Location: Billund, Denmark.

Architect: BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group.

LEGO House is an architectural masterpiece that brings the toy scale of the classic LEGO brick to life. The 23m tall building is located in the heart of Billund and is designed as an urban space as much as an experience center. The building is made up of 21 overlapping blocks that frame a 2,000 m2 LEGO square, which is illuminated through the cracks and gaps between the volumes. The plaza is publicly accessible, allowing visitors and citizens of Billund to shortcut through the building. The LEGO square is energized by an urban character, welcoming locals and visitors to the café, restaurant, LEGO store, and conference facilities. Above the square, a cluster of galleries overlap to create a continuous sequence of exhibitions. Each gallery is color-coded in LEGO’s primary colors so wayfinding through the exhibitions becomes a journey through the color spectrum. The first and second floors include four play zones arranged by color and programmed with activities that represent a certain aspect of a child’s learning. The top of the building is crowned by the Masterpiece Gallery, a collection of LEGO fans’ beloved creations that pay tribute to the LEGO community. The History Collection at the lower level is where visitors can experience an archival immersion into the LEGO company and brand’s story. The Vault – located underneath LEGO Square – is where children and AFoLs (Adult Fans of LEGO) can witness the first edition of almost every LEGO set ever manufactured, including the new 774-piece, 197-step kit replicating the stacked-block formation of the LEGO House. The building’s proportions are nested in the geometries of everything man-made in the building, from the glazed ceramic tiles in the steps and walls to the overall 21 block scheme. Atop the Masterpiece Gallery, citizens and visitors can get a 360° panoramic view of the city. Some of the rooftops can be accessed via pixelated public staircases that double as informal auditoria for people watching or seating for performances. LEGO House is an immersive and interactive experience that allows guests of all ages to express their imagination and be challenged by meeting other builders from all over the world.

Photo credit: Iwan Baan, Laurian Ghinitoiu and Kim Christensen.