Complete, step-by-step instructions

for four multistory buildings

Dozens of inspiring ideas to use
in your own models
Mini builds for a recliner, old-time
lamp post, traffic light, and more
A gallery of the authors designs
J aso n Ly l e s

For ages 10+

I n s i d e yo u l l f i n d:

B u il d you r ow n tow n ! B r ia n Ly l e s a n d J a s on Ly le s

In The LEGO Neighborhood Book, youll create buildings with real-world details
like cornices and facades, and try your hand at interior design by filling your
buildings with furniture and light fixtures. Then add the finishing touches to your
models with plants, traffic lights, scaffolding, and park benches. Snap together a
few houses, shops, and apartment buildings to create your own neighborhood!

the lego Neighborhood book

B r i a n Lyles

$19.95 ($20.95 CDN)

This book is not authorized or

No S tarch
pr ess

endorsed by the LEGO Group.

S h e lv e i n : H o b b i e s / L EGO

the le g o
Ne i g h b o r h o o dbook

B u i l d t h e LE G O Town
of You r D r eam s!

No Starch
press

B uil d your ow n tow n ! B ria n Lyl es a nd Jason Ly les

t h e leg o
N eig h b or h o o d book

Bu ild yo ur ow n tow n! B r ia n Lyl e s a n d J a s o n Lyl es

The LEGO Neighborhood Book. Copyright 2014 by Brian Lyles and Jason Lyles.
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval
system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher.
Printed in China
First Printing
18 17 16 15 14

123456789

ISBN-10: 1-59327-571-4
ISBN-13: 978-1-59327-571-6
Publisher: William Pollock
Production Editor: Alison Law
Cover Design: Beth Middleworth
Cover Illustration and Selected 3D Renders: Mattia Zamboni
Developmental Editor: Tyler Ortman
Copyeditor: Rachel Monaghan
Compositors: Ryan Byarlay and Riley Hoffman
Proofreaders: Laurel Chun and Lisa Devoto Farrell
For information on distribution, translations, or bulk sales please contact
No Starch Press, Inc. directly:
No Starch Press, Inc.
245 8th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
phone: 415.863.9900; fax: 415.863.9950; info@nostarch.com; www.nostarch.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lyles, Brian.
The LEGO neighborhood book : build your own town! / by Brian Lyles and Jason Lyles.
pages cm
Audience: Age 10.
ISBN-10: 1-59327-571-4
ISBN-13: 978-1-59327-571-6
1. Neighborhoods--Models--Juvenile literature. 2. City planning--Juvenile literature. 3. LEGO
toys--Juvenile literature. I. Lyles, Jason. II. Title.
TD160.L95 2014
688.725--dc23
2014022194
No Starch Press and the No Starch Press logo are registered trademarks of No Starch Press, Inc. All
trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective holders. Rather than use a trademark
symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, we areusing the names only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark.
LEGO, the Brick and Knob configurations, and the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group, which
does not authorize or endorse this book.
The information in this book is distributed on an As Is basis, without warranty. While every precaution
has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither the authors nor No Starch Press, Inc. shall have
any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused
directly or indirectly by the information contained in it.
Production Date: 6/10/14
Plant & Location: Printed by Everbest Printing (Guangzhou, China), Co. Ltd
Job / Batch #: 116492.2

Contents
Pr e face. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
1 Getting Started with th e Caf
Cor n e r Stan dar d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Base Size. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Connecting theBuildings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The Sidewalk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Building Depth and Height. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Creating Stackable Levels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Go Your Own Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Buying Bricks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2 Th e D e s i g n Pr o ce ss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Choosing Colors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Accent Colors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Trim Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Symmetry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Get Started!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3 B r i ck s E ve rywh e r e. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4 Th e D etai l s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Roof Moldings andCornices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Columns and Railings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Windows and Shutters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Plant Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Newspaper Racks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Fire Hydrants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Parking Meters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Benches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Park Bench . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
City Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Traffic Light. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Street Light. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

= pages with building instructions

5 Th e I nte r i or. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Living Room. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Console Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Shelving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
TVs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Seating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Recliner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Plants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Art. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Kitchen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Appliances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Cabinets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Sinks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Dining Room. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Bedroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
King Bed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Dressers and Nightstands. . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Kids Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Kids Race Car Bed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Bathroom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Bathtub. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Commercial Buildings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Restaurant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Hotel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Jewelry Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
6 M od u lar B u i ld i n g Galle ry . . . . . 67
Mini Modulars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
C or n e r D r u gstor e. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
H ou s e s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Parisian Apartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Colonial RowHouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Canal Ring House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

143
144
167
175
182

Preface
We loved playing with LEGO when we were kids,
and like a lot of kids, we dreamed of becoming
LEGO designers when we grew up. But also like
most other kids, we put our LEGO bricks away in
the attic when we reached our early teens.
When we came back to LEGO as adults, we
marveled at the things people were buildingthe
astounding models featured online.
What really turned our heads, though, were
the amazing minifig-scale buildings that LEGO
had released. There was a wonderful community
of builders trying to emulate the modular building style and improve upon it, too. We first fell in
love with the Fire Brigade (set #10197). The rest,
as they say, is history.

