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15 November 2022

LEGO® 10307 Eiffel Tower: Designer interview with Rok Žgalin Kobe

Posted by Tim Johnson

The next LEGO® ICONS™set will be the tallest LEGO set to date: a new version of that most iconic of landmarks, the Eiffel Tower. We got to speak with LEGO Senior Designer Rok Žgalin Kobe at Fan Media Days in Billund, Denmark in September. Rok discusses their approach, and the challenges of designing such a huge set. 

LEGO® ICONS™ 10307 Eiffel Tower
US$629.99/ £554.99/ €629.99 / AU$999.99/ CA$799.99
10,001 parts
25 November 2022
Preordering or buying from LEGO.com? Please consider using our affiliate links, we may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop.

Watch interview with the LEGO Eiffel Tower designer 

For the first time, I'm trying out a video interview! I 'warn' you desktop users, it is filmed in portrait mode.

Look out for our towering review of the set by TobyMac later this week! 

Here is some of the information and imagery we received from the LEGO Group.

Press release reveal of the new LEGO® Eiffel Tower set 


Embodying the famous landmark’s height and standout architecture, this towering LEGO set reaches a magnificent 149cm / 58inches / 4.8ft tall once built, making it the ultimate statement in brick form.


A magnificent way to add a new display piece to your home, the 10,001 piece set is designed to authentically replicate the momentous wrought iron tower – complete with the beautiful truss-work, three observation platforms, landscaping, elevators, an office at the top and a broadcast tower and the Tricolore flag at its peak. The set can also be separated into four sections, making it manageable to build, move and play with.


The Eiffel tower was constructed from 1887 to 1889 as the centrepiece of the 1889 World's Fair.  Despite receiving initial criticism for its design, it has since become a global, cultural icon and one of the most recognisable structures in the world. 



Describing the process of designing the new set, Rok Žgalin Kobe, LEGO Designer comments: “We wanted to find the ultimate LEGO expression for the engineering and architectural masterpiece that is the Eiffel tower. We followed the structural principles of the original tower as closely as the LEGO System would allow. During the build you’ll uncover interesting, novel LEGO building techniques that bring the tower’s architectural features to life in LEGO bricks. Once complete you can imagine the breath-taking feeling of standing at the top and looking across the rich history of the city of Paris. It is the perfect set for travel and architecture fans alike.”

READ MORE: Eero Okkonen examines part 80319, the Adhesive Patch from LEGO® DOTS 

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7 comments:

  1. Andrew Barnick15 Nov 2022, 16:14:00

    Really amazing set, and incredibly well-done interview! I always love to hear directly from designers about the unique challenges a model involved, and nowhere is that more evident than in a model this large and engineering-intensive!

    The design of this is really top-notch. Because of the truss structure of the Eiffel Tower, no previous Lego version of this (being smaller and simpler) has really fully captured the intricacy of the design, but the techniques used here to recreate the trusses (even with such complex geometry that shifts throughout) are really top-notch. I also see that the new road plates have been used to good effect for the base of the model, giving it an attractive tiled surface that can be reinforced easily from below.

    I doubt I have the space or budget for this, but it really is a phenomenal set.

    ReplyDelete
  2. murdoch1715 Nov 2022, 18:47:00

    In case you NewE guys want to know preference: I prefer reading interviews. To me, it's much easier that way in case you want to reread something to just go back a line, rather than have to figure out where it was in the entire interview's timeline to the second.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andrew Barnick15 Nov 2022, 19:34:00

      Normally, I would agree with you—but I did also find it helpful in this interview how the designer could not just talk about the set but also manipulate it to show off particular features. A nice middle ground would be to include an interview transcript alongside the video.

      Delete
    2. Håkan S.15 Nov 2022, 22:32:00

      I'm a fast reader, and I try to save bandwidth whenever I can, so I'm basically in your camp.

      Delete
    3. Nicouse19 Nov 2022, 20:49:00

      Totally agreed. In fact I won't even watch the interview in the end.

      Delete
    4. Elspeth De Montes4 Dec 2022, 18:24:00

      Rok has ha habit of talking and also demonstrating his point with the model and pointing at parts. Previously we thought that a transcribed interview missed some of these moments. I agree with murdoch17 in general terms as I also prefer speed reading something to watching a video (Im not a you tube fan at all as Id rather read fast). Thanks for the feedback all!

      Delete
  3. MinifigMan18 Nov 2022, 08:24:00

    I love the video interview. There's a lot of interesting information in it. The fact that the designer can point at what he's talking about is very convenient.

    But can it please be landscape next time? You can rotate your phone just fine, but I can't rotate my laptop... so landscape videos can be viewed full screen by all users and portrait videos cannot.

    ReplyDelete