#21042
1685 Pieces
Ages 16+
$119.00

Design  *****
Build    *****
Cost   **
Playability *

The Statue of Liberty set from the Architecture theme has curves, corners, waves, and ridges. Standing over 17″ tall, she towers over her Architecture counterparts and most City structures. The scale and proportions of the set are impeccable and are owed to the elements of the Design and Build techniques. The price and playability of the set bring the score low, but not dismal.

Desk, shelf, mantle, Christmas tree topper, car dash (well maybe not here) but this queen is so good looking she could sit anywhere. The color pallet is simple with only 3 exterior colors: sand green, tan, and the gold flame piece. But they match the subject structure almost perfectly. Most sets would struggle to achieve all 5 points for Design, but the Statue of Liberty eats them up. The detail in the pedestal is achieved with the use of multiple 1×1 pieces like circles, slopes, discs, and plates. The statue herself gets her details from a slew of slopes, curving slopes, and plates which give her gown the appearance of waving in the wind. Further details include the broken shackles at her feet, the spiral spiked seven point crown and clutched tablet.

The fantastic design elements that give this set it’s textured appearance are owed to the expert build techniques. When building the pedestal, SNOT (stud not on top) is used to expose the bottom of the curved discs and used again as pilasters by way of vent pieces and plates. Modular building is used on the corner stones with alternating layers of discs and studs to give it a lattice look. Further up the pedestal is the observation deck which features clever use of spacing for the walking path and doorways. My favorite element here is the use of 2x1s with a middle clip and 2 slope pieces on top creating clever porticos for the doorways. The statue herself is elegant and features SNOT, technic pegs, hinges, and modular building of the arm and torch. Perhaps the most interesting feature is the long technic piece with holes for pegs on the end. The top is connected to the bottom of the statue’s feet while the bottom is connected to the pedestal. This is all done internally, out of sight, and is used to maintain rigidity throughout build and preventing the statue from falling off her base. (Chef’s kiss).

The price tag of roughly $120 is not unreasonable for its look and its piece count, but for some reason it feels too high. I found this set on sale and have seen it regularly on sale which gives me the impression others feel the same. Including a minifig version of the Statue of Liberty would help with the heartburn but would be tacky and out of theme.

One star for playability is fair. It looks amazing, but doesn’t do anything. She is not to scale of the minifigures or microfigures which doesn’t help. Add 1 ghost point if you’re adding this to your city scape, or building a climactic fight scene with your super heroes.

Whether you’re a fan of Lego themes like Architecture, City, or super heroes, she should join your collection. She also makes a great gift for an adult who loves sculptures, Americana, or even puzzles.