Museum of Science and Industry

ART AND SCIENCE JOIN TOGETHER IN EXHIBIT OF LEGO® ARCHITECTURE

See stunning skyscrapers, created from LEGO bricks, at the Museum of Science and Industry

CHICAGO (July 1, 2009)— Towering interpretations of famous city landmarks—all made from thousands of LEGO® bricks—take shape in ART + Science = Architecture, opening at the Museum of Science and Industry on July 1, 2009.

Certified LEGO professional Adam Reed Tucker has created more than 15 amazing architectural LEGO creations, some more than 10-feet high, representing such renowned buildings such as Chicago’s Sears Tower, China’s Jin Mao Tower, the St. Louis Gateway Arch, the Burj Dubai Tower and the soon-to-be Chicago Spire. The models contain tens of thousands of LEGO pieces and take hundreds of hours for Tucker, a trained architect, to complete. The simplicity and nostalgic quality of the LEGO affords a new, detailed look at familiar buildings. Guests can lean in close to see the complexity of a building’s intricate design and engineering or take a step back to appreciate its sculptural form in full.

“More than 400 million adults and children will play with LEGOs just this year, and there are 915 million ways to combine just six LEGO bricks” said Anne Rashford, Director of Temporary Exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry. “LEGOs are simple, yet what they can inspire can be brilliant. They are able to bring out the creativity in everyone, which is what this exhibit is all about.”

At the age of six, Tucker visited the Museum of Science and Industry where his aunt, an engineer, bought him one of his first LEGO sets. His imagination and creativity were sparked. Tucker studied architecture in college and went on to practice as a professional architect in Chicagoland for 10 years. In 2003, he began experimenting with LEGO bricks again, but this time as a medium for architectural art. The models displayed in the exhibit were built by Adam over the course of five years and represent his passion for art, architecture and, of course, the LEGO brick.

“It’s very exciting and gratifying to be sharing my creations in this exhibit," said Tucker. “It’s my hope that by seeing my work, children of all ages will be inspired to go home and create something themselves, to think outside the box, to think about a new way of doing things or looking at the world.”

Tucker begins his design and build process by examining photos, elevations and artist renderings. As an artist and architect, he considers design principles such as proportion, scale, form and aesthetic. His next step is to identify the LEGO bricks and colors best suited for that structure to create study models, which are mock-ups or prototypes of sections of structures. His pieces are “scratch-built,” meaning that Tucker doesn’t use computer modeling, pencil and paper or written directions in his work. Tucker has built and rebuilt certain sections of buildings five or six times until he feels they are right.

A section of the exhibit gives guides a peek into Tucker’s studio, in which he creates these remarkable models. One very special model, of the Museum of Science and Industry building itself, will be a work in progress in this “studio area.” On three different days during the run of the exhibit—July 1, September 12 and January 23— guests will be able to see Tucker’s work in action and see how a creation like this comes together, LEGO brick by brick!

Included in the exhibit are areas where guests will have the chance to create some LEGO magic of their own. The kid’s build area is targeted at younger guests (ages 3-7) and encourages them to consider color, shape, function and scale when designing a building. Another area is designed for the more seasoned builders. Reminiscent of the famed “White City” of the 1893’s World’s Fair, this area is filled with all white LEGO bricks and encourages guests to add-on to the design of a cityscape. A fitting task, as the Museum is the last remaining building from that original fair in 1893.

ART + Science = Architecture will run through March 15, 2010 and is included with Museum general admission.

About the Museum

The Museum of Science and Industry’s mission is to inspire the inventive genius in everyone by presenting captivating and compelling experiences that are real and educational. Located at 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, the Museum is open every day of the year except December 25. Regular Museum hours are 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. every day. Extended hours of operation are offered during select times of the year and for special exhibitions. The general admission pricing is $13 for adults, $12 for seniors and $9 for children ages 3 to 11. City of Chicago residents receive a discount. The Museum offers indoor parking and is accessible by CTA and Metra. The Museum is supported in part through the generosity of the people of Chicago through the Chicago Park District. For more information, visit the Museum's Web site at www.msichicago.org or call (773) 684-1414 or (800) GO-TO-MSI outside of the Chicago area.

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Press Materials

• ART + Science = Architecture Press Release (PDF)

Images

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Adam Reed Tucker

Architect Adam Reed Tucker working on his LEGO® model of the Burj Dubai Tower, as part of "ART + Science = Architecture."

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Some of the national landmark structures created by Adam Reed Tucker in LEGO® form, on display as part of "ART + Science = Architecture."

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Some of the Chicago landmark structures created by Adam Reed Tucker in LEGO® form, on display as part of "ART + Science = Architecture."

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Younger guests experiment with LEGO® bricks in the kids build area of the exhibit.

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Guests create their own LEGO® brick structures in the “White City” build area.

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