Our own (not I can really say this) Kris Kelvin recreated the legendary, classic Eldorado Fortress LEGO set using modern techniques and a lot more bricks. Result is spectacular. I wish LEGO could re-release some classic sets in this way. Old designs are often not cool anymore.

Little surprise: Kris’ version opens to reveal the basement:

Some Introduction?
Few of you may even know me, I’m Kris Kelvin and I play with bricks despite my advanced age, that should be enough. I have recently realized interesting fact. I had a chance to talk to few people and I noticed that some of the, in my view, cult brick models are completely unknown to others. Our little world of AFOLs is rapidly growing. More people are getting involved in a hobby; they start reading about it, look out information on the web and don’t realize that what they can see is just a tip of the iceberg. They simply don’t know creations from few years back.

The world of AFOLs used to be more coherent and rather hermetic one. Every good model was getting noticed all around the world. Today, sheer number of web pages and blogs and new models appearing everyday is some immense that the life span of a new creations became very short and they are quickly forgotten. Never mind the models from few years ago! This is why I decided to bring back some of these “old” masterpieces. As my area of interest concentrates mainly around Castle I will primarily deal with this subject. It’s quite possible that I will present well known models or that some of you may not like my selection. In what I consider a milestone someone else will see just a plain old tower. Oh well …
You will have to live with it.

Let’s start from what got me started. Long time ago when I was still young and beautiful (nowadays only beautiful) when browsing through Brickshelf I found creation that was responsible for me seriously taking up the hobby.

Presenting Col Du Mont Tower by Brody

For me it’s a legend, like Michael Jordan or Andre Agassi. When I first saw it, I could not believe that you can do this with bricks. I did remember childhood brick buildings, old LEGO catalogues. But it was this model that opened my eyes on true potential of plastic bricks.

Just the sheer scale is impressing. Square base 80 x 80 stud swith the huge tower protruding from the rock.
Rock, but what a rock!

No doubt, one of the most beautiful terrains I have ever seen. It’s simple and that’s what so great about it. Plain dark gray rocks, some green slopes and bit of greenery. And a very nice tree. Some of the cobbled road, old well, a mushroom…

What else would you want?

The tower itself, as you can see, is rather simple, without any crazy architecture and weird building techniques. Simple steps, drawbridge, black roof. Even some of, so often shunted, wall panels. And on top of this few well chosen details: an owl on the chimney, lamps, sword holder, telescope, bit of tudor. Almost no tiles. No SNOT whatsoever. All the studs on top.

One more thing, perfect presentation. Fantastic, clean photos. You can seat and contemplate this masterpiece.

This model is over three years old. Keep this in mind. Back then there were no out of this world techniques, even some of the bricks in different colours. Even though this creation is still as good as it was three years ago. You can put it next to any of the today’s models and it will still impress.

That’s all folks!

Galeria Brickshelf

Galeria Flickr

The 0937 Community and the LUG Brasil carried out a contest named LusOlympics (inspired in the MOCOlympics). This contest has allowed both communities (one portuguese and the other brazilian) to make fabulous creations. You can see all the creations here. The last challenge was building something that united Portugal and Brazil (the pictures below are from this challenge)The winners of this years edition were:

LBaixinho - 1st place 

Marisa - 2nd place

Evildead - 3rd place

It looks like builder Space, Time & Reality has opened a window to the world… or several windows!

This is a recreation of the Nakagin Capsule Tower in Japan and it looks awesome!

Kahan Dare aka tadashistate presents us this bucolic moment of meditation. It’s called To Question the Truth and that wavy effect of the flower foliage is great:

Colossal Castle Contest made everyone building their castles. Let’s see what people posted recently. DanielZ presented his huge Castle Andrios:

Aliencat build a great red-brick Castle Meiheim:

And Rod Gilles built this amazing SNOT tower:

I can’t wait to see what else will be built for this contest.

When I saw thumbnai of this picture, at first I was sure this is a real subway photo somone used as a reference for a model.

In fact this is a LEGO model, build by Nathaniel Brill (Brickshelf, Flickr). Clever photography and lighting help to create nice illusion.

Don’t miss those funny posters on the walls!

I admit, I saw this creation week or two ago but I did not ring the bell at all. Today, when I was looking for inspiration for my castle build I found some photos from Hayao Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle movie. And I instantly recalled this crazy creation from Imagine Brickzone:

Model copies most of the little details from the original:

It’s also quite big - here next to the author:

I have to catch up on Miyazaki.

Antonio Gaudi was a genius. Not often we can see someone who attempts to build a model of one of his buildings. Henrik Høxbroe tried, and the result is spectacular!

I wish I could see the interior of Casa Battlo. Unfortunately, the only time I was in Barcelona I did not have enough time, so I stared at the facade for several minutes and had to run. 

Even with trhe necessary simplification caused by lack of curved bricks in LEGO palette, the building is fantastic. I especially like ground and secong floor and the roof.

Great flaming horse sculpture by midnightcat