THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
The Diner - LEGO Creator Expert range
Building the block – constructing the neighborhood from LEGO!
https://shop.lego.com
£129
Is there anything you can’t build from LEGO? We've just made a gumball machine out of it. No, really!
These Danish blocks are in vogue right now - movies, video games, theme parks, even TV series - but at its heart LEGO is all about the satisfying joy of pushing two blocks together and creating something amazing.
One of the latest innovations from them is their Creator Expert range, which include some spectacular models of real landmarks: London’s Tower Bridge, Big Ben and the Taj Mahal, as well as a whole Neighborhood Block, replete with a Bank, Detective’s office, Cinema and a Diner.
We had a go at building the Diner, and it was great to find that this new range still gives the enjoyment we all remember of playing LEGO, but this kit comes with a challenging twist specifically for older kids and adults. The Diner is straight out of ‘50s America, and features three levels, the Diner itself, a boxing club and a recording studio on the top floor. The kit supplies you with all the parts, and instructions on how to put them all together – they’re easy to follow, although you’ll still feel that nostalgic panic as you hunt that small piece you swear has gone missing, but which somehow always turns up at the bottom of the box.
The Diner is full of clever, thoughtful features that reveal themselves during the build, showing how inventive LEGO’s designers have become, and making the build a unique experience. They also nail the Diner vibe brilliantly – familiar pieces transform seemlessly into Diner booths, a Juke Box, and yes, even a Gumball machine.
At £129, the Diner is an investment, but it’s great value. With a reported 2480 pieces (I didn’t count them), it took us over six hours to build. As it comes in five sections, it’s easy to spread out over time, making this ideal for a long weekend. A challenging, fulfilling build – and a great talking point on your table afterwards.