Hi, Im Jason.
I work as a
software engineer.

This book is dedicated to Jack, Ben,

Joshua, Virginia, Ellie, and Daisy.

Weve built dozens of models since buying

our Fire Brigade; theres just something irresistible
about using little building blocks to create models
that emulate architectural details, creating a miniature world. You can find building instructions for
many of these models at our website, http://www
.brickcitydepot.com/.
We wrote this book to share our passion. We
hope you get lots of ideas for building your own
models in these pages.

My name is Brian, and

Ima videographer.
Well be your tour
guides. Lets get going!

Getting Started
with the
Caf Corner
Standard

Before you can make your own beautiful buildings, youll need
to understand the fundamentals. If youve ever built the LEGO
Groups official modular building kits, then you already know
the basics of how LEGO buildings can be connected to form
streets, neighborhoods, and cities. If youre new to modular
buildings, then youll want to pay special attention. Youll need
this knowledge to make sure that the buildings you create line
up with official LEGO sets.
In October 2007, the LEGO Group released its first
modular building, Caf Corner (set #10182). This first building
set the standard (sometimes called the Caf Corner Standard)
for how all later modular buildings would connect to one another
and how the sidewalk would look. This style of building was
developed by Jamie Berard, a designer at LEGO, and then
embraced by a community of fans.

The buildings connect to

form a block or row of
buildings.

Base Size

Small shops and narrow

houses work better with
the 1632 baseplate, butthe
depth of each lot needs
to be 32 studs, even at a
narrower width.

All modular building sets to date use a

3232-stud base, composed of either a
single 3232 plate or two 1632 plates.
So, to adhere to the standard, you need
to build in 16-stud-wide increments too:
1632, 3232, 4832, and so forth. You
can, of course, create larger buildings by
combining baseplates.

A 1632 plate versus

a 3232 square plate

Chapter 1

Connecting
theBuildings
Buildings are connected to one another at the
base via LEGO Technic pins. Youll use four
Technic bricks (part #3700) and two Technic
pins (part #2780) for each connection.
Of course, you must space these Technic
bricks consistently to match other buildings.
For a corner building, the placement of the
Technic bricks remains the same: the 9-stud,
10-stud, 9-stud pattern shown at right.

9 studs
10 studs
9 studs

Even though you dont have a building yet, youll want to

place these Technic parts first for planning purposes.

9 studs 9 studs
10 studs
9 studs

10 studs
9 studs

Technic pins hold your town together.

They also allow you to build houses
separately and connect them when
youre finished.

Corner buildings maintain the same connections at the

same spacing, just on a different side of the plate.

G ett i n g S ta r te d w i t h t h e C a f C o r n e r S ta n d a r d

The Sidewalk

The sidewalk has a standard depth as well, but it has

more options for versatility. Sidewalks may have stoops,
staircases, flower boxes, or other details protruding from
the building.
In the image below, you can see the first row of studs
has light grey tiles covering it.
The second row of sidewalk studs is primarily made
up of 12 dark bluish-grey tiles. This second row of studs
also has two 12 tile grills that represent sewer grates,
spaced six studs away from the outside edge of the plate.
The next four rows of studs are occupied by 22 dark
grey tiles running from left to right. The seventh row of the
sidewalk is also made up of 12 dark grey tiles.
The eighth and last row of the sidewalk is made up of
light grey tiles.

A finished sidewalk

A corner building will have a sidewalk

on two edges of its baseplate, often with
a design or colored pattern at the corner
of the sidewalk.
All LEGO modular buildings also
feature a white lamp post on the right side
of the sidewalk. The exact placement is
always different. Youll want to decide on
the best place for lamp posts in your own
models. For example, if your building has
a door on the right side, you could move a
lamp post to the rightmost edge. Several
official LEGO buildings place the lamp
post right beside another object, like a fire
hydrant or a mailbox, to keep the rest of
the sidewalk clear for pedestrians.

The lamp post is usually

on the right side.

This pattern gives a pop

of color to the sidewalk.

The sidewalk forms

a display base for
the building itself,
so take the time to
customize it to match
the building.

