LEGO Maligns Singapore Skyline With Latest LEGO Architecture Set
I first posted the information on the LEGO Architecture Singapore Skyline (21057) back in September of this year and even had a chance to peek at the design prototype.
Honestly, I thought that they would have fixed the problems with the prototype but now that we finally have the official set reveal, it looks like they didn’t do much to change things.
I understand that a LEGO designer probably poured his heart and soul into this but the final model looks a little too colourful for a LEGO Architecture set.
Usually, the colour palette of your typical LEGO Architecture is limited to just a handful of colours which makes for interesting parts usage as well as design.
But here we have a total of twelve colours (excluding the base colours) scattered throughout the build which is a departure from your typical LEGO Architecture skyline.
The only other Skyline that has this much colour would be the LEGO Architecture Tokyo Skyline but even then it is confined to the individual structures of the build.
For example, the red of the Tokyo tower is not repeated in another building and the sand green of the pagoda is only found in that structure.
This is not the case with the Singapore Skyline as colours are spread throughout the different buildings which does little to highlight their distinct designs.
Another bit that didn’t sit well with me were the building choices. I’m not sure what the decision process was when it came down to these architectural candidates but they are heck of a boring.
One Raffles Plaza and OCBC Bank Tower are significant in their architectural pedigree, designed by Kenzō Tange and I.M. Pei respectively, does not reflect the diverse cultural architecture of Singapore.
There are a lot of other buildings that could have been included here like the National Gallery or the National Museum. If they needed modern structures, the Supreme Court or the Esplanade could have been prime contenders.
One of the buildings that is featured in the set is Fullerton Hotel which was built in the 1924 and sports a neo-classical design but the model here is relegated to printed bricks to convey its intricate facade which is a travesty.
The LEGO Architecture Singapore Skyline has to be one of the least interesting skyline that has been produced by the theme. If you look at the past skylines, they all adhere to basic elements of visual engagement.
Take for example the geometric shapes they produce when you trace the skyline:
As you can see, the Singapore outline is just flat with a lot of blocky buildings with no focal point.
And the elephant in the room would be the missing Merlion from the build. The Merlion is Singapore’s mascot which is a visual symbol that a lot of people associate with this garden island.
@Coolerinsights
One of the most repeated comments that I received when I first posted the images was “Where is the Merlion?”. There is a LEGO Merlion statue right in the heart of the largest Toys ‘R’ Us in Singapore and it still couldn’t find its way into a skyline that is supposed to represent the country.
While I can understand that at that chosen scale, the Merlion would have to be really tiny to match but the skylines have never had their buildings adhered strictly to that rule anyway.
Take a look at Big Ben and Tower Bridge in the London Skyline. They are definitely not to scale but they do make an impressive line up visually.
Big Ben in London is actually almost twice the height of Tower Bridge but somehow they couldn’t employ that with the Singapore Skyline which is odd decision.
A brick built Merlion should have been an automatic inclusion into the model and it is not like it hasn’t been done before. The one featured below only consists of four elements.
LEGO Merlion MOC by Oscar Cederwall (o0ger)
I feel a bit strongly about this set as I’ve been calling Singapore home for a good portion of my life and this skyline does not reflect the architectural vibrancy of a multi-racial society. It is a terrible missed opportunity for the first South East Asian LEGO Architecture Skyline.
And would it hurt to include an Asian for the lifestyle photos? Representation yo.
- Set number: 21057
- Title: Singapore Skyline
- Number of elements: 827
- Launch: January 01, 2022
- RRP: USD/Euros 59.99
Product Info:
Be transported to one of the world’s most exciting cities as you build this LEGO® Architecture Skyline Collection model of Singapore (21057) – no passport required. Enjoy quality time recreating Marina Bay Sands, the OCBC Centre, One Raffles Place, Lau Pa Sat food market, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore and Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay. Add LEGO elements representing the Singapore River and trees to complete the biggest, most complex LEGO city skyline model to date.
Creative joy
Step-by-step instructions are included, so even if you are a LEGO newcomer you can relax and lose yourself in the creative process. Discover new techniques that allow you to attach the buildings to the base at angles to complete a striking display piece.
