But Where's the Ninja?

The Classic Castle Contest is currently under way, and I'm loving it. Every couple days, there are several absolute gems that pop up in my feed. This peaceful Oriental bridge scene by 'LL' is one of my favorites so far. The bridge perfectly evokes classic Eastern architecture, and very cleverly uses the old rope bridge pieces for the arch. But what I like best about this build are those trees. The grey trunks compliment the fall leaves very nicely, and the addition of some roots really makes them look accurate.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

I finally got a chance to watch Wes Anderson's latest cinematic achievement The Grand Budapest Hotel just a few days ago, and I loved it. And now Ryan Ziegelbauer, Gary McIntire and a team of top notch builders have created a masterpiece of their own inspired by the movie. I give you the LEGO Grand Budapest Hotel, and it's awesome!

Feel The Power

There's a distinct beauty to simple, real-world structures. Not a classic architectural beauty, usually not aesthetic beauty, but more of a rugged utilitarian beauty of form following function. This small power station and office by LegoJalex is just sort a structure. No apologies, no flash, no grandeur, just built for purpose. Yet, it's got just enough panache, just enough style to make it simply appealing.

Strindberg Estate

Since I can't read German I've never really figured out what the Brick Time Team is all about. But I know they build amazing MOCs. This estate is fabulous, and if I ever get back to Europe, I look forward to seeing some stunning architecture like this. In the mean time I'm content to gawk at it in brick form.

Pirate Rock

This excellent pirate MOC comes to us from Fraslund. Originally started as a CCCXI entry, time ran out. And while it may have not been entered in the contest, I think we can all agree it's a winner. There's so much to love here, I highly recommend clicking through and looking at the high res pictures, it's loaded with detail.

Ancient Amphitheater

This very large and beautiful MOC of an ancient amphitheater is from Hardegon. I don't know the details of the build, there's no description, but I can only guess at how long this took to build. The stands are a little barren, apparently whatever show is running now isn't drawing much of a crowd. But I can only imagine the crowd that will surround this MOC if it ever goes on display. Click through for many more pictures.

Lecture Theater

This is absolutely beautiful. Not only from an aesthetic perspective, but also from an architectural viewpoint.  The use of proper structural support in this MOC actually ADDS to it's beauty, that's an accomplishment. And just look at that floor! I'm gobsmacked. Outstanding work qi_tah.

When Minotaurs Attack...Tonight At 11

There's no description for this, nor is the name of the image particularly helpful, but it's a pretty stunning build. There's loads of detail on this MOC, everywhere you look. And some really cool and subtle (and not so subtle) architecture techniques. Click through to check out the larger image, it's worth it.

Barrie's Department Store

Getting the scale right with modular buildings can be tricky. There's a tendency to over do the details and miss the broad strokes, or vice-versa. Not so with this modular from Snaillad. Every detail adds something, and the big picture is stunning. The interior is spot-on as well, and check out that trolly. Nice work Andrew.

Tiny, Massive Structures

Flickr newcomer Yo-Sub Joo unleashed a slew of pictures recently, some of them new and some dating back a bit. These micro scale builds caught my eye. They're ridiculously clean, like architectural models. Just beautiful.