National Building Museum, Brick City, part 4

The architect's original concept drawing.

The piece de resistance is simply one magnificent construction.  It recreates in stunning detail and LOGO glory the St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel and the adjoining St. Pancras British Rail Station.  The original building, constructed in from of the rail line terminus, was a 300 room Grand Midland Hotel.  Opened in 1873, prior to full completion in 1876 it was the grandest of Hotels facing the newest rail station.  Its grandeur survived the turn of the century and first world war; however, the of the war saw a period where staffing expenses and building maintenance began to erode at her profitability until finally in 1935, the Grand Midland Hotel ceased to operate.  Its space was used to house some of the offices of the British Railways.

Turn of the century image of
The Grand Midland Hotel

Considered a relic from a bygone era, the railway made plans to raise it.  In the 1960's the plans  to tear it down met resistance from Victorian preservationists, and in 1967 it received a reprieve from the wrecking ball, but not the continued ravages of time.  in the 1980's the building failed safety inspections and was abandoned.  It took 10 more years to start the renovation process, and then at a cost at the time of about 12 million dollars, only the exterior's issues were addressed and shored up.  

Finally, in 2004 permission was given to redevelop the building into a new hotel.  The project took over seven years and included a renovation of the rail station, as well.  So today it is a vibrant commercial and residential complex with 244 hotel rooms, 2 bars, 2 restaurants, a health spa, meeting spaces, and perhaps most interesting of all 68 loft style apartments on the upper roof level floor.

I found the history of the actual building nearly as fascinating at the LEGO model itself.  Nearly...enjoy!

Group photo for a school group!  Love the details.

Swimmers in the new hotel's health spa

Now, from the other side with an un-open facade.

National Building Museum: Brick City, part 3

 These are some of the models scaled to the mini level at the Brick City exhibition at the Smithsonian National Building Museum here in DC.  You'll see the difference immediately.

Halley VI, Antarctic shelf, Antarctica

Sydney harbor, AUSTRALIA

Sydney harbor, different angle, (Detail)

Lincoln Memorial, The Mall, Washington, DC - UNITED STATES

Lincoln on his "throne" inside (Detail)

Shalamar Gardens, Lahore, PAKISTAN

Shalamar Gardens, different angle

Mayan Temple at Chechen, Yucatan Peninsula, MEXICO

St. Basil's Cathedral, Red Square, Moscow, RUSSIA

The Forbidden City, Beijing, CHINA

Olympic Stadium, London, UNITED KINGDOM

Olympic Stadium from a different angle (Detail)

National Building Museum, Brick City Part 2

 I've chosen two of the more elaborate builds to highlight in the category of Mini-Figure scale..

New Orleans, Louisiana, UNITED STATES

Mardi Gras

Bongkok, THAILAND

Amphawa Floating Market

National Building Museum: Brick City, part 1

The El Dorado of my visit to the Smithsonian National Building Museum today was, of course, "Brick City".  This extravaganza of LEGO mania.  There are basically three aspects to the exhibition.

1. Unique models of building, neighborhoods, part of buildings, environments, and even an historic event from all over the world held in Plexiglas cubes on pedestals for 360 degree viewing by an enthralled public.
2. A focal model of the Grand Midland Hotel restored and part of a rail station.  It is executed in exquisite details on a LEGO mini-figures scale and consumes a large part of the middle "room".
3. An interactive "play" area with lots of bricks and lots of room around a large table space (could accommodate 30 kids easily).  This was supervised--and I use that term loosely--by one good natured docent who spent most of his time retrieving errant pieces that had fallen to the floor and bounced into other spaces!  
   

You can imagine, I took a butt-load of pics.  In determining how best to share them, I've decided to use scale.  In the world of LEGO there three dominate scales.  Like the Three Bears of Grimm--there is the large scale.  Think of the LEGO park in Denmark.  Nothing to that scale here.  Next, there is the mini-figure scale.  The one that the door and windows of contemporary sets are designed to accommodate.  And lastly, there is the miniature scale.  In this, people are represented--when ever they are--by single flat round bricks.  It is the N scale model railroad version of LEGO.  Actually, thinking about the comparison; the O, HO, N scales of model railroad enthusiasts is a good metaphor.

Keeping all of this in mind.  Part one are pics from the entry and then some of the less complicated models of buildings and events that where designed to the mini-figure proportions.

The scale of the exhibit space.

An accent wall with images of some of the actual places depicted in the models.

Havana, CUBA

Napier, NEW ZEALAND

London (Borough Market), UNITED KINGDOM

Borough Market detail: Vintner and Fish Monger's stalls

Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS

Marrakesh, MOROCCO

Courtyard detail

Mapoch, SOUTH AFRICA

Buckingham Palace Detail, London, UNITED KINGDOM

The Royal Wedding

Royal Wedding Detail: L-R
King Charles III, Queen consort Camilla, Catherine Middleton, Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip, and Prince Harry