Modulars - general conversation

[TheOrcKing]

With the current number of official LEGO designs (including one created by a fan for the short lived Factory line), numerous MOC's available on eBay, various amounts of ideas on CUUSOO, unique creations across Flickr, and detailed builds on MOCpages, makes me wonder what modular house design would you like to see LEGO come up with next?

Here is a quick list of what has already been done.

Cafe Corner (2007)
Market Street (2007)
Green Grocer (2008)
Fire Brigade (2009)
Grand Emporium (2010)
Pet Shop (2011)
Town Hall (2012)
Palace Cinema (2013)
Parisian Restaurant (2014)
Detective's Office (2015)
Brick Bank (2016)
Assembly Square (2017)

I do not have a favorite as they are all very well designed and make fantastic displays. I simply started this thread to hear you guys' input & ideas as to what you would like to see them design next in their lineup of modular style houses. As for me, I would like to see something fast-food related like a burger joint or pizza parlour or maybe even a chinese restaurant. Since we have a fire station there should be a police precinct, and I think it would be amusing if they did an irish pub, haha.

Regardless of what it may be, any modular style housing design always ends up being remarkable. Considering how much everyone here enjoys the 'modulars', I expect this thread to get quite busy!

Here is a compiled list of every idea everyone has come up with thus far.

Irish Pub
50's Diner
Medical Center
Mechanic & Auto Repair
Photo/Camera Store
City Bank
Police Precinct
Post Office
LEGO Store
Car Dealership
Donut Shop
Sporting Goods
San Francisco Victorian-style buildings
School
Motorcycle/Bike Store
Barber Shop
Florist
Pharmacy
Bakery
Jewelry Shop
Book Store
Clothing (regular or designer) Outlet
Music Store
Video Game Retailer
Shoe Store
Arcade
Psychiatrist's Office
Art Gallery
Luxury Hotel
Casino
Soda Shop
Candy Store
Tattoo Parlour
Restaurant
Reality Office
TV Station
Apartment Complex
Hobby Shop
Furniture Department Store
Office Supplies
Computer/Electronics Store
Antique's Boutique
Old Chicago-style buildings
Toy Store
Hardware Store
Ice Cream Parlour
Library
Jazz Club
Coffee Joint
Grand Hotel
Embassy
Comedy Club
Laundry Outlet
Wig Store
Magic Shop
General Store

Finally, here is a list showing the pattern for the officially designed modulars excluding Market Street. Perhaps in some interesting way, we can use this to help gauge what the next release shall be.

Cafe Corner - corner / business
Green Grocer - straight / business, residential
Fire Brigade - straight / government
Grand Emporium - corner / business
Pet Shop - straight / business, residential
Town Hall - straight / government
Palace Cinema - corner / business
Parisian Restaurant - straight / business, residential
Detective's Office - straight / business, residential
Brick Bank - corner / business
Assembly Square - straight / business, residential
Downtown Diner - straight / business, residential
Corner Garage - corner / business
? - straight / business, residential

[cvail8]

I would LOVE an Irish pub. Doubt Lego would ever do it. The rumored Cinema could be really cool with a marquee or a 50s style diner would be great.

[Danny]

Since a cinema was my top pick and we might see it soon, my others are: Medical center/hospital, mechanics shop with a photo shop upstairs, large city bank, church (doubt Lego would do this), police headquarters, post office, large Lego store! Also a car dealer with cars in the windows, donut shop, sports store, or a large Victorian style house like here in San Francisco! Since we have a pet store, I would say anything is possible in this series.

[Miro78]

How about a school, bike shop, barber shop, flower shop/plant nursery, or pharmacy. I like some of the other ones mentioned earlier, especially diner, donut shop. I don't know if they would do bakery or post office, since they crossover with the Winter theme sets. Miro

[stephen_rockefeller]

Since a cinema was my top pick and we might see it soon, my others are:

Medical center/hospital, mechanics shop with a photo shop upstairs, large city bank, church (doubt Lego would do this), police headquarters, post office, large Lego store!

Also a car dealer with cars in the windows, donut shop, sports store, or a large Victorian style house like here in San Francisco!

Since we have a pet store, I would say anything is possible in this series.

this guy on eBay sells a sweet hospital MOC......he wants too much $$$! For it though.....

