We're back with yet another 10K interview! Welcome to our newest member, Alex Sahli, a.k.a. Galaxy333. At just 17-years-old, Alex has submitted a fantastically elegant build, in TUSCAN VILLA. Would you like to see this as the next LEGO Ideas set?
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
My name is Alex Sahli.
- Where are you from?
I am from Portland, Oregon.
- How old are you?
I’m 17 years old.
- What do you study or do for a living?
I’m still in school right now, but I hope to eventually go into either engineering, computer science, or architecture.
- What hobbies do you have?
Collecting and designing LEGO sets is probably my biggest hobby! Besides that though, I enjoy playing soccer, travelling, and photography.
- Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website that you can share with us?
Yes, you can check out my Instagram page at @_galaxy_333_!
- 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?
Yes! I’m happy with all of my MOCs, but I’m especially proud of my recent one titled “The Potential in a Brick”. I designed this one for a contest here on LEGO Ideas, which it actually ended up placing in and is now on its way to being on display in LEGO House. I think the idea of it was unique and I’m definitely happy with all of the little details and the overall execution.
- How and when did your interest in LEGO products come about?
When I was much younger, I was given a hand-me-down box of LEGO pieces that included some old broken-down Insectoids and Space Police sets. I got my first set (#6187 Road Construction Set) soon after, and it grew from there. My grandparents had also saved a very old 1980s set (#566) that I always played with when I got to visit them.
- 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 to me is a few different things, as I collect physical sets as well as also designing my own models (mostly digitally). LEGO building is a hobby for me, but also a creative outlet. The community is a big part of it for me too, and the ability to connect with other people in the community is important.
- What is your favourite LEGO theme (current or past)? Why? And has any theme inspired your building style or preference in any particular way?
LEGO Ideas is probably my favourite theme. It puts out a really diverse range of sets which is fun because you never know what’s coming in the future. In addition, you have some say in what is produced as you can vote on projects or make your own.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set ever? Why?
My favourite set is probably Saturn V. It’s just a really awesome display model, while also being super accurate to the real thing, including the ability to separate into different stages. The Stranger Things Upside Down and Ecto-1 models are definitely up there for me too.
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
Jumpers and cheese slopes are some of my favourite LEGO elements. Although they’re both pretty basic, I use them in almost every build, as they have so many different uses. I also really like the 1x2 ingot pieces, which can be used instead of standard tiles for a unique texture.
- Is there one or more particular LEGO-related websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
While not exactly a website, I frequently visit a few LEG Discord servers, which are a good way to interact with the community, share builds, receive feedback, get inspiration, and more.
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
I’ve always wanted to visit Italy and I love the look of Italian architecture. When I think of Italy, this style of house is what often comes to mind. I figured that it would translate well into LEGO form and wanted to see how well I could do. I also think that there are a noticeable lack of sets built in this particular style and something like this would be perfect to fill that gap.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
One of my biggest challenges was staying within the 3,000-piece limit put forth by LEGO Ideas. In the end, I had to trim down a few elements to get the build to around 2,990 pieces. That meant the interior had to be somewhat bare to compensate for the detailed outer walls, which I know was a complaint for a few people.
- 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?
I don’t remember exactly how long it took, but I would guess a couple of hours a day for 1-2 weeks.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
Awesome! It took about a year to reach 10,000 votes so I still had plenty of time left over.
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
Roughly 2,980-2,990 pieces. I actually added a few more features to the model for an update I forgot to publish, so that version would have about 3,000 pieces.
- What is your favourite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
I like the walls and the roof the most. The walls have a lot of texture and detail that make them look realistic and worn down, which I think is a cool effect. The roof uses two completely different building techniques to create red tiles that really complete the look of the build.
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
I used Bricklink’s Stud.io.
- If you used custom stickers or prints for your design, how did you create them or where did you get them?
I believe I only created one printed part for this as a hidden detail that isn’t even shown in the photos. Nevertheless, the app I used to create it was Bricklink’s Part Designer.
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
My advice would be to build something you’re passionate about, or something you think you’ll have fun building. Don’t cut corners, and don’t stop until you’re completely satisfied with it. Unfortunately, promoting it is also an important part of gaining support, so spread it around a little so it doesn’t go entirely unseen.
- What is it about the platform that attracts you? What tips would you give to anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea?
There are a number of reasons LEGO Ideas is appealing to me. Obviously, the possibility of getting your project produced as a real set is a big one. Besides that though, it is fun to see what other people are building, and it also gives you the motivation to build. I would recommend that anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea should try to make something unique; unlike something that has been done before.
- 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 do! I recently submitted another Italian-themed project called The Italian Riviera, and I want to keep making projects, mainly large-scale, detailed buildings.