Building
Depth and
Height
With your sidewalk complete and your Technic bricks
in place, you can get started with the building itself.
While theres an effective minimum of 15 studs for
the depth of your building (the distance between the
Technic bricks, plus a single row of studs in front),
there are really no other rules. The depth of the
building can vary from 15 to 24 studs, and some
builders choose to make it very shallow from front
to back to save pieces or to give their inhabitants a
backyard. If you are creating a building with a large
interior, you can build all the way to the back row of
studs on the plate to allow for more space inside.
The height of the building and each floor is an
aesthetic and practical decision. Most builders add at
least one or two bricks above a doorframe before the
next level starts. Some buildings have vaulted ceilings
on the first floor or a big lobby, so the first floor would
need to be much taller to accommodate the interior
requirements. The buildings height is up to you, but
remember that the sidewalls of taller buildings are
visible when placed next to a shorter building. If you
have a really tall building, consider adding windows
(or other spots of visual interest) to the sides of the
building to break up the flat, boring walls.

Creating
Stackable
Levels
Why are they called modular buildings, anyway? Its
not just the buildings that can be connected. Each
building has stackable levels that you can remove to
see inside; theyre composed of modules that you can
build separately from the whole. Around the top of the
walls there is a layer of tiles so the next level can sit on
the level below without grabbing any studs.

Tiles go around the top of the walls so the level above

wont connect to the one below.

Chapter 1

There are several ways of locking

the levels in place. One method is
to place plates around the edges
onthebottom of the level, as shown
in the image to the right. This keeps
the level above from sliding off or
moving around.
Another method is to use a few
studs on the level below to grab the
level above. The trick is using just
enough studs to keep the level from
moving but not enough to keep it
locked in place. Sometimes when you
use this method, the plates will lift off
and stick to the level above.

The plates placed at the edge of this

structure effectively form a lip.

Experiment with
different ways of
locking the levels
together.

A minimum number of studs allows for

a modular connection.

G ett i n g S ta r te d w i t h t h e C a f C o r n e r S ta n d a r d

Go Your
Own Way
Now that you know the standards, feel free to
completely ignore them!
Why would we spend the time laying out the
standards and then tell you to ignore them? You
have to know the rules before you can know how
to break them, right? Look around the city where
you live, especially if theres an older part of town.
Theres no standard in real life; most of the cities
we live in are charmingly chaotic. Buildings come
in different shapes, sizes, widths, and architectural styles. Sometimes buildings have alleyways
between them or large trees out front; some
may be recessed from the road, while others are
almost on top of it; some may be very skinny, while
others are very wide; and some are two stories, or
four stories, or more. Experiment!

The modular building

theme is your
inspiration, not an
exacting standard
atleast, thats how
we approach it.

Buying
Bricks
If you dont already know about BrickLink, put
down this book and go to http://bricklink.com/
right now. BrickLink is a huge aftermarket website
where thousands of sellers from all over the
world sell millions of individual LEGO pieces
in just about every part and color combination
evermade.

Chapter 1

The Design
Process
Get out and take
some pictures of the
buildings you would
like to build.

The first step of any build is deciding what type of

building to make. You should have a good idea of what
you are going to buildwhether its a police station,
a house, or a restaurantbefore you actually start.
Once youve decided, you have two options: you can
either build something entirely from memory, or you
can find real inspiration. Just like artists sketching or
painting, youll likely find reference material invaluable.
If youre at a total loss about what to build, a good
way to get started is to visit areas that feature buildings you like. Youll start to notice architectural details
and design. Take pictures of complete buildings or
parts that you want to add to your own design.
And if you want to build something inspired from
another country, just hop online. Search the Web for
images, use Google Street View, fly over cities using
Google Earth, or treat yourself to a 3D birds-eye view
using Bing Maps. You can drive down almost any
street in the world today, for free. You can also search
for specific buildings (like a fire station, museum, or
city hall) or even a certain architectural style.

Choosing
Colors
Houses and businesses come in all shapes and
colors. Adding vibrant colors to your houses
can look great and bring some life into your city,
but you might also want to throw in some more
realistically colored houses, using dark red for
brick houses, as well as white, tan, and some
darker colors. Dark blue, dark green, dark orange,
and dark tan all give a house some color without
being over the top. The muted sand colors such
as sand blue and sand green look great, too. On
the right are some examples of modular buildings
in these colors.
Using primary colors such as red and blue
might not be your first pick, but when done properly, as in the Notting Hillinspired houses on the
next page, these colors can look great.
One key factor in determining the color
for the house or building is the parts you have
available to you. Its a good idea to check the
color guide inthe BrickLink catalog (http://www
.bricklink.com/catalog.asp) to see which pieces
are made in the color you want to use. Certain
plate and brick lengths arent made in every color,
so this can restrict how you build certain parts of
the model.