[TheOrcKing]

I would LOVE an Irish pub. Doubt Lego would ever do it.

Me too on both parts. Still would be a nice touch for anyone's cityscape MOC.

Speaking of which, here's a good one.

Dutch Irish Pub - Vincent Kessels (Mr. Tomato Bread) on flickr

The rumored Cinema could be really cool with a marquee or a 50s style diner would be great.

I hope the "Palace Cinema" is real and will have a nice marquee as well. Love the 50's Diner idea.

Here's a MOC modular with both a cinema and diner.

Galaxy Diner and Empire Theater - sonicstarlight on flickr

Since a cinema was my top pick and we might see it soon, my others are:

Medical center/hospital, mechanics shop with a photo shop upstairs, large city bank, church (doubt Lego would do this), police headquarters, post office, large Lego store!

Also a car dealer with cars in the windows, donut shop, sports store, or a large Victorian style house like here in San Francisco!

Since we have a pet store, I would say anything is possible in this series.

Those are all really good ideas! Each one would make some very interesting architecture and designs. No, LEGO won't do a church, yet will do a cemetary. Course it's not quite the same thing, but still amusing. Here are galleries of modulars for each one you mentioned. (Took me awhile, phew.)

>Mercy General Hospital - L.G. Orlando (Brick Builders Pro) on flickr

>Repair Shop - Lego Trainee on flickr

London Midland & City Bank - LeeMcG on flickr

City Bank - TheLostLostBoy on flickr

City Bank - L@go on flickr

National Bank - Brick City Depot on MOCpages

Church of Spitalfields in London - LeeMcG on flickr

Police Station Precinct - Brick City Depot on MOCpages

Police HQ - LegoRyu on flickr

Police Station - ezzkazz1 on flickr

City Post & Library - waltzking3 on flickr

>Post Offices (two different designs) - L.G. Orlando (Brick Builders Pro) on flickr

LEGO Store - Rayc on CUUSOO

Ferrari Car Dealership - danthaman 11 on MOCpages

Fast Auto Dealership - Brick Builders Pro (Not real, but a good idea never the less.)

>LEGO Sports Boutique - Loozrboy on flickr

Strip Mall (with sporting goods) - Brick City Depot on MOCpages

Alcatraz Pizza in San Francisco - notenoughbricks on flickr

San Francisco Victorian House - Brick City Depot on MOCpages

Looked as best I could, nothing close to a photo store. Sorry. And I know I came across a couple of Dunkin' Donuts modulars somewhere before, just can't seem to find them right now.

How about a school, bike shop, barber shop, flower shop/plant nursery, or pharmacy.

I like some of the other ones mentioned earlier, especially diner, donut shop. I don't know if they would do bakery or post office, since they crossover with the Winter theme sets.

Even more good ideas. I see what you mean about the bakery & post office, but I've found some good designs that work outside the 'winter' time. As well as ones you mentioned.

Bikes N Boards - notenoughbricks on flickr

Urban Moto - gotoAndLego on flickr

>Blue Barbershop - L.G. Orlando (Brick Builders Pro) on flickr

Terrace Apartment/Barbershop - Christer Nyberg on flickr

>Flower Shop - L.G. Orlando (Brick Builders Pro) on flickr

Flower Shop - Brick City Depot on MOCpages

Pharmacy de Salamander - Vincent Kessels (Mr. Tomato Bread) on flickr

Pharmacy - L@go on flickr

Bakery - snaillad on flickr

Bakery - Brick City Depot on MOCpages

[TheOrcKing]

this guy on eBay sells a sweet hospital MOC......he wants too much $$$! For it though.....

That brings up another point.

How much would anyone here be willing to pay for instructions of a MOC modular on average?

(This was meant to be part of my above post, but as you can see I ran out of room! Ha ha!)

[Danny]

I'd spend 25-50 bucks on paper manuals, but only a couple bucks for electronic. This is coming from someone who has never purchased a song off iTunes and prefers CDs. Lol Anyway I would also never spend the time buying all the parts too, so I could see spending 200-300 bucks on a large modular complete with pieces. Hopefully it would be comparable in piece count compared to an official lego set.

[TheOrcKing]

This is coming from someone who has never purchased a song off iTunes and prefers CDs. Lol

Ha ha ha, I can so totally relate!

