The photos on this webpage are from a recent MOC (My Own Creation) idea for a LEGO model, built using the free Lego Digital Designer software. The idea was submitted to Lego Ideas and the text submitted alongside the entry follows:
A true compromise between LEGO CITY sets and LEGO CREATOR sets for all to enjoy. This set includes: The Medieval Clock Tower, the Renaissance Market Hall, A row of three historical buildings (including a café) with colourful façades, and a grand Gothic Town Hall.
It is a given fact that these models are more “basic” in form than many of the those seen today from LEGO (such as the CREATOR models) and the many fantastic MOC (“My Own Creation”) models by (often adult) enthusiasts, but I feel this set is entirely justified as a LEGO IDEAS set for the following reasons...
Casting my mind back to the Legoland sets of the 1980’s, I loved to buy different town sets with, I must stress, baseplates, particularly road plates. As I built my town up, there was not only the enjoyment of building them, but there would be a major element of “PLAY WITH” which would follow… my imagination running wild as I would make up various scenarios and storylines as the minifigures interacted with each other and their built environment. Today, it seems, much of this has been lost with hyper-realistic models which look nice enough, but appear more like showpieces for display. The simpler CITY sets today (such as the police station), whilst encouraging the “PLAY WITH” element, are somewhat lacking in architectural imagination.
The LEGO Old Town Square Playset shown here, encourages not only the “PLAY WITH” element, but is also modular, in-part, so it can be rearranged to suit different table space and/or if combining with other models in a layout. The parts inventory in this set provides an excellent selection of bricks to build with. It encourages the LEGO builder not only to actively experiment with new variants of the models, but also to follow through with their own ideas for MOCs, without the extra confusion created by limited and sometimes specialist parts which may seem confusing to the younger child or the less experienced enthusiast.
This set includes eight minifigures, including a police officer, a tourist, and a rather suspicions-looking character (standing around the corner of the Market Hall). The various buildings seen here provide much space inside and out to play with the included minifigures and also any others that the LEGO collector may have (perhaps there may be a Star Wars convention going on inside the Market Hall!). The LEGO Old Town Square Playset also provides much, perhaps welcomed, space to put any LEGO vehicles which may already be owned or subsequently bought, but lack a built-environment / scene in which to place them.
I feel the CREATOR sets may be excellent for those looking for something more for show, but due to their complexity, they can be beyond the skill-level of the less experienced builder and with the LEGO Old Town Square Playset, whilst creating a “smooth finish” to the buildings, there has been no real desire to produce something which isn’t immediately identifiable as LEGO. A more realistic model, where no studs are visible, may be excellent for displaying, but takes away the traditional aesthetic and appeal which one may experience when seeing at first glance that the creation is made of LEGO!
My solution presented here, encourages building in different historical architectural styles which appear more attractive than the old basic Legoland town sets of the 1980’s and some of their equivalents on the market today. In this set are presented varying levels of “expertise” required to construct the models; the aim here being to engage not only children of different ages to be involved with the building, but also the “adult-enthusiast”; the younger or less experienced LEGO builder may find the colourful smaller constructions exciting to build, whilst the more experienced LEGO builder may find the Gothic Town Hall more of a challenge.
I also believe that the old town square scene here is conducive to inviting youngsters of all ages in to play with it and act out scenes / make up storylines, without the fear of damaging a model which has been built simply for “show”. Furthermore, unlike the Legoland town sets of the earlier days and their modern equivalents, this set hopefully encourages the child to think about different architectural elements and styles, whether it be Neo-Gothic or Medieval. Models in this set were loosely inspired by buildings still seen today in the old town squares of Prague (Czechia), Krakow (Poland) and Brussels (Belgium). No religious buildings have been included solely because I feel LEGO should be non-religious, non-political and all that.
I believe, also, that the buildings presented in this set also form a system of play that can be easily added to with further road plates leading to the likes of the modern police station, and fire station, and where the child may discover that perhaps, architecturally speaking, with some of the other CITY models available these days, and reflecting on real-life buildings throughout the times, that rather than agreeing with famous architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe that “Less is more”, they will appreciate the meaning of the more recent term that “less is a bore”.