Travel without moving
This collectible set is part of a range of LEGO Architecture sets for adults that let you build without borders. It makes a fantastic treat for yourself and a delightful gift for lovers of travel, history and architecture in your life.
- A building project for adults – This LEGO® Architecture Skyline Collection model (21057) recreates some of the most iconic buildings in Singapore in LEGO style
- Brick-built landmarks – Marina Bay Sands, the OCBC Centre, One Raffles Place, Lau Pa Sat (also known as Telok Ayer Market), The Fullerton Hotel Singapore and Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay
- Landscaping details – Attach LEGO® elements symbolizing the Singapore River and trees, and discover building techniques to attach buildings at angles to the base
- Gift idea – Treat yourself or give this creative building set to like-minded friends who have visited or dream of visiting Singapore or are simply lovers of travel, history or architecture
- Build and display – Measuring over 6.5 in. (16 cm) high, 11 in (28 cm) wide and 3.5 in. (9 cm) deep, this buildable city skyline model can be displayed in your home or office
- Immersive experience – This collectible, 827-piece construction set is designed to take you on a creative building journey that will leave you feeling relaxed, recharged and richly rewarded
5 responses to “LEGO Maligns Singapore Skyline With Latest LEGO Architecture Set”
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OCBC centre should be malaysia skyline. Wrong country.
What the… Malaysian if u got nothing better to comment, please stop it because you are making yourself looking stupid
Except for adding the Merlion and having an Asian lifestyle model for promo representation, I sadly disagree with almost everything you wrote!
The colour selection is appropriate and matching the real life buildings, although I’d have preferred another shade of blue on MBS. The colours appear to be spread out more across multiple buildings than in other sets but that’s mainly because there are more buildings arranged in parallel than in series. In any case, it’s the one and only tropical city so far, so we can let loose and have a bit of fun with colour.
One Raffles Plaza and OCBC Bank Tower together with the rowhouses are the perfect juxtaposition of Singaporean heritage and modernity. The addition of National Gallery or Victoria Concert Hall would merely be cliche neo-Classical buildings that are already found abundantly in London, Berlin or Paris. I would have liked UOB to be added too to complete the downtown high-rise trinity.
The geometry of the skyline isn’t terribly dynamic but hands down the absolute dullest and ugliest is San Francisco with its poorly executed Golden Gate Bridge. Instead, I’m impressed by Lego’s inclusion of Asian metropolises. I think this one was pulled off, not as well as Shanghai or Dubai, but much better than Tokyo (with its blasphemously assymmetric Mount Fuji).
4 stars out of 5. Written by a Kuala Lumpurian =)
Thanks for the comment! And don’t be sad about disagreeing. I’m always open to different opinions and civic discourse.
I see where you’re coming from with regards to the buildings being arranged in parallel rather than by themselves and that their aim was to add a bit more colour to the Skyline sub-theme. What I hoped that they did was keep the colours to each individual section, like dark nougat was used for the roof of Boat Quay, Lau Pat Sat and Fullterton so it feels like these were part of a series of buildings rather than individual buildings themselves.
As for the shophouses, I felt that they could have been made bigger as we lose a lot of detail when they are only three plates tall and are dwarfed by the skyscrapers in the background.
I do hope that they do more skylines of different South East Asian cities like Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok and Hong Kong.
Thanks again for the comment! Really appreciate it.
I agree with this comment by JL.
Merlion is an obvious and disappointingly stupid omission.
But taking issue with the lack of a focal point is silly, as the Singaporean buildings are all flat-topped (no pointy Eiffel Towers or Burj Khalifas here!), and roughly similar heights! Was the LEGO designer just supposed to make up a tall pointy structure!?
Also, the Fullerton Hotel is quite small, and there was no way to show much architectural detail at that scale! To get a decent model of it, it would need to be a standalone set – and it’s too iconic to be missing from this Skyline, so leaving it out wasn’t an option.
Lastly – the rowhouses on the water’s edge are tiny, compared with the towering skyscrapers behind! (Similar to Postcard Row in San Francisco). They would look ridiculous if made any bigger, and look fine and are colourful and instantly recognisable just the way they are!
It’s not a perfect Skyline model by any stretch, but it’s colourful, iconic and cool!
I’ll be buying it, preferably on sale.