Anyway I would also never spend the time buying all the parts too, so I could see spending 200-300 bucks on a large modular complete with pieces. Hopefully it would be comparable in piece count compared to an official lego set.

Most pre-built kits I've seen for sale are very pricy. I've seen one that (after some calculation) would equal to 48 cents a piece! Jeeze louise....

Not saying they aren't good, just saying you better expect to pay a hefty amount in the end.

Well let's see all the ideas I've heard so far.

Irish Pub

50's Diner

Medical Center

Mechanic & Auto Repair

Photo/Camera Store

City Bank

Police HQ

Post Office

LEGO Store

Car Dealership

Donut Shop

Sporting Goods

San Francisco Victorian-style buildings

School

Motorcycle/Bike Store

Barber Shop

Florist

Pharmacy

Bakery

Pretty good long list there. Trying to think what else can be done.

Lets see....how about:

Jewelry Shop

Book Store

Clothing (regular or designer) Outlet

Music Store

Video Game Retailer

Shoe Store

Arcade

Psychiatrist's Office

Art Gallery

Luxury Hotel

Casino

Soda Shop

Candy Store

Tattoo Parlour

Restaurant (any kind will do really)

Reality Office

TV Station

Apartment Complex

Hmm....can't think of anything else really. Not right now anyway.

What do you guy's think?

[Miro78]

Thanks TheOrcKing, for putting all that work into finding and linking all those custom Modualar buildings. They are great. It's apparent that there are very talented and creative Lego builders out there producing great looking modulars. I think this modular line will continue for at least couple more yers due to it's popularity. I do notice a shift in Lego sets that the company produces incorporating interesting use of Lego pieces in the construction that seems to have started in the MOC community. Miro

[TheOrcKing]

Thanks TheOrcKing, for putting all that work into finding and linking all those custom Modualar buildings. They are great.

You are very welcome. It did take quite a while, but I was looking for various modular designs anyway.

So it's all good. And to think there are still plenty more out there!

 

It's apparent that there are very talented and creative Lego builders out there producing great looking modulars.

I've really only come across a couple that were so-so. The majority are very good, some are rather exceptional. Almost LEGO quality or better even.

 

I think this modular line will continue for at least couple more yers due to it's popularity.

Due to LEGO's "one mod a year" strategy and the large amount of designs that have yet to be done, this modular line hardly has any kind of limitation as to how long it could go on for. Maybe even ten more years!

I do notice a shift in Lego sets that the company produces incorporating interesting use of Lego pieces in the construction that seems to have started in the MOC community.

I've noticed that too. More & more sets are using alot of 'sideways' building and other techniques that started from fellow MOC'ers. A good thing in my opinion.

Just thought of a few more ideas.

Hobby Shop

Furniture Department Store

Office Supplies

Computer/Electronics Store

Antique's Boutique

Old Chicago-style buildings

Whoops! Almost forgot to post this link.

Brick Town Talk

This website is just for showcasing modulars. I found some rather nice ones here!

(Even designs I never dreamt of.)

[Ed Mack]

I would love to see a "Ghetto" themed modular building. Plywood on windows...rats...bums...Just sayin'

[stephen_rockefeller]

I would love to see a "Ghetto" themed modular building. Plywood on windows...rats...bums...Just sayin'

take my money!!!! Lol

[Ed Mack]

take my money!!!! LolMaybe LEGO needs to delve(I like that word...makes me sound smart) into the adult themed LEGO market. I'm not saying in any sort of XXX way, but how about models of warships, warplanes, guns, busts of wacked out Sci-Fi creatures? Sorry for bringing this off topic by the way...

[TheOrcKing]

LEGO needs to delve(I like that word...makes me sound smart) into the adult themed LEGO market. I'm not saying in any sort of XXX way, but how about models of warships, warplanes, guns, busts of wacked out Sci-Fi creatures? Sorry for bringing this off topic by the way...

No, I get what you are saying. Since LEGO did the "Sopwith Camel", I don't see why they can't do a UCS take on the famous Red Baron's plane (maybe even the great Waldo Pepper while they're at it). I would like to see another LEGO bust sitting beside the Darth Maul one they did.