10

Chapter 2

Clockwise from top left: dark blue

and tan, dark orange, dark tan,
sand blue, and dark red

Accent
Colors
Great-looking LEGO buildings have
one thing in common: they use color
thoughtfully. Having a main color and
accent colors can really help your model
look cohesive and realistic.
When inventing your own color combinations, you can use the color wheel
to help you determine what colors would
look good together. Opposites (that is,
colors across from each other on a color
wheel) attract. The Internet is also full of
tools for real-life homeowners planning
to paint their houses exteriors. Different
architectural styles often have common
color schemes. Take advantage of any
resource available to you while planning.
Lets see how you can use accent
colors to help bring the model alive.

This build was inspired by

two houses in Notting Hill,
London.

I discovered these
houses through
Google Images
and used Flickr and
Google Maps to view
more angles.

The Design Process

11

On this brownstone house, the main colors

are tan and brown. The accent color is black,
which you can see in the street lamp, awning,
windows, and railings.
This row house uses dark tan for the
garage door and roof area to help break
up the dark green and white.

12

Chapter 2

This brownstone
house was inspired
by a house in
New York City.

The Victorian
row house is a
composite design
based on several
different houses
in SanFrancisco.

Is that a
batsignal
upthere?

In this police station, black was used for the railing, windows,
and light fixtures, while light bluish-grey was used in
conjunction with dark bluish-grey to mimic stone.

The Design Process

13

Trim Color
One natural place to use an accent color
is the trim of a building. While the realworld use of fancy trim and molding has
definitely decreased over the years, it
can still give your building some pizzazz.
Choose a contrasting color, just like
any other kind of accent color. White or
wood-color is common.

Different styles of architecture

take very different approaches
to trim size and color.

Symmetry
Symmetry is important when it comes
to architecture. On the facing page are
some examples that illustrate symmetry
in a buildings design.
Keeping the length of the bricks
uniform on the front of the building can
showcase a commitment to symmetry
and enhance the look of the model.
You can apply the same rule of symmetry to tiles and plates. Taking the time
to make a flawless, symmetrical facade
goes a long way toward making your
model look professional and complete.

Different kinds of buildings will

have different kinds of symmetries.

On the left, you can see a model that uses different

Uniform bricks mimic the regular

pieces on its left and right sides. The example on the

appearance of real masonry.

right shows a more pleasing, symmetrical facade.

Get Started!
Just start building. Youre going to make
mistakes along the way. Youll make designs
that look terrible and nothing like what you
imagined or nothing like what youre trying
to copy. Dont get discouraged. For every
building we make that we like enough to use
for instructional purposes, theres another
building we made that turned out horribly.
Dont forget about stepping away from the
problem, too. We currently have 10 buildings
set aside because theres some aspect of
each building that we havent figured out how
to fix yet.
Sometimes when we get stuck with a
part of a building, we will make that part of
the model easily detachable. That way, we
can build multiple versions of a section of
the building and pop them on and off to see
which version looks the best.

16

Chapter 2

Probably the most important time-saving

tip we can offer for the design process is
to spend your time refining the facade until
youre happy with it. The facade is what
faces the street, so its what gets seen first.
If your building is sandwiched between
other buildings in a display, the facade may
be the only part of the building that shows.
Weve spent a lot of time building interiors,
sidewalls, and rear walls on buildings that we
ultimately abandoned because we couldnt
make the facade look like we wanted it to.

So now you have an idea,

but are you unsure how to
translate it into LEGO form?
Thenext chapter discusses
how torecognize pieces in the
everyday world around us.

Aahhh,
all I see are
bricks!

Bricks
Everywhere

As youre building, try to imagine the reallife reference building as a giant LEGO
model. As crazy as that might sound, it
will help you identify which architectural
details actually look like individual LEGO
pieces already. And on some projects,
you will find a piece you just have to use,
and this will help determine the scale of
the model, too.
If the building is made of cement
blocks, stones, or bricks, you might
consider using 12 bricks or only plates
to give it a look that mimics real masonry.
Above is an example of using 12 bricks
to model a brick wall.
There are other ways to create a
simple brick wall, too. Check out the
examples on the right.

18

Chapter 3

Try to expand on
these ideas and
create your own
unique walls.

In the picture to the right, you

can see a window with an interesting
frame. How many pieces can you
see right away? You can imagine
those slopes and the grills at first
glance. Of course, after you choose
the pieces necessary to create an
object, youll need to determine how
to actually attach those pieces to a
building.

On the side of this building,

there are rows of bricks that have
vertical grooves. The brick on the
right immediately comes to mind.

Breaking up a flat wall with

textured pieces and other
details can provide visual
interest and add character
to your building.

B r i c k s E v e ry w h e r e

19

The slope and cone at right

nicely mimic the trim on this
yellow house.

Some patterns might not be

obvious at first. Check out the
pattern on the right side of this
wall. A similar look could be built
with 2/3 slopes as shown.

The green awning below

has a curved shape. In the
picture on the right, you can see
the curved bricks that would
match that shape.

