V&A Dundee enters LEGO Ideas with fan-built model inspired by iconic design

The V&A Dundee has been submitted to the LEGO Ideas platform, giving the landmark building a chance to become an official LEGO set.

The submission was created by DraftyDollar, a LEGO fan who built a detailed model inspired by the real V&A Dundee on the city’s waterfront. The design celebrates the museum’s distinctive shape and textured exterior, which has become one of the most recognisable buildings in Scotland.

In the submission description, DraftyDollar explains that the model was inspired by the V&A Museum of Design Dundee, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and opened in 2018. The building’s bold form was influenced by the cliffs along Scotland’s coastline and has since become a symbol of Dundee’s modern identity.

The LEGO version aims to capture the museum’s sharp angles and layered facade. DraftyDollar said the model first gained attention online in 2018, before the museum officially opened, and described it as their favourite building in the world and a project they thoroughly enjoyed creating.

To build the model accurately, DraftyDollar used a Dundee Waterfront mobile app that included a 3D version of the V&A Dundee. This allowed them to study the building’s scale, angles and layout by zooming in and rotating the digital model during the design process.

The submission also highlights the wider importance of the museum, noting that it is Scotland’s first design museum and the first V&A museum to open outside London. The opening of V&A Dundee played a key role in the city being named a UNESCO City of Design.

Since being uploaded to LEGO Ideas, the project has already attracted more than 135 supporters. If it reaches the required number of votes, it could be reviewed by LEGO for potential production as an official set.