Chinatown

As a testament to how much there is to see at a LEGO convention (or perhaps to how easily distracted and clueless I am) I don't recall seeing this at BricksLA 2018. How the heck did I miss it?!? As if a highly detailed street scene isn't difficult enough to built, Benjamin_Rose added a steep hill to his brilliant Chinatown street. And with the space created added a subway surprise on the back side.

Old Chinese Building

When I lived in London I walked through Chinatown all the time, it was one of the routes of my regular commute. I found it appealing because it was always buzzing with it's own energy, and I remember thinking that if it was even infinitesimally close to what it was like to be in Shanghai or Beijing, those places must be intense. But it also had a very paradoxical tranquil side that I really can't explain, how could it be hopping and zen at the same time? And that's sort of the vibe I get from this wonderful MOC by builder HCK_1974. It is at once busy, and relaxed, and so very appealing.

Indonesian Chinatown

Builder KOSbrick and his LUG recently completed a large scale collaborative build celebrating Chinese New Year and Indonesia's rich Chinese heritage. He claims to be somewhat intimidated by the modular building standard, but as far as I'm concerned those fears are unfounded, because these buildings are gorgeous, and all based on actual structures. They connect together seamlessly yet each has it's own distinct personality. Check out more pics and the fascinating story behind these MOCs and the culture and buildings that inspired them on his blog.