Your 'ghetto' idea would add an interesting touch of reality. Something like a delapidated warehouse or rundown mill maybe. Heh heh, as far as 'adult' goes it would be freakin' hilarious if someone actually built a 'gentleman's club' or crackhouse! Ha ha! Maybe even a 'rehab' center.

I think something like a pool hall or tattoo parlour would be pretty neat regardless.

Just thought of a couple more ideas.

Toy Store

Hardware Store

Ice Cream Parlour

[TheOrcKing]

For true fans of Monty Python, here is from "The Meaning of Life" the Crimson Permanent Assurance!

(And it is an actual modular build!)

Crimson Permanent Assurance - gotoAndLego on flickr

The detail is fantastic, and amusing as heck!

[Sue866]

Thinking of what really makes a city buzz... more entertainment options and eateries. I really like the casino idea and I'd love to see sports arenas and/or Entertainment stages - maybe mixed with a bar setting. Kind of like a House of Blues? On that note - a hotel would be another one. A circus? A gym? YMCA? An office building? A manufacturing building? (a machine shop or wood shop?) A parking ramp?? Hahaha A cathedral-style building would be gorgeous

[stephen_rockefeller]

All great ideas but I dont think we will ever see anything like a bar.....after all LEGO is first and foremost a kids toy, as much as that pains me to say. The city police dont even carry guns for crying out loud! I get what you're dishing though!!

[Rich B]

I just want a modular police station for crying out loud! Lego can leave out the guns and I'll still be a happy camper.

[TheOrcKing]

Thinking of what really makes a city buzz... more entertainment options and eateries. I really like the casino idea and I'd love to see sports arenas and/or Entertainment stages - maybe mixed with a bar setting. Kind of like a House of Blues? On that note - a hotel would be another one.

A circus?

A gym? YMCA?

An office building?

A manufacturing building? (a machine shop or wood shop?)

A parking ramp?? Hahaha

A cathedral-style building would be gorgeous

All good ideas. I agree that we need more entertainment spots and places to eat.

Although LEGO in the end is for children, a Casino could be possible if it was done tastefully.

A Jazz Club/Cafe similiar to the "House of Blues" (I've been there once) would be perfect.

Always could use some kind of hotel.

I'm not sure how to create a modular style circus, but perhaps a Funhouse is possible?

I don't know any city without some kind of gym or healthclub, so there's another good one.

A few other members have commented how interesting it would be to have a cathedral of sorts, but LEGO stays away from any kind of religous icons. Still interesting in the sense of architectural design.

Here is a link for a unique nightclub.

Black Cat Caberet - RedCoKid on flickr

And a Jazz Club right next to a Delicatessan.

Kelly Green Deli and the Gold Jazz Cafe - lgorlando on flickr

This one isn't related to anything you mentioned. I just came across it while I browsed for those other two.

Upscale Department Store - dho7622u on flickr

I just want a modular police station for crying out loud! Lego can leave out the guns and I'll still be a happy camper.

We'll get a modular Police Precinct eventually. Cool your jets there, Rich B. They gave us the "Fire Brigade", so it is going to happen. I think there is just so many different possibilities for a Police Station that it's difficult to end up deciding on only one.

And just for fun, I've attached an image of a slot machine completely built out of LEGO that uses the MINDSTORMS system. (It really works!)

And the second image is a similiar little MOC I found in the same search. (It doesn't work....)

[pickleboy]

How about a big old school water tower. Or a big ass Stadium? Maybe a monorail/trolley system of some sort? No city/neighborhood is complete without some sort of central park...maybe a Pickleboy statue on a mountain...kinda like the fancy pants statue down in Brazil...Pickleboy the Redeemer?

[TheOrcKing]

Which one is your favorite or least favorite official LEGO modular? This is more about your personal opinion on each ones design and aesthetics than investment potential although you are more than welcome to bring that to the table if you wish. I've added a poll so we can see the numbers stack up and/or if you don't care to post a reply.

Note:

Although the Haunted House from Monster Fighters is a similarly large house, it does not use the modular system therefore it does not qualify.

[comicblast]

Grand Emporium is my favorite. I am not sure why, but it looks better IMO. Second would be the Green Grocer for obvious reasons.

[Blackjack]

I like Cafe Corner because it was one of the first, and the design is awesome.

[TheDarkness]

My favourite is the Grand Emporium. IMO it is the best looking set of the lot