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1.5 million LEGO blocks for family day out
BRICKLIVE runs from June 7 to 17 at PIK Avenue mall in North Jakarta. A ticket will grant access to approximately 1.5 million LEGO bricks spread across 16 play areas.
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Depending on perspective, a pile of LEGOs can be either a giant hassle to clean up or a limitless source of creativity. (Shutterstock.com/MeskPhotography )
Depending on perspective, a pile of LEGOs can be either a giant hassle to clean up or a limitless source of creativity.
LEGO fans in Indonesia will surely rejoice with the arrival of BRICKLIVE, a multiday LEGO event from Britain that promises to be a fun-filled activity for the whole family this holiday season.
BRICKLIVE runs from June 7 to 17 at PIK Avenue mall in North Jakarta. A ticket will grant access to approximately 1.5 million LEGO bricks spread across 16 play areas. Children and adults alike can enjoy building creations with themes ranging from architecture to sci-fi.
The Technic Zone allows one to create heavy machinery and vehicles, while the City Zone offers the opportunity to create your very own cityscape, not unlike a live-action SimCity game.
For those that want something more interactive than just building houses, head over to the Race Track to construct a racecar, which can be raced in a competition.
Those who are geographically inclined can head to the Map Build zone, where a giant map of Indonesia made out of LEGOs is displayed, allowing them to recreate the myriad of Indonesian islands from the themed blocks.
Mark Guest, the global press officer of BRICKLIVE, said he hoped the event could push both parents and children to play together while learning.
“I would encourage people to give LEGOs to their children because you can do it together. I sit at home with my children and [we] build together. We watch different television shows, but LEGO brings us together as a family unit.”
BRICKLIVE is known for its brick pits, and its stop in Indonesia brought three pits in red, green and purple. Each pit allows people to explore their creativity in their creations or simply offer a good photo opportunity. One of the more common poses is to bury yourself until only your face is visible and have someone else take your photo from above.
However, the blocks are rather small, and parents who are worried about choking hazards may want to visit the Duplo pits, which have noticeably larger blocks.
LEGO is also known for its many collaborations, from DC and Marvel superheroes to the wizards of Harry Potter. BRICKLIVE dedicated a section for LEGO’s Star Wars tie-in, allowing attendees to recreate famous scenes from the movie or even a scale model Starfighter.
LEGO’s collaboration with cult favorite sandbox video game Minecraft is also present. As Minecraft is a computer-based title, a number of computers are provided so that visitors can construct a digital rendition of their creations or vice versa.
After a full day of playing, attendees might be tempted to leave their names on the Brick Graffiti Wall using LEGOs, which will be displayed for the remainder of the event.
However, those who are feeling proud of their creations are not allowed to take them home, so make sure to have enough space in your phone for pictures.
BRICKLIVE’s Indonesian visit is the first stop in the event’s Southeast Asian tour, with another event scheduled in July for LEGO fans in Bangkok, marked with a life-size tuk-tuk (Thailand’s three-wheeled motorized vehicle) made out of LEGO. Jakarta is the fifth city to host the event to date. Previously, it was held in Birmingham in the United Kingdom, Basel in Switzerland, Tokyo and Seoul.
Indonesian fans also have something to be proud of, as a LEGO recreation of the National Monument (Monas) is also displayed. BRICKLIVE also reached out to local LEGO communities, who displayed their creations as well.
While a scale model of the castle from Disney’s Frozen will surely be a hit with younger visitors, a touch of Nusantara is also present in a LEGO Komodo and TransJakarta shelter, complete with the iconic bus and passing bajaj (three-wheeled motorized vehicle).
One of the more complicated recreations includes a traditional house and a scale model of the Borobudur temple, which reportedly took three months to make.
Guest said the event was made by LEGO fans, for LEGO fans of all ages.
“BRICKLIVE wants to educate the public on the benefits of LEGO as a learning tool for children. LEGO can help improve a child’s motor capabilities, as well as their emotional intelligence and ability to stay focused,” he said.
Ticket prices start at Rp 175,000 (US$12.60). An extra Rp 100,000 can get you a VIP ticket that allows you to enter at 9 a.m., an hour earlier than regular ticket holders and the mall’s normal opening hours. (jlm)