A sticker on the
front of that awning
would really help
complete the look.

Several parts of this building immediately

stand out, such as the white arch above the door
and the door itself. The black grills could be used
on a brick-built door, and this white arch matches
up nicely.

The real-world house above was

the inspiration for the model below.

This molding features

shapes that look like flowers.
This big flower is a good
match.

B r i c k s E v e ry w h e r e

21

The top of this classic Ionic

column has decorative corners,
which you can emulate with two
parts.

You could also

use this Technic
brick to hold the
11 round plates.
Of course, that
will change their
look, too.

Between these windows is

a decorative element that looks
like a row of round plates.

22

Chapter 3

The arch over the curved windows

shown here is an easy build: use a 14
arch over a window with a round top. The
white door rails at the bottom represent
the window ledge.

Think creatively and look at your

pieces from all angles. The square part
between the top and bottom columns
on this building looks like a 11 brick or
plate turned on its side.

A stud fits perfectly

into a Technic bricks
pinhole. You could use
this brick to attach the
brick or plate to the
facade.

B r i c k s E v e ry w h e r e

23

You can simulate the black wrought

iron work shown on the left using this
14 fence lattice piece.

This detail work above this

doorway looks complicated at first,
but with the right pieces you can
approximate the look.

24

C h a p te r 3

The supports for this balcony look

almost exactly like the 12, 45-degree
inverted slope.

So many
slopes to
choose
from!

The supports under this window ledge

feature slopes as well, but perhaps a studs not
on top (SNOT) technique would look better here.

You could
make a larger
curved railing
using hinge
plates.

The railing in this example is obvious, but on

the right side of the building you can see trim that
looks like a LEGO plate turned on its side, facing
outward.
This corner brick pattern looks like tiles
attached to the side of the building. You could
also achieve this look using only bricks.

26

Chapter 3

4
The Details
Lets take a
closer look at
the components
that make up the
exterior of a
building.

Details are key to making your building

unique. The way you make the windows,
the trim, the colors, the lights, and allthe
decorations in between is what sets each
model apart. In this chapter, well explore
the details of building exteriors.

Turret

Sign

Rooftop AC unit

Railing

Dormer

Brick pattern

Awning
Decorative
doorway

Sidewalk post
This corner store
was inspired by a
jewelry store in
Amsterdam.

28

Chapter 4

False facade

Cornice

Decorative
window trim

Columns

Brick-built
garage door

Handrail

Plate-built
flowers

T h e D e ta i l s

29

Roof Moldings
andCornices

30

Chapter 4

Here are a few examples of real-world trim molding

along rooflines. Which pieces could be used to
replicate these looks?
With so many different LEGO parts, there are bound
to be several combinations you can use to get the look
you want. Check out these examples of trim, which use
a variety of methods for similar effects.

Lights

One way to help break up a flat wall is to

add a light. You can add one or two beside
a door or space them out evenly to light the
whole sidewalk. Check out these samples
to get an idea of different designs.

T h e D e ta i l s

31

Columns and Railings

Look over these pictures and try to
imagine which LEGO pieces you
would use.
You can make columns any number of ways, from simple to complex
(often using SNOT techniques).
Railings and fences can be very
simple, or you can use more ornate
pieces to create a balustrade.

32

Chapter 4

Windows and Shutters

Windows are so important to a buildings
look that architects sometimes call them
the eyes of a structure. Check out
these examples of how to create vastly
different looks by using various pieces in
and around the windows.
For a long time, LEGO made windows that had shutter tabs that could
hold shutter pieces. More recent window pieces dont have those built in, but
you can still make shutters using other
elements.

The more windows

you have, the easier
it is to see all the
details inside the
building.

T h e D e ta i l s

33

Plant Life
Bring your building to life with some plants and
trees. Check out these examples of trees, bushes,
ivy, and even a greenhouse.

You can stack a

simple piece like
this to make a
nice shrubbery.
Greenery
helps the
building
come alive.

Newspaper
Racks

Take a walk down a typical sidewalk, and youll

see there is a lot more than just flat, grey cement.
Adding real-world details can give your building
even more flair.
Usually you see these newspaper or magazine
dispensers grouped together on street corners.

Ah, thats
where I left
my mug!

Fire
Hydrants

Here are a few examples of how to make a fire

hydrant. You can mix up the colors to match a
certain city that you are trying to copy.

Parking
Meters
A quarter only gets
me five minutes?
Itstough parking
inthe city!

Want some parking meters to line

the streets of your LEGO city? Here
are a few ways to make some.

Benches
Here are a few examples of different
benches and a bus shelter.

36

C h a pt e r 4

Park Bench
Try
building
this one.

T h e D e ta i l s

37

I am not
gettingup on
that rickety thing!

City Living
Give your street some visual interest
with a bike rack, newsstand, or some
scaffolding. Perhaps some workers
could be repainting or fixing up a house.

38

Chapter 4

Your city needs stoplights to help

control the flow of traffic. You can build a
simple light on the side of the street or go
more elaborate and have one that hangs
over the street.

Im starting to think
that Pushto Cross
button is a placebo just
like the CloseDoors
button in an elevator.

You arent limited to the simple lamp post that

LEGO provides; there are many unique lamp posts
out there that are begging to be made in LEGO scale.
Take a look at some of these examples and see if you
can figure out how they were made.

T h e D e ta i l s

39

Traffic Light

40

Chapter 4

T h e D e ta i l s

41

Street Light

42

Chapter 4

5
The Interior
There is an endless
variety of furniture
to use for inspiration,
so lets get started.

Furnishing the inside of your building can

really help complete the overall look of
your creation. In this chapter, we will go
through each room of a house and show
some furniture examples to help you get
started. We hope these designs will
inspire you to tinker and create your own
versions for your building.

Living Room
Lets start with the living room. Try copying the
furniture in your own house as a jumping-off point.
The console table shown here features some
nice fringed table lamps for a retrolook.

Try using SNOT

techniques for
some interestinglooking furniture.

44

Chapter 5

Console Table

T h e I n t e ri o r

45

Shelving
Stand-alone shelves or shelves attached
to the wall can hold personal items and
accessories to give a house character.

TVs
Your minifigs need entertainment, right?
Give them a TV appropriate to the time
period of your city.

46

Chapter 5

12 tiles and
plates on a shelf
can represent books,
magazines, a record
collection, or anything
you can imagine.

That old
blackand
white TV with
the rabbit ears
is classic.

Seating
Using the same color for sofas and chairs
creates the look of a matching set.
There are so many ways to make
chairs that each house could have something unique.

I would love
torecline on
that sofa.

T h e I n t e ri o r

47

Recliner

48

Chapter 5

Lighting
There are countless ways to add lights to
the living space. You could create table
and floor lamps as well as sconces or
ceiling lights.

What other
pieces could
you use to make
a lamp?

T h e I n t e ri o r

49

Plants
Including some plants inside the house
can make your interiors more colorful.

Art
Artwork can really help bring some life
into your room.

Whether its a city skyline,

a portrait, a nature scene,
or something abstract,
apainting can insert some
personality into the build.

50

Chapter 5

With so many
different plant
pieces and
flower colors,
the possibilities
are endless.

Kitchen
Lets step into the kitchen and
see whats cooking.

T h e I n t e ri o r

51

Appliances
These ovens vary only slightly in style, but
you can customize the stove by making
one of the burners red-hot or putting a
pan on top.

Try creating some items similar to

these for your kitchen. A dishwasher,
coffee
maker, microwave, island, and
toaster are just some of the items that
make up the overall look of the kitchen.

Adding the small

details will help
with the big picture.

52

Chapter 5

Adding a range
hood above
your oven really
shows attention
to detail.

Cabinets
Cabinets can be set into the wall to
conserve space, or they can hang
directly on it.

Sinks
Sinks come in different colors, sometimes
to match the appliances.

You can coordinate

the colors of the
table, cabinets, and
countertops.

Exposing
the plumbing
underneath could
provide the look
of a utility sink.

T h e I n t e ri o r

53

Dining Room
Lets take a quick look in the dining room
to see some fancier tables and chairs.
Try making a matching table and
chairs or maybe some barstools for a
counter.

54

Chapter 5

Making the dining

room table larger and
more elegant can help
show that it is different
from the kitchen table.

Try making
a chair that
has arms.

A nice corner
cabinet can show
off the china.

T h e I n t e ri o r

55

Bedroom
Beds come in all shapes and sizes.
Whether it be a canopy, a bunk bed, a
twin, a king, or one that has a mattress
sliding off the frame, a good bed can be
the centerpiece of the room.

56

Chapter 5

Try building the bed

on the next page with
whatever color sheets
you want to use.

King Bed

T h e I n t e ri o r

57

Dressers and Nightstands

Lets look at a few examples of dressers and

nightstands. Nightstands are like bookends for
the bed. To add detail, place objects on them
such as alarm clocks, lamps, or books.

Making a
matching set of
furniture is easy if
you use the same
color hardware.

58

Chapter 5

Kids Rooms
A childs bedroom typically looks really
different from an adults bedroom and
should have furniture and knickknacks to
reflect that.

A race car bed, toys, and

bright colors can help
show that it is a childs
bedroom right away.

T h e I n t e ri o r

59

Kids Race Car Bed

60

Chapter 5

Bathroom
Lets stop by the bathroom to see some
of its components made in LEGO.

Mount a mirror on the wall

above your sink.

These sinks all use the same

bowl but differ underneath.
A simple sink with exposed
plumbing, a sink with an attached
cabinet, and a pedestal sink all
provide unique looks.

Rounding out the bathroom

is the toilet.

T h e I n t e ri o r

61

Bathtub

These stand-alone tubs are great for

larger bathrooms.

You can choose between this tub

with a shower or a stall shower depending on the size of the bathroom.

You could put your

minifigs upper half
in the tub to make
it look like he is
submerged in water.

Commercial
Buildings
Homes are certainly not the only style
of modular building. Here are some
examples of furniture from different
commercial buildings.

Bank
This group of office furniture was used in our
National Bank model.

This elaborate
teller window is
reminiscent of
a bank from the
1930sor1940s.

T h e I n t e ri o r

63

Restaurant
Here are some examples of items found
in a restaurant kitchen. A larger sink, a
prep table, and shelves of ingredients
help fill up the kitchen fast.

The dining area of the restaurant

usually has booths, tables, chairs, a bar,
and some decorative elements like plants
or pictures on the walls.

64

Chapter 5

Hotel

Check out these examples of furniture

that you would find in a hotel room.

The mailbox, flower pedestal, key

machine, and front desk could be found
in the lobby area.

T h e I n t e ri o r

65

Jewelry Store
These display cabinets would look great
in a jewelry or antique store.

Lets move on to
the next chapter
and see a gallery
of completed
buildings.

66

Chapter 5

Modular
Building Gallery

Have a look at some of the modular buildings

that weve created. If you havent yet created
an original LEGO build, we encourage you
to give it a try. Get inspired by the models in
this chapter, as well as those created by the
LEGO Group.

These houses represent two of the many styles

that line the canals in Amsterdam. The skinny
apartment building with steeply sloped roofs
and the posts next to the canal make this scene
unmistakably Dutch.

City Restaurant has a great sign, as well as a

facade with some creative stonework. It has
a full kitchen in the back.

68

Chapter 6

Our Chilis faithfully re-creates the facade

and signage of the famous restaurant, right
down to the hot pepper. It also features
a restaurants interior details, including a
dining room, a bar, and a kitchen.

M od u l a r B u i l di n g G a l l e ry

69

This was once an industrial

building, but it has been
repurposed as a coffee
shop with a tech startup
company upstairs.

70

Chapter 6

This bakery was

inspired by a cake
shop in New Jersey.
Ithas an apartment on
the second floor.

The sand-blue house on

the right was copied from
a house in the Georgetown
neighborhood of
Washington, DC.

M od u l a r B u i l di n g G a l l e ry

71

This high-end
menswear shop
was inspired
by a store in
Washington, DC.

This corner hardware store is a variation on

the Corner Drugstore (see page 81 for
building instructions) and reuses the tool
billboard from an earlier hardware store.
It brings back memories of a bygone era
when there were small mom-and-pop shops
downtown.

We created these two

models by using the pieces
from Fire Brigade (set#10197).
Thesets red-heavy assortment
of pieces begs for some
interesting brickwork.

This Palace Cinema

(set#10232) alternate
build is a comedy club
with a lounge on the
second floor.

74

Chapter 6

Club 23 is a speakeasy that is accessed

through the phone booth outside and has a
false storefront.

This hardware
store was one
of my earlier
creations.

M od u l a r B u i l di n g G a l l e ry

75

This

architecture

firm

has an open lobby on the

first floor that extends
up to the third floor.
The top floor features a
commanding view of the
city that surrounds it.

The National Bank was inspired by

a bank in Richmond, Virginia, and
features neoclassical architecture.

A dive shop

This three-story flower shop has two

shades of blue on the facade.

This medium-blue
house was the first
modular building that
I designed myself.

This store was made with the pieces from

The Mansard Row House was created with the pieces

Grand Emporium (set #10211).

from Haunted House (set #10228) and a baseplate.

Dont feel like you have to use a LEGO modular
building as your initial inspiration!

We created this tool store with a

plate-glass frontand apartments
on topby using the pieces from
Green Grocer (set#10185).

Mini
Modulars
These are smaller-scale versions of some
of our models. The size for these builds is
88, rather than 3232. Building small is
a great creative challenge!
Chilis Restaurant

Colonial Revival House & Bakery

80

Chapter 6

Police Station

National Bank

Corner
Drugstore
The corner drugstore re-creates an icon of
classic Americana. You can almost see the
soda jerk behind the counter. The drugstore
has a small shop area as well as a back
room for deliveries. Stairs lead to the second
floor apartment, which has a fully furnished
interior for the owner of the store. An apothe
carys mortar-and-pestle sign, as well as the
SODA billboard on the roof, make the building instantly identifiable even before you look
inside.
We encourage you to experiment and
customize our creations. Well give you some
ideas as you build!

