21024: Louvre review

For our next review I get the pleasure of reviewing the latest Architecture set. Now I’m a bit of a latecomer to this theme as when I came out of my Dark Ages it was about revisiting my past and enjoying the latest sets LEGO had to offer. Then, as my passion and knowledge expanded, so did my taste and what I wanted from my LEGO. For me now, the build itself has to interest me the most. Secondly, unlike those LEGO fans who keep stuff in boxes, unless I can have it on display in my office I will not buy it. This is why I don’t have a big collection and it’s forever changing.

I was lucky enough to get the Marina Bay Sands set the other year and this stoked my interest in the range. Since then I’ve been slowly expanding my collection, so when the Louvre was offered up to review I jumped at the chance. This is the latest in the Architecture line and one of all three sets released this year. Again, the fact LEGO does not swamp the theme year-in, year-out is another reason why it appeals to me. It definitely makes the theme much more collectable and affordable.

Official description

Celebrate the world of architecture with the LEGO® Louvre set!

Build a LEGO® brick model of the Louvre, the world’s largest museum of art. Located in the heart of Paris on the bank of the river Seine, this magnificent structure, renowned for its striking blend of Renaissance and Modernist architecture, welcomes over 9 million visitors a year and houses over 35,000 works of art, including Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. The Louvre started life as a fortress, built by King Philip Augustus in 1190 to protect Parisians from foreign invasion, and has since undergone a number of renovations. The result is the architecturally stunning Louvre we know today. This detailed LEGO model features the prominent Pavillon de l’Horloge and the iconic, once controversial glass pyramid designed by the renowned Chinese-American architect, I. M. Pei.

• Interpretation of real-world architectural landmark, the Louvre
• Features the prominent Pavillon de l’Horloge and the iconic glass pyramid
• English/French/Spanish booklet included with details on the design, architecture and history of the building (Other languages available for download at LEGO.com/architecture)
• Collect the entire LEGO® Architecture series
• The LEGO® Architecture product line is about celebrating the world of architecture through the medium of the LEGO brick and for all with an interest in design, architecture and history
• Measures 5” (13cm) tall, 6” (17cm) wide and 7” (19cm) deep

The review

This is the biggest set I’ve built from the theme so far. Priced at £44.99 you get 965 parts – so great value for money as you are only paying 6.5p per piece. Granted, a lot of the pieces are small elements but for me these parts are ones I would use in my own buildings, so “should” I ever wish to dismantle the set, I would make use of the parts. Speaking of parts we get 16 tan Stick Ø3.2 2Mm W/Knob And Tube (telescope) only found in this set. The rest are all common pieces but (as mentioned earlier) in colours that appeal to those who like to build modulars and their own Architecture MOCs.

The box is the usual thicker card, black-themed Architecture box which I much prefer to the standard LEGO ones – and the only ones I don’t bin. The instruction booklet is another reason why I love this theme as not only do I enjoy the instructions laid out on a black background, but I greatly enjoy reading the history of the building along with the various snippets spread out during the build. As an additional feature the instructions are also in French.

The set itself though is all about the build which is my primary incentive on getting them.  I enjoy the builds so much and find myself just getting lost in the details and techniques – the Louvre is no exception. We start with the base layout, followd by the old part of the building. This is filled with lots of character and hidden detail you’ll discover as the build rises from the ground. As we move onto the forecourt we add the glass panels and then the amazing glass pyramid. The techinque used to create this structure is simply stunning and I really appreciated how the set finished with one of the highlights of the build.

If you are a fan of the modulars then I would seriously advise you to get an Architecture set as I find it has expanded both my appreciation for LEGO Architecture but also my building knowledge. You can get this set from LEGO Shop@home for £44.99.