I loved playing with Lego as a child. I used to spend hours creating sets and storylines for my Lego people, and I even had a pirate ship (which, unfortunately, the parents gave away when I got older – something which I’m still butt hurt about.) After the age of 12, my Lego sets were relegated to storage because at the time, it was considered a children’s toy, and not very cool for teens to play with.

As my generation grew up, however, I think LEGO realised how much potential there was in tapping into this market — which is why we’ve been seeing more Adult Lego products on the market, especially in the last decade. The early series like the Technic were geared more towards hardcore builders and collectors – but in recent years they’ve released some interesting collections that appeal to a more mass audience, such as the Architecture and Wall Art series, which actually make for vibrant pieces of home decor.

Some of these beautiful pieces are on display at LEGO’s latest ‘Let’s Go Paris’ pop-up at The Exchange, TRX, which is running until 25 August 2024. Tucked in a corner on the ground floor, the space has been transformed into a Parisian ‘street’ of sorts, complete with quaint alfresco dining areas ala Paris’s famous cafes, a LEGO Eiffel tower, flower carts, and an art gallery and museum showcasing LEGO artwork inspired by the city of light and love.

LEGO’s Poscard series features iconic landmarks from major cities around the world, designed to look like pop-up postcards. I think these would look lovely on the fridge door in place of tacky magnets that you always get as souvenirs from that family member / friend who loves globetrotting.

For those who fancy a pop of retro in their homes, there’s the Typewriter (left) from the IDEAS series, the design of which was inspired by the one used by the LEGO founder himself. It comes in mint green, which was common for typewriting machines in the 1950s.

I am old enough to have used a typewriter – my mum’s office used to have one, so when none of her colleagues were using it, she’d let me wile the hours away click-clacking on the keys and typing random stories – so this brings back a lot of fond memories! Just like an actual typewriter, the LEGO set has typebars that can move, and a brick-built platen roller that you can feed real sheets of paper into.

The Retro Radio from the ICON series, on the other hand, resembles a transistor radio from the 1970s. There’s a space inside where you can place your smart phone, turning it into a ‘real’ radio.

Of course, one can’t have a Parisian pop-up and not have one of the most iconic pieces of French art – the Mona Lisa. This is one of Lego’s newest wall art pieces and it’s not available yet in stores, but you can pre-order them here and have it shipped out / pick up in store in October. To more faithfully recreate the ‘original’ feel of the painting before its colours faded with age, the LEGO version comes in more vibrant shades of blue in the background.

Other wall art pieces, including those of famous works like Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night, and Hokusai’s The Great Wave of Kanagawa. On top is a colourful Milky Way piece, comprising over 3,000 pieces.

Architecture fans will enjoy the Architecture series that features iconic historical buildings from around the world, such as the Notre Dame set, which faithfully recreates various details such as the building’s curved rear, bell towers, and more. The roof of the cathedral is also removable, so you can view the beautiful details inside.

Other sets from these series that were on display included the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is actually half of a pyramid as the back showcases a cross section of how the tombs and passages within would have looked like.

Aside from buildings and objects, LEGO also carries flora and fauna-themed pieces too, which are some of my favourite among the collections because they look so colourful and lively.

The Botanical Series comprises flowers and blooms, some which come complete with their own vases. I was torn between getting the bonsai tree (which has a dual look – you can either have the leaves in green, or flip them to pink. I didn’t realise it until the Hubs pointed out to me that the pink ‘flowers’ are actually tiny frogs!) and the roses. I ended up getting the roses: scroll down to see how the final put-together piece looks like!

The area outside the ‘museum’ has been set up like an al fresco cafe, complete with tea sets. You’ll find the Eiffel Tower set from Lego’s Travel and History series just next to the gallery. At over 10,000 pieces, putting together this marvelous structure is no mean feat. It measures as tall as a short person (150cm) once done, so you’ll definitely need some space in your home.

Flower shops are also a thing in Paris, and the event showcased this through a splendid display of LEGO’s Botanical collections. It was here that I fell in love with the Roses set and despite having gone to the event keen on just looking, I couldn’t resist lol.

Wall of LEGO and fake blooms.

Lego’s “Let’s Go Paris” pop-up is happening until 25 August 2024 at The Urban Node Atrium, Ground Floor, The Exchange TRX. You’ll get to buy some unique sets and there are lots of fun activities going on too where you can win vouchers and prizes, like speed-building contests and such.

My Bouquet of Roses set, which comprises 822 pieces forming 12 rose stalks and 4 baby breath stalks. Box of Bricks, the official store for the event, was running a promotion so I got it at RM200 instead of the usual RM269. I also got a free membership and a limited edition ‘passport’, which I can get stamped at travel retail stores in airports, LEGOLAND Malaysia, and selected LEGO Certified Stores.

The set was not too difficult to put together, but the construction is quite delicate – just like real flowers. Some of the smaller parts like the thorns and petals are prone to coming loose if I moved them too much. It took about 2 hours to complete it.

End result ! Since the set doesn’t come with its own vase, I bought a glass one from SSFHome. Dare I say it looks gorgeous? I stay in a rented unit and it’s pretty spartan coz I know the living arrangement might not be long term. This is also why I haven’t gotten many decorative items – but this is one purchase where I’m a happy camper. It makes the house feel like a home.

Shop LEGO sets for adults and children here.