Although they are toys, Legos inspire amazing creations. LEGO artists make use of the small plastic bricks to build everything from architecture to robots. Even the engineers of the company design new components that allow builders to construct more complex models. Erik Varszegi, a Master Builder working for the Lego Group lego mindstorms nxt in Billund, Denmark, designed one such new component this year which is the curved slope. It lets Lego users make more slanted designs while adhering to the company’s strict color palette. The slopes can also be used to create more dynamic shapes such as a curving staircase.
While certain Lego designs are the creations of professional designers, others are the result of the popular Lego Ideas set-design program. The Ideas line allows anyone to design a set and it is able to be made. It gives fame and 1% of sales for any designer who convinces 10,000 other designers that their work is worthy of being be made. It’s not surprising that the most elaborate and stunning sets often receive the most praise, especially when they feature famous characters or scenes from movies and television shows or in real life.
Two space icons are among the best Lego models that are available: the NASA shuttle Discovery and the Hubble Telescope model. Each comes with display plaques and a small Lego model of the scientist who developed the telescope. Other impressive models are an framed rainbow, a steampunk dragon and a replica the Palace of Westminster.
