In 2014, I received a call from a Calgary builder who was interested in producing a scale model of a new condominium building they were planning. After a meeting or two, it became apparent that the project was going to be sizeable, and so I partnered up with Robin Sather of Brickville Deisgnworks. Robin has been a great friend and business mentor over the years, and this project was a great chance for us to work together. The plan was to create a model of the building (called N3) as well as the St. Louis Hotel, a Calgary landmark (which is located next to the condo site).

We set to work, Robin doing most of the planning and scoping, while I built small concept models of window sets and doorways, so we could see the plan in action (Rapid Prototyping in action!).

After a lot more planning, and a few setbacks due to planning commission approvals (for the real building), we were ready to start building. In late June of 2015, we set up in a three car garage just outside of Calgary, brought in about 2 pallets of Lego, 5 tables, and we were ready to start.

After sorting out all the minor build issues, we had a floor of N3 ready, and then proceeded to build a lot more of them (15 in total).

By the end of the summer, we had 5 “modules” of N3, as well as the St. Louis ready to transport to the showcase center. The video below covers a lot of that phase.

Finally finished, after about 700 man hours, 3 months, over 200,000 Lego bricks, and a build team of Robin, myself, Hayley, Winston, Eric and countless others, we were done!

photo by Pixels and Photons

Photo by Pixels and Photons

Photo by Pixels and Photons