We're back with another 10K Club Interview - this time we meet Valentina Bima, aka, Goannas89 and their fantastic THE BOTANICAL GARDEN project. Inspired by a love of architecture and botanical gardens, this set is sure to impress all. Show your support for Valentina down below.
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
Hello, my name is Valentina Bima.
- Where are you from?
I am from Cuneo (Italy).
- How old are you?
I am 33 years old.
- What do you study or do for a living?
At the moment I am an architect; in the future who knows?
- What hobbies do you have?
I have many hobbies including travelling, reading, and of course LEGO building.
- Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website that you can share with us?
I do not currently have a personal LEGO portfolio website but if I will create one in the future I will indicate it in my LEGO Ideas profile.
- Have you created any LEGO MOCs (my own creations) that you’re particularly proud of? What is it, why are you proud of it and do you have a photo of it?
I just finished building 'The Botanical Garden'. I made small changes and improvements compared to the digital version that I submitted to LEGO Ideas but I'm very satisfied with the final result!
- How and when did your interest in LEGO products come about?
My interest in LEGO building comes from when I was a child and I received some sets for Christmas and my birthdays.
- What is the LEGO hobby to you? What does it mean to you? How does it fit in your life? E.g. build, display, meetups, play the games or 'just' watch the cartoons.
The LEGO hobby is a great way to spend time relaxing and letting your creativity run wild.
- What is your favourite LEGO theme (current or past)? Why? And has any theme inspired your building style or preference in any particular way?
I like many different LEGO themes. Currently, my favourites are LEGO Creator Expert/LEGO Icons, LEGO Architecture and LEGO Ideas. I also have many happy childhood memories related to LEGO System and LEGO Technic themes.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set ever? Why?
It's impossible for me to choose my all-time favourite LEGO set. Looking back on my childhood, I had two favourite sets: Royal Knight's Castle (6090) and Super Tow Truck (8462). Now I really like modular buildings and those from the LEGO Architecture series.
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
More than a particular favourite element, I have a favourite colour: Transparent-Clear. The elements of this colour allow you to break down the external-internal border; the transparent elements allow you to build buildings, vehicles, spaceships or anything you can imagine with a pleasant and captivating external shape allowing you to see the internal details and the minifigures.
- Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why?
I admire the creations of so many talented designers here on the LEGO Ideas platform and on Instagram that I can't name a single LEGO designer or fan designer.
- Is there one or more particular LEGO-related websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
I often visit some websites or Instagram pages to follow news about the LEGO world, for example; mattonito.com, brickfanatics.com, and thebrickfan.com.
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
I have always liked botanical gardens and their relaxing atmosphere. When I go to a town where there is a Botanical Garden I always try to visit it.
- How long was the process of making the project, and what did you have to research as well? What kind of prep, research and design phases did you go through to produce your creation?
I think the conception and design process took about two months, including pauses for reflection. For the design of this building, I was inspired by the various cast iron greenhouses built between the mid-nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century, some of which I had the opportunity to visit during my travels.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
The biggest challenge was to create a visually light and welcoming structure, which would perform the function of a "frame" for the plants and flowers housed inside of it. I imagined The Botanical Garden as a building to be placed in the middle of an urban park, so I tried to make it aesthetically pleasing on all four sides (360º). However, for those who prefer, it is also possible to place it along a road together with other buildings.
- If you could talk to yourself before you started on this project, what would you tell them? What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
I don't know, just have fun.
- How long did it take to complete the model? Did you finish it fairly quickly, or did it take a long time? And how did the build time compare to the time you spent promoting your Product Idea to reach 10,000 supporters?
It took me about two months to complete the digital model, during this time I tried various options both for the structure of the building and for the different plants and flowers.I’m not very active on social networks and when I submitted my project on LEGO Ideas website I decided to not promote my 'The Botanical Garden': the real challenge for me was to understand if other people sincerely liked my idea.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
I felt and I still feel super happy and grateful to those who have enjoyed and supported my 'The Botanical Garden'! It still seems impossible to me that it has reached 10,000 supporters in just a little more than one month! The fact that I have reached 10,000 supporters even without me having promoted my project makes me even more pleased. Thank you again.
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
About 3000 pieces and 8 minifigures with accessories.
- What is your favourite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
My favourite parts are the various plants and flowers with their multicoloured shapes and the large windows that allow them to be viewed even without opening the building.
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
I used Studio 2.0.
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
I don't know what advice to give. I think the main aspects to creating a good project are: to dedicate time to the ideation phase without being in a hurry and, most important of all, to have fun!
- What is your favourite LEGO Ideas Product Idea (besides your own of course)? Are there any Product Ideas you think have been overlooked?
There are many LEGO Ideas products that I like, I'm a fan of the theme. One of the sets I liked is "Winnie the Pooh" (21326).
- What is it about the platform that attracts you? What tips would you give to anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea?
The possibility to virtually exhibit your own creation on a platform that reaches thousands of LEGO enthusiasts from all over the world and having the chance to see your own creation become a real LEGO set is a fantastic opportunity. The advice I can give is: try it and have fun!
- Do you have plans to submit any other Product Ideas in the future? If yes, can you give us a hint of what that might be?
Yes, I'm planning to submit another Product Idea, but I can't give you more particulars because I'm still in the conception phase.