The LEGO Old Town Square Playset could also be accompanied by some smaller new sets to enhance play, such as a traditional horse and cart being used to take tourists around, a wedding party, interior accessories for a library, a hotel, or an indoor-market, and so forth. Perhaps people could think of their own street furniture and/or structural additions once they have completed this beautiful set… a fountain for the centre of the square, or perhaps a statue dedicated to Ole Kirk Christiansen (1891 – 1958), founder of the LEGO Group.
It is true that a number of themed-sets may go in and out of fashion, but this set is sure to be a timeless classic which can be enjoyed by all, both with building and with play, for generations to come.
Note that the model design shown here, in its entirety or in part, is copyrighted and therefore no permission is granted to reproduce it for commercial or any other purposes(s). This MOC set contains 2999 pieces, and therefore falls only just below the maximum number of 3000 pieces for LEGO IDEAS.
Page Addendum 1:
The text above was used for the LEGO IDEAS initial submission which was rejected on the grounds that it discusses other sets and does not focus properly on this model. A successful re-submission contained the following text:
“LEGO® Old Town Square Playset
A fantastic set for all to enjoy, the Old Town Square Playset includes:
The Medieval Clock Tower, the Renaissance Market Hall, a row of three
historical buildings (including a café) with colourful façades, and a
grand Neo-Gothic Town Hall. This set includes eight minifigures,
including a police officer, a tourist, and a rather suspicions-looking
character (standing around the corner of the Market Hall!).
There are many reasons why I believe the Old Town Square Playset would
make an excellent LEGO IDEAS product:
The buildings are of different historical architectural styles, giving
the Old Town Square not only a look that is aesthetically pleasing, but
also a varied selection of buildings that are fun to construct. In this
set are presented varying levels of “expertise” required to build the
models; the aim here being to engage not only children of different ages
to be involved with its construction, but also to involve the
“adult-enthusiast”; the younger or less experienced LEGO builder may
find the colourful smaller constructions exciting to build, whilst the
more experienced LEGO builder may find the Neo-Gothic Town Hall more of
a challenge.
The model includes several baseplates, including two road plates, and the
buildings provide much space inside to play with the included
minifigures and also any other characters that the LEGO collector may
already have (perhaps there may be a Star Wars convention going on
inside the Market Hall!). There is also plenty of space for the
collector’s vehicles which may have previously lacked a
built-environment in which to put them.
As well as appearing attractive for display, the LEGO® Old Town Square
Playset, as the name suggests, is intended to encourage youngsters (or
even adults!) to play with the finished model, acting out various
storylines / scenarios with minifigure characters in their new
environment. The set is also modular, in-part, so it can be rearranged
to suit different table spaces and/or provide flexibility, if combining
with other models in a layout.
The parts inventory in this set provides an excellent selection of bricks
to build with. It encourages the LEGO builder not only to go on to
actively experiment with new variants of the models, but also to follow
through with their own model ideas. Whilst the buildings presented here
generally have a “smooth finish” to them, no attempt has been made to
completely remove the traditional aesthetic and appeal which one may
experience when seeing at first glance that this creation is made of
LEGO! Leaving studs visible on roofs, etc., simply enables more places
where minifigures and/or additional LEGO pieces can be positioned.
This set also hopefully encourages the child to think about different
architectural elements and styles, whether it be Neo-Gothic, Renaissance
or Medieval. Models in this set were loosely inspired by
buildings still seen today in the old town squares of Prague (Czechia),
Krakow (Poland) and Brussels (Belgium). No religious buildings have been
included solely because I feel LEGO should be non-religious,
non-political and all that.
The set includes street furniture items such a post-box, cycle-rack with
4 bicycles, seating, litter bins and ornamental trees. The building
interiors provide plenty of space to add interior furnishings (e.g.
interior accessories for a library, a hotel, or an indoor-market, and so
forth), whilst the model’s baseplate areas provide space for further
additions (e.g. a fountain, or a statue dedicated to Ole Kirk
Christiansen (1891 – 1958), founder of the LEGO® Group). So, this set
not only encourages inclusive building fun, and endless hours of play,
but also new ideas within the imagination.
The LEGO® Old Town Square Playset is sure to be a timeless classic which
can be enjoyed by all, both with building and with play, for generations
to come!”
Page Addendum 2:
Updated Images, February 2021
An update to the Lego Ideas submission was made with the text, as follows:
This was my first submitted Lego Idea and at the time, I did not know about rendering my LDD model. The community here very kindly suggested that I submitted rendered photos - and so I have finally got around to doing just that, so thanks folks!
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