LEGO BrickLink Riverside Scholars adds to ongoing collection
The first review for the LEGO BrickLink Designer Program Riverside Scholars set points out the issues and strengths of the world-expanding build.
As one of five LEGO BrickLink Designer Program sets in Series 4 that goes up for pre-order soon, the Riverside Scholars model joins a growing list of sets all based in an original world, to its strength, but the fact that it’s fan-designed is evident in a new review.
Tiago Catarino has taken a closer look at Hanwas’ 2,769-piece Riverside Scholars, which will cost £169.99 / $199.99 / €199.99 when crowdfunding for the series starts on February 4 at 4pm GMT / 8am PT.
They take note of the set’s many details inside and outside, from the animals to the secret tunnel underneath the waterfall but the ex-designer notes the gaps present across the roofs of the buildings, all of which have substantial gaps, as well as the difficulty in removing a wall to access the smallest interior space.
“The teahouse has this removable wall that lets you see inside, which isn’t the easiest to take off or put back on – the kind of feature that would have been improved if this were a regular-made LEGO product with a full-force design team backing this up, which is understandable but I feel the need to point it out,” shared Tiago.
“Same with the gapping on the roofs, but the model is so visually stunning I honestly don’t mind these issues all that much.”
Tiago notes that the colour scheme is particularly stunning, despite the variety of colours on show, which would usually conflict with each other and make for a less cohesive design. That’s not the case in the Riverside Scholars set though, which uses colour to its advantage.
Tiago also takes a moment to recognise that this is the third LEGO BrickLink set in a series of models that have been expanding Hanwas’ world and there are stickers referencing the Mountain Windmill from 2022 and the Ocean House in 2024 – both good and bad news for those who missed out on the last two sets.
Combined the trio look great with similar building techniques, water features and colour schemes. Few are likely to both sets so far though given the limited nature of the BrickLink Designer Program. You can take a closer look at the set in the full video review.
We’ve taken a closer look at the Medieval Seaside Market and early reviews have also surfaced for the Siege Encampment and Merchant Boat. These four sets and the Wild West Train will go up for pre-order when crowdfunding for Series 4 starts on February 4 at 4pm GMT / 8am PT.
LEGO BrickLink Designer Program Series 4 sets
| Series 4 set | Price | Pieces | Stickers | Minifigures | Fan designer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Siege Encampment | £199.99 / $229.99 / €229.99 | 2,598 | 11 | 18 | SleeplessNight |
| Medieval Seaside Market | £199.99 / $229.99 / €229.99 | 2,560 | 0 | 5 | Bricks_fan_uy |
| Riverside Scholars | £169.99 / $199.99 / €199.99 | 2,769 | 2 | 5 | Hanwas |
| Wild West Train | £249.99 / $279.99 / €279.99 | 3,192 | 17 | 12 | Llucky |
| Merchant Boat | £149.99 / $169.99 / €169.99 | 2,180 | 3 | 4 | NicolasCarlier |
Featured image: Tiago Catarino
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