An Abbreviated Lego Portfolio

When I was a kid I liked to build buildings out of Legos. I started off with the larger Duplos when I was really little and then moved on to regular Legos. My mom gave me a camera and told me to take pictures of my buildings before I tore them down, so now I have a great photographic record of my designs. All of my buildings had interiors and they were conceived as a sort of narrative. In plainer terms, I used my imagination to make stories about the buildings and the Lego people in them and reasons for remodeling, etc. Most of the buildings were open on one side, so you might say I was "designing in section." I would often remodel or rebuild buildings several times and some elements were reused (certain towers, arches, etc.). It was a lot of fun. This is probably why I never was very good at Super Mario Bros.

Here are some examples of my work. These are the later examples and I hope to scan some of the earlier ones soon. My favorite house (with a much re-used tower that had stained glass windows and an electric light that dropped for New Years like the ball at Times Square) is not shown on here yet. I preferred the regular blocks to the castle sets, as you can see.

1-1995 This was a jail, which I'm sure was inspired by a visit to the Old Jail Museum in Crawfordsville. I invented the bizarre vehicle in front. There is also a pump at left. There is a secure room upstairs and a cell downstairs, note the radiator under the window at left
1-1995 This was a pirates' island. The building was a ruin which the pirates partially rebuilt (different window on left second floor etc.) Note the vines and the lookout towers. Since it is in a tropical location, the windows are just shutters without sashes. The pirates rebuilt this side of the tower with whatever they could find, so the blocks are mismatched.
Another view of the pirates' island 2-1995 This is an unusual fully-enclosed building (most of mine had visible interiors) I think it was a tower with the white addition being added later
Another view of the building. The red and black arch was an element I salvaged and reused, as was the gray "street lamp." 8-1995 This is another pirates' island, this time up on a hill. Note the approaching boat at lower right
This was a rather uninteresting little house. The porch was originally open I think and was glassed in later. There is an "oil lamp" on the red table

1996

1-1996 Some kind of a medieval castle with a working portcullis gate (it had threads attached to raise and lower it) There is a king on the top floor and some knights or something in the second floor room with wine goblets on the table
1-1996 This was a really fun lighthouse. It sat up on piers and the three bedrooms at left were an addition. Note the winding stair. There is a white wood-burning stove next to the door. Later I added the rooms underneath with big windows facing the water.
2-1996 This was a rather vertical house with a balcony over the projecting living room. There is a gas "street lamp" next to the door inspired by one I saw on an old church in Wingate, Indiana The living room features a large red pipe organ (I liked to invent cool furniture for my houses). The stairs are cut in mid-section and you can see the open well with a dome above.
2-1996 I honestly don't remember this castle, but it has some ugly 1980s roof windows There is a drawbridge at left and a black and white striped chimney at center
3-1996 This was a tower on a deserted island. It had no real purpose it was just cool.  
4-1996 This was a village library with tall windows for lots of daylight. There are red "bookcases" and a grand central lobby with a cupola letting light in through the ceiling
4-1996 The same library got extensively remodeled. I think I tore down everything but the central lobby. The first floor was lowered significantly (probably due to lack of blocks) but the blue and yellow striping remained the same (it was limited by how many of each color I had). The top of the lobby became a mezzanine (this is when I learned that word) and it was topped by a tall ceiling with windows that were supposed to let light filter in from the attic. Twin staircases rise to the airy second floor. Note the yellow beam at left to hold up the second floor wall
5-19-1996 This was a monumental memorial for some great medieval king. It probably was inspired by a movie or something. There is an entrance ramp and then a large central space with a big window overlooking the sarcophagus.
The sarcophagus was complete with the king's skeleton (from the Lego pirates set) with a crown and shield and sword. 6-1996 "Before" This was a homely farm house which gets a new Gothic Revival facade (you can see it in the background)
"After" the house is imposing and refined. This was inspired by some before-and-after drawings in an 1850s plan book I think Interior of the house, with a tall blue bookcase upstairs and a large white 1920s cabinet radio downstairs (inspired by one our neighbors had)
6-1996 A pet hotel, inspired by "Petsburgh" where our dog Kate stayed when we went to Disney World that year. I don't think I ever made text with Legos again. Note the gate salvaged from the last house (above) The lobby features the white cabinet radio and the pet area has a fountain for the dogs to drink from and grilles on the windows. Note the then-high-tech Lego electric light block on the ceiling