LEGO Creations for All Ages
Paul M.L. Janssen
Lakeside Association, July 22 2011 Overview
Part 1: History of the LEGO company
Part 2: The adult LEGO fan
Part 3: Art and Science of LEGO
Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Part 5: LEGO Ohio Stadium
Part 1: History of the Company
Founded in Billund, 1916 Denmark (not named Lego till 1934) by Ole Kirk Christiansen
Main Product Line:
1916-1932: Furniture 1932-1960: Wooden Toys 1949-1958: Plastic Pre-bricks 1958-current: System Bricks Part 1: History
1916 Ole Kirk Christiansen purchased an existing wood- working shop that had been in business since 1895. He primarily focused on houses and furniture. In order to aid in designing full-sized product, he constructed miniature sized items such as step-ladders and ironing boards. These miniature creations prompted him to start manufacturing wooden toys.
Pull-along LEGO train, 1935 Pull-along LEGO duck, 1935 Part 1: History
1924 His young sons burned down his shop. He rebuilt his shop, now larger, and expanded his business. The great depression hit, and it is said government persuasion made him move primarily into toy production as a full-time focus.
1932 Ole Kirk Christiansen, master carpenter and joiner, establishes his business in the village of Billund, Denmark. His firm manufactures stepladders, ironing boards, stools and wooden toys. His son, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, starts working in the business at the age of 12. Part 1: History
1934 The company and its products now adopt the name LEGO, formed from the Danish words "LEg GOdt" ("play well"). Later, it is realized that in Latin the word means "I put together”. The firm has 6-7 employees. Ole Kirk places the following motto on the workshop wall: "Only the best is good enough".
Early versions of the LEGO logo Part 1: History
1942 The LEGO factory burns to the ground (again), however, the production of wooden toys is quickly resumed.
1947 The LEGO Group is the first in Denmark to buy a plastic injection-moulding machine for toy production. The machine costs 30,000 Danish Crowns. By comparison, the revenue of the firm this year is 450,000 Danish Crowns.
1949 The LEGO Automatic Binding Brick with four and eight studs. Part 1: History
1955 After further developing the LEGO Bricks, the company launches the revolutionary "LEGO System of Play". The first real export of LEGO begins. First country is Sweden. Godfred Kirk Christiansen demonstrates the new product at a toy fair in Nuremberg, Germany. Reactions are not positive…...
1958 The current “system” brick is finalized, and is virtually the same as we have today.
1960 The wooden toy warehouse is destroyed by fire. Production of wooden toys is discontinued entirely. App. 450 employees in Billund. LEGO Finland and LEGO Nederland established. Part 1: History
1961 The LEGO Group invents the wheel! It is marketed in the following year. The range comprises 50 sets, 15 vehicles and various loose elements. Sales start in the US and Canada via a license agreement with Samsonite Corp. LEGO Italy established.
1965 LEGO produces its first train set.
1968 LEGOLAND® Billund opens its gates on 7th June and attracts 625,000 visitors in its first season, 3000 on the opening day. The first computer in LEGO Group - an NCR 390 for pay administration. The machine cost 85,000 Danish Crowns. Part 1: History Part 1: History Part 1: History
1978 LEGOLAND mini figures with movable arms and legs. Pre- 1978
1979 The founder’s Grandson, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen takes over as CEO
1984 The first LEGO Technic Computer controlled products are released
1990 The LEGO Group is now one of the world's 10 largest toy manufacturers - the only one in Europe (the others are American and Japanese). The magic barrier - one million visitors in a single year - is broken for the first time at LEGOLAND Billund on 4th September. Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
Although the LEGO group heavily markets their product as a kids toy, they increasingly recognize that there is a rapidly growing market to sell to adults, both as collectors and users of their products.
Since the mid 1990’s, an explosion of Adult activity can be Found regarding LEGO. Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
Adults have been playing with LEGO bricks since they were invented.
LEGO employees have build large creations for the company For several decades.
Adult creations were mainly build for the parks and stores, and occasionally for paying clients Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
Legoland Billund, Mount Rushmore Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
Legoland Billund, Kennedy Space Center Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
Legoland Billund, various park creations Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
AFOL (Adult Fan Of Lego) There are many types of involvement with Lego by adults:
•Bonding/playing with (own) kids •Collectors •Builders •Social Involvement •Teaching •Lego Robotics •Artists
Wide-spread use and speed of the internet played a major role in the evolvement of the AFOL community Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
1992: First “major” grouping RTL (rec.toys.lego)
1998: LUGNET (www.lugnet.com) Major Community hub, discussion posts, set-database, group-boards Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
1998: BrickShelf (www.brickshelf.com) Online Posting of Pictures of MOC’s (My Own Creation) Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
2000: BrickLink (www.bricklink.com)
Online selling of individual bricks and sets Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
1998: Peeron (www.peeron.com) Online database of individual bricks and sets Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
Initially 15 adult fans acting as Ambassador:
* Promote LEGO within the community * Promote the AFOLs inside the LEGO company
Providing feedback, suggestions for sets, help in designing, attending meetings Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
In collaborations with the LEGO Group, several FANs have turned the hobby into an actual job, making various creations for paying clients.
