För tredje året i rad släpper Lego ett par set baserade på kinesisk kultur, riktade specifikt mot den marknaden. Det första året fanns de bara tillgängliga i Asien generellt, och de var hett eftertraktade i väst eftersom de hade väldigt mycket roliga bitar och var generellt bra byggen. Förra året såg de därför till att göra dem tillgängliga även för västerlänningar, med två nya och utmärkta set. I år var det bara det här jag var intresserad av, men det är något alldeles extra.

Spring Lantern Festival är inte helt oväntat baserat på traditionen med samma namn – och ungefär så långt sträcker sig mina kunskaper i ämnet. Det vi får är däremot något mer än bara ett litet bygge, utan en fenomenal park som täcker en och en halv basplatta, som dessutom är förberett för att passa in i en vanlig Lego-stad tillsammans med befintliga modulhus. På så sätt blir Spring Lantern Festival ett inofficiellt ”modulhus” i sig, och därför redan mer intressant.

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One of the early modular buildings was 2009′s Fire Brigade, but Lego has been strangely reluctant to make a modular version of their ever-green police stations that turn up yearly in the City line. As a result, it was both a relief and a bit weird to finally see it released. However, Lego couldn’t have picked a worse time to make it, with much of the year spent protesting police brutality in the US. This is perhaps a more idealized police force – although let’s not try to pretend that the police of the early-mid 1900′s had any higher regard for minorities. With that in mind, let’s see what this building has to offer.

Recently, Lego has moved away from the 32 stud wide monoliths of the early modular line, and instead having two or three buildings shoved together to make for a more interesting skyline. For anyone who spends time in a big, aged city it’s quite accurate, with tiny shops squeezing into whatever space was originally left as alleyways between two larger buildings. And I don’t mind … Läs hela texten

Looking back at last year’s modular building … it turns out I never even reviewed it! This won’t do, so before we look at the 2021 modular Police Station, let’s rewind past pandemics, coup attempts and demonstrations against racist oppression to a quieter era, to a time where life was simpler and safer – one year ago. Phew.

Bookshop was a big surprise after the last two modulars. The Downtown Diner and the Corner Garage established a more modern 50′s take on city architecture, but Bookshop takes a big step back into quaint, idyllic urban life. For the third time in modular history (after Market Street and Pet Shop), the set consists of two completely separate buildings, the Birch Books which gives the set its name, and a very aggressively teal-coloured townhouse.

The bookshop is an attractive, plain building which feels slightly older than the previous line, with a more European, slightly Dutch feel to it. Some printed tiles provide detail, but the facade itself is quite simple … Läs hela texten