The new LEGO River Steamboat set is a stunning addition to the LEGO Ideas line, offering both aesthetic appeal and a highly engaging build experience. The quality of a LEGO set is often gauged by its construction process as well as its final appearance, and the River Steamboat exemplifies this perfectly. The build process flows seamlessly, with each step logically leading to the next, creating a sense of forward momentum. The ship's layered design, where each deck is easily detachable from the others, ensures that all the intricate inner details are accessible and visible. This feature not only enhances the building experience but also allows for a deeper appreciation of the finished model.
LEGO has long catered to adult fans with its modular building series, and the River Steamboat extends this concept to a modular boat. This set captures the same meticulous attention to detail—ranging from the unique to the mundane—that characterizes LEGO's modular buildings, contributing to a coherent and impressive whole.
LEGO Ideas River Steamboat
Priced at $329.99 and available exclusively at the LEGO Store, the River Steamboat originates from the LEGO Ideas platform. Here, enthusiasts submit their original designs along with a proof-of-concept for community voting. Successful ideas, like this steamboat, become official LEGO sets, with the original designer receiving a share of the profits. Other notable sets from the LEGO Ideas line include The Nightmare Before Christmas, Jaws, and Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon's Tale.
We Build LEGO Ideas River Steamboat
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Drawing inspiration from the historic paddle boats that once navigated the Mississippi River during the 1800s, the LEGO River Steamboat reflects the transition of these vessels from industrial transport to pleasure boats, complete with amenities and entertainment. My wife and I experienced this firsthand on our honeymoon in New Orleans, enjoying a riverboat cruise filled with dining, dancing, and jazz music.
Designed for LEGO enthusiasts, the River Steamboat set includes a jazz lounge and dining room, as well as functional areas like a boiler engine room linked to the paddle wheel. Pushing the boat activates the wheel's movement, while the pilothouse's steering wheel controls the rudder. Additional features include a kitchen, crew sleeping quarters, and an anchor system with a chain that rolls up on a spool, alongside rigging that adjusts the boarding stages.
The set is divided into 32 bags containing 4,090 pieces, starting with the ship's base, which houses the boiler room and a miniature nautical museum showcasing a piston engine, aeolipile, and Watt steam engine. Nearby, the kitchen is equipped with a refrigerator, stove, and sink. The LEGO designers' ability to repurpose elements through color changes is evident here, transforming a hot dog bun from a Fairgrounds set into an engine reinforcement.
Moving up, the main deck features the dining room and jazz lounge, complete with LEGO accessories like drums, a saxophone, microphone, and an upright bass. The dining room boasts elegant tablecloths and chairs, light fixtures, and posters promoting onboard entertainment, one of which references another LEGO Ideas set, the A-Frame Cabin, available at Amazon.
The dining room is built separately and placed into the larger structure, creating additional deck space for minifigures to enjoy the view. However, the set does not include minifigures, possibly indicating LEGO's intent for this to be more of a display piece than a play set.
The crew deck, one level above the main deck, includes sleeping quarters and a bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower. The pilothouse, the highest point of the ship, showcases an impressive engineering feat: a steering mechanism that runs through all four levels, turning the rudder when the wheel is rotated. This detail is a testament to the meticulous planning and execution involved in the set's design.
The set is adorned with delightful touches, such as repurposed croissant accessories transformed into billowy flags, neat white railings, and patterned tiles resembling rugs. Despite its size and 4,090 pieces, the set feels efficient and well-designed, with every piece contributing to the overall experience and aesthetic.
William Strunk's principle from The Elements of Style—"Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts"—resonates with the River Steamboat. Every brick and component serves a purpose, enhancing both function and beauty, making this set a must-see for LEGO aficionados.
The LEGO River Steamboat, Set #21356, is priced at $329.99 and comprises 4,090 pieces. It is available exclusively at the LEGO Store.
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