Heartfelt, by Nathan Sawaya, Feb 2009 Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
Adult Lego User Clubs LUG: Lego Users Group LTC: Lego Train Club 1995: 2 clubs in the USA 2000: 7 clubs in the USA 2005: 38 clubs in the USA 2011: 60+ clubs in the USA
Local: Founded in 2003: Central Ohio Lego Train Club Members: 2003: 7 2004: 12 2005: 15 2008: 22 www.coltc.org 2011: 36 Part 2: The Adult LEGO Fan
Annual AFOL conventions BrickFest, BrickWorld
Initially ~30 participants, Now over 500 attendees, and 10K+ public visitors Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Many ways to approach a building project, three main aspects are important, often not compatible:
Artistic Scientific Economic
•Shape •Scale •Cost •Color •Size •Space •Emotion •Construction •Storage •Interpretation •Function •Availability
Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Single Element
Slopes/Bricks
Bricks Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Plates
Building techniques Plates 3D Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Bricks
Plates
Applications Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Characteristics
If you “nail” the critical element, the rest is much less important
Examples:
Elephant Cow Statue of Liberty People Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Scale, Size, Emotion, Interpretation, Cost, Construction Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Scale, Cost Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Exact Scaling Requires research, math, and measuring Requires finding the hardest-to-do part first Examples:
Skyscraper House Car Person Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Huntington Bank Building, Columbus, OH Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO Borden, LeVeque, Huntington, Verne-Riffe
Surroundings to scale Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Scaling
Requires environment and surroundings Purpose Economical factors
Same Examples:
Skyscraper House Car Person Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
6-wide 2-wide
Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Emotion
Nathan Sawaya, “Yellow” Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Interpretation (construction or destruction?)
Nathan Sawaya, “Blue” Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Stephen Colbert, by Nathan Sawaya Part 3: The Art and Science of LEGO
Scaling: Microscale Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Creations by LEGO fans, young and old
•Computer or Bricks •Built by 1 person or by a group •Artistic or Functional •Small or Big
Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Hiawatha Steam Engine, Benn Coifman Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Hiawatha Steam Engine, Benn Coifman Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Hiawatha Steam Engine, Benn Coifman Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Statehouse, Columbus Ohio, Paul Janssen Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
“Miracle on the Hudson”, Ken Osbon Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Millyard Project, NELUG Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
USS Harry Truman, Malle Hawking Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Working Pinball Machine, Gerrit Bronsveld & Martijn Boogaarts Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Tressel Bridge, Jeramy Spurgeon Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Angel Sculpture (replica), David Winkler Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Steam Locomotive, Cale Leiphart Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Yankee Stadium, Sean Kenney Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Abston Church, Amy Hughes Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Medieval Townhall, Paul Janssen Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Castle, Steve DeCreamer Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Mona Lisa
Song of the Angels Mosaics, Eric Harshbarger Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Victorian Mansion, Mike Doyle Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
“Jamocklaquat”, Eric Sophie Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Beauty and the Beast, Vincent Cheung Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Han Solo “Carbonite”, Nathan Sawaya Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Church, Paul Janssen Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Swans, Billy Lynch Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
St. Louis Gateway Arch, Paul Janssen Part 4: Creations by and for all ages
Happy Meal, Janey Gunning Part 5: Ohio Stadium
Initial plans developed in 2004 Collecting and saving bricks since 2004 Base built first, 2007-2009 Prototype of fielt build in 2008 First stadium brick in place, May 2009 Last stadium brick in place, Jan 2010
Total elements, when filled just over 1 million Seating capacity of nearly 6,000 minifigs Build in 10 sections, each up to 50 lbs.
Part 5: Ohio Stadium
July 2009
August 2009 Part 5: Ohio Stadium
July 2010
November 2009 Part 5: Ohio Stadium August 2010
September 2010 Part 5: Ohio Stadium
January 8, 2010 Part 5: Ohio Stadium Press-box
South Stands and Scoreboard Part 5: Ohio Stadium Speaker- West Side Cluster
Rotunda North Flag
Scoreboard showing “Script Ohio” East Side curvature Part 5: Ohio Stadium
January 15, Columbus Dispatch Article