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Behind the Scenes at LEGO
Lars Lusenberg Nielsen, Senior Toy Designer at LEGO's Concept Lab Denmark, provides a look into the making of Bionicle™.---------------
By Lars Lusenberg Nielsen
May 1, 2007 | I started at LEGO in 2000 and have since worked on many different products, from preschool figures to Bionicle™ to Clickits™. I’m very interested in character design, so my focus is usually on LEGO’s character-based lines. I’ve traveled to China several times for work, spending most of my time in hotels near our supplier factories, and I am based at the Concept Lab here in Denmark. This is the greenhouse where we foster ideas that will bring LEGO into the next decade.
In 2005, we developed a series of concept models to test how our key customers, the “Bionicle Kids,” perceived our different design directions. Playing with LEGOs, some hot glue, and a pair of cutting nippers was a lot of fun! It was easy to find interesting pieces to glue on: parts from a computer mouse, bits and pieces of other toys –- anything that had a good shape. This was one of the most enjoyable parts of the design process.
Afterwards, we carried out numerous tests in both Germany and the US, presenting our concepts to kids to get their feedback on the different models. The kids get quite excited when they see our handmade models. They can focus on a lot of different details and even when we cut up older Bionicle™ elements, they can recognize them. Once we tested a character of mine that was like a Swiss army knife on legs that could unfold an array of weapons and tools. One kid really liked it, but when he finally had to choose his favorite he chose another character. His reason? It was simply “too cool” for him.
There’s a central story behind Bionicle™ -- six heroes, six villains, magic masks, and a fantastic setting -- that we continue to develop year after year. New functions and ideas influence the story. The story, in turn, can inspire the design language or maybe a special feature. In the 2005 launch, for example, we created a function with flying spinners, which was a fun process. We make 3D sketches in Rhino or a similar digital tool. From there, we produced the first set of prototypes using rapid prototyping. This allows us to get a physical prototype in our hands quickly and analyze the ways the various elements can be used. Rapid prototyping is a cool process -- it’s like a 3D printer. Whatever we design in the 3D program can be printed out so we can physically test the building possibilities and functions.
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