How to design a lego set

To discover How to design a lego set We asked one of the world’s most famous and respected designers, I.e Justin Ramsdenwho worked on hundreds of constructions that became bestsellers, including the latest ones Stranger Things: Upside Down (Upside Down) and the Gringotts Wizarding Bank Collector’s Edition of the series Harry Potter. We met Justin at the Lego store in Milan, Piazza San Babila, with his colleague Peter Kjergaard Specializing in graphics, posters and miniatures for the Meet the Designer event on September 10th.

“Basically, I never grew up“, comments Justin Ramsden as he reveals his analogue and not-so-digital approach to creating new Lego sets, Preferring to scatter hundreds of standard bricks on the ground to combine them Definitely following blueprints and preliminary drawings, but also leaving room for imagination. “Styles change from designer to designer, and there are those who have a more technical approach using computers and simulators from the beginning, preferring to sit on the floor, assembling and disassembling to try out different combinations. I don’t switch to the computer until later to test whether the assembly instructions are clear and to design and organize the final box“.

For the giant Gringotts Wizarding Bank group (€429.99 in storeChallenge is also needed Engineering study of the structureBeing in the shape of an hourglass, the upper part faithfully reproduces the bank building in the ideal London style, while the lower part houses the descent to the vault, the underground vault rooms and the connecting thin part, which had to withstand. It weighs well and withstands even (small) involuntary impacts without collapsing. “A set design usually takes between one and a half to two years to complete. In this case we started with the first drawings in 2020 and I worked closely with my friend and colleague George Gilliat“,” Justin continues, telling us how the two designers created a rough prototype at 8:1 scale, and then a second, slightly larger model, which immediately sparked great excitement, “I took care of the upper part and George took care of the lower part, and then we took turns and thus proceeded together to perfect the load-bearing structure which had to be very sturdy due to the not very large base“.