Ludwig Mies van der Rohe once said "Architecture starts when you carefully put two bricks together." Reprinted on the wall of the Museum of Science and Industry’s 7,000-square-foot "Brick by Brick" LEGO exhibition, the quote becomes that much more sublime when surrounded by detailed examples of the world’s most architecturally significant structures carefully rendered in Denmark's famous interlocking brick.
Built by Chicago native Adam Reed Tucker — one of just 13 "Certified LEGO technicians" in the world — the models include cutaways of ancient wonders like Giza’s Great Pyramids and the Roman Colosseum and modern marvels like a 60-foot-long Golden Gate Bridge, a 9-foot-tall Burj Khalifa, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s "Falling Water."
In addition to Tucker’s impressive LEGO buildings, the exhibit also encourages guests find their inner builder at its numerous play tables and experimentation stations. Amateur structural engineers both young and old can even test their design skills by subjecting their creations to wind forces and simulated earthquakes.
Further exploring the concept of LEGO as an architectural medium, the exhibit displays experimental works from world-renowned design firms like Chicago’s Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Adjaye Associates of London, and Tokyo-based Kengo Kuma. "Brick by Brick" opened last month and will run through the end of February of 2017. Tickets for reserved time entry cost an extra $9 on top of regular MSI admission.
- Exhibit / Brick by Brick [Museum of Science and Industry]
- Brick by Brick LEGO Exhibition on Display at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry [Arch Daily]
- Chicago Architecture archives [Curbed Chicago]
- Previous Hyde Park coverage [Curbed Chicago]
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