Bill of
Materials
For a parts list you can download, visit http://nostarch.com/
legoneighborhood/.
While youre there, you can
also find building instructions for
a delivery truck that fits perfectly
in the stockroom.

8L

First Floor

84

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

85

86

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

87

88

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

89

90

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

91

92

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

93

94

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

95

96

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

97

98

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

99

100

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

101

You can make any type of

store you want. Heres how
wed change the drugstore
into a hardware store, with
tools on the shelf and
fasteners in the bins.

102

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

103

104

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

105

106

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

107

You could make

a single-hinged
door instead.

108

Corner Drugstore

A change to the trim

and awnings would
make a big difference
in the stores overall
lookand feel.

Corner Drugstore

109

110

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

111

112

Corner Drugstore

Second Floor

Corner Drugstore

113

114

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

115

116

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

117

118

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

119

120

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

121

122

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

123

124

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

125

126

Corner Drugstore

Try changing up
the window trim.

Corner Drugstore

127

128

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

129

130

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

131

132

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

133

Roof

134

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

135

136

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

137

You could turn

this plate around and
attach it to Technic
bricks for a different
look to the trim.

138

Corner Drugstore

139

Try creating a billboard to

go along with the theme of
your store, like these tool
and auto parts signs.

140

Corner Drugstore

Corner Drugstore

141

Houses
These three residential designs use
the same base model as a starting
point, which youll build first. The
exposed studs on the face of the
building allow you to connect various
facades.
Assembling the structural elements of your building separate from
the decorative parts lets you really
experiment with new techniques.
With the base complete, youll
see instructions for the Parisian
Apartment (page 169) and Colonial
Row House (page 177), which use
the complete base structure in two
very different styles. The Canal Ring
House (page 184), built in the style
of Amsterdams Canal Ring district,
uses the first two levels of the residential building but has a completely
different third story and roof.

Base
Canal Ring
Colonial
Parisian

In this chapter you will find instructions for a

base model with three instructions for different
building facades.

Base

For a parts list you can download, visit http://nostarch.com/

legoneighborhood/.

Bill of Materials

144

Houses

First Floor

Base

145

146

Houses

Base

147

148

Houses

Base

149

150

Houses

Base

151

152

Houses

Base

153

154

Houses

Base

155

Second Floor

156

Houses

Base

157

158

Houses

Base

159

160

Houses

Base

161

If youre building the

CanalRing House, you can
skip ahead to page 182. That
one has a custom roof!

162

Houses

Roof

Base

163

164

Houses

Base

165

166

Houses

Parisian
Apartment

Houses

Bill of Materials

Pa r i s i a n A pa r t m e n t

167

168

Houses

Pa r i s i a n A pa r t m e n t

169

170

Houses

Pa r i s i a n A pa r t m e n t

171

172

Houses

Pa r i s i a n A pa r t m e n t

173

174

Houses

Colonial
RowHouse

Houses

Bill of Materials

C o l o n i a l R o wH o u s e

175

176

Houses

C o l o n i a l R o wH o u s e

177

178

Houses

C o l o n i a l R o wH o u s e

179

180

Houses

C o l o n i a l R o wH o u s e

181

Canal Ring
House

Houses

182

Houses

Bill of Materials

Canal Ring House

183

184

Houses

Canal Ring House

185

186

Houses

Canal Ring House

187

188

Houses

Third Floor

Canal Ring House

189

190

Houses

Canal Ring House

191

192

Houses

Canal Ring House

193

Roof

194

Houses

Canal Ring House

195

196

Houses

Canal Ring House

197

198

Houses

Canal Ring House

199

The End!

200

Houses

 Complete, step-by-step instructions

for four multistory buildings
Dozens of inspiring ideas to use
in your own models
Mini builds for a recliner, old-time
lamp post, traffic light, and more
A gallery of the authors designs
J aso n Ly l e s

For ages 10+

I n s i d e yo u l l f i n d:

B u il d you r ow n tow n ! B r ia n Ly l e s a n d J a s on Ly le s

In The LEGO Neighborhood Book, youll create buildings with real-world details
like cornices and facades, and try your hand at interior design by filling your
buildings with furniture and light fixtures. Then add the finishing touches to your
models with plants, traffic lights, scaffolding, and park benches. Snap together a
few houses, shops, and apartment buildings to create your own neighborhood!

the lego Neighborhood book

B r i a n Lyles

$19.95 ($20.95 CDN)

This book is not authorized or

No S tarch
pr ess

endorsed by the LEGO Group.

S h e lv e i n : H o b b i e s / L EGO

the le g o
Ne i g h b o r h o o dbook

B u i l d t h e LE G O Town
of You r D r eam s!

No Starch
press

B uil d your ow n tow n ! B ria n Lyl es a nd Jason Ly les