BIG's LEGO House is now under construction, following a one of a kind foundation laying ceremony featuring - what else - supersized lego bricks. Bjarke Ingels himself was in attendance to lay one of the foundation bricks. Constructed in LEGO's hometown of Billund, Denmark, the LEGO House will be a 12,000 square metre "hands-on minds-on experience centre."
More on the LEGO House, and the foundation laying ceremony, after the break
BIG's design for the LEGO House was directly influenced by the LEGO itself, with the bricks being used to model the building, resulting in a design which is clearly inspired by the formal possibilities of the toy which it celebrates. The gallery at the very top of the design is modelled after a gigantic LEGO brick, labelled the 'Keystone' by BIG. Inside, the LEGO House will feature multiple 'experience areas', a café, a unique LEGO store, and a 2,000 square metre public square, as well as several open roof terraces. LEGO Group hopes that the LEGO House will host approximately 250,000 people annually.
"For me the LEGO brick embodies the notion of systematic creativity – that the rigour and rationality of the LEGO brick allows children of all ages infinite possibilities to create their own worlds and to inhabit them through play," Said Bjarke Ingels. "We have been inspired by the modularity of the LEGO brick to create the LEGO House. It will appear like a cloud of interlocking LEGO bricks that form spaces for exploration and exhibition for its visitors within. On the outside the pile of bricks form the roof of a new covered square as well as a mountain of interconnected terraces and playgrounds."
"I am very passionate about play and how children learn through playing with LEGO bricks. This is essentially the LEGO idea and what the LEGO House is all about. I look forward to see the long time dream of having one place where anyone can experience the LEGO idea come true," said Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, grandson of the founder and current LEGO Group owner.
Construction is expected to complete in 2016.
