Customizable (Japanese) Lantern

I’ve always been fond of the simple elegance of Japanese art and style, especially in the amazingly creative ways it is expressed, specifically in the numerous types and styles of lanterns. I wanted to find a way to express this in my favorite medium - LEGO, which draws from the same inspiration set and affords nearly endless opportunities for different designs, styles and colors. Lanterns and lighting bring a universal sense of welcoming and warmth that everyone can relate to across the globe.

I intentionally designed a model that would bring multiple options to the table (or desk or shelf), without limiting the build experience and overall display result. I love the idea of a choose-your-own-adventure approach that can allow individual preference to shine through.

With this design, you get to choose the design you like the best - build the Base lantern, and then Pick a Panel: choose from Original, Puzzle, Elegant, Circles, or Lines. This lantern really shines (!) in it's simple elegance, intended to be a display piece versus a play piece. One could add an inexpensive LED bulb or strips to create a real working lantern!

The design is completely modular - other designs and 'screens' are infinitely possible - just add your own windows, shutters or panels to create something wholly unique!

This is just one style of lantern out of so many variations. While there are a number of panel designs to choose from here, I would love to see other lantern types (round, hanging, etc.) each with their own build experience and customization options. Designs and styles could even reflect different cultures around the world, and the various colors and structures used to light our lives. Who knows, maybe this could be a stand-alone line of designs (hence including “Japanese” in parenthesis in the title) :)

I hope you like this design as much as I do and appreciate your support to make this a real LEGO product!