On 07/01/2017 at 9:12 AM, Kjellevirus said:

Maybe they will release 16 studs wide this year to fix the problem? Or again a 48 studs wide next year?

Actually I was pretty surprised to see a 48 wide build being released, my 2 cent is that they will release a 16 wide one, maybe even this year..

This has been a long time request from the AFOL community.. And I think TLG has already had 10 years experience with the current modular trend with the same pattern so it would not surprise me if they would change their approach to it.. 2X16 wide a year, 32 + 16 a year or even only one 16 wide a year..

Let's see, and I hope for the 32 + 16 a year 

[cimddwc]

Or maybe they release another 48 studs wide set in 5 years for the 15th anniversary, again for the 20th, etc., and regulär 32 wide ones in between...

[lightningtiger]

On 1/8/2017 at 6:53 AM, paupadros said:

To fix the "half modular issue" they could do something like they did with Market Street, a good 16-wide building and sth else decent to fill the space, so that people don't feel "guilty" leaving out a big building... If that makes any sense...

Hmm, sounds like an idea for a contest on Eurobricks.......In have a 16 wide modular on Ideas which is my gap filler at the moment 

Though I wonder now how they will top the AS later this year ?