Shiver Me Cubicles

Pirate 100 by lisqr

100 White Collar Way - (BTT) Other than the threat of scurvy, potential loss of limbs, and all-around general seasickness, who wouldn't want to be a pirate? Sadly, there really isn't a huge demand for buccaneers in today's modern society, where accountants and telemarketers are oddly deemed more beneficial to society at large. You may be a landlubber, but that doesn't mean you can't still dream of life on the open seas. With a footprint resembling the ocean waves and windows the color of the inky blue abyss, workers in this office building swear that they get an occasional whiff of the briny sea air as they trudge solemnly from their desk to the copier.

C'est Magnifique

Courtesy Avenue Saint-Jacques by snaillad 

Paris, France - (BTT) When you close your eyes and imagine Paris, likely the second thing to come into frame after the Eiffel Tower are the broad avenues lined with classical buildings such as the stunning example above - shops and restaurants on the bottom to encourage an active streetscape, apartments above to keep the buildings active at all hours of the day. While never becoming the household name that Gustave Eiffel has, at least not internationally, Georges-Eugène Haussmann deserves just as much credit for giving the City of Light its iconic look. Conveniently located right at the entrance of a Metro station, this building is more that just a pretty facade. Go inside you will find a lot going on - restaurants and cafes, dentist offices, and apartments that are the height of luxury.

Microscale Monday 01-28-2013

Courtesy Bank Complex by Luap31

Downtown Brickville - (BTT) Holding down an important spot on the river, this Bank Complex is a shining example of the International style. While this site tends to skew towards the traditional and the ornate, like a raccoon fixated on a shiny object, make no mistake - a simple, clean, wonderfully proportioned Modernist building is just as compelling.

Good for What Ails You

Courtesy Pharmacy and Doctors by cimddwc

Market Square - (BTT) It's officially cold and flu season, and this year is a real doozy. It's such a horrible and helpless feeling to be sick, but thankfully this classically detailed beauty of a building has you doubly covered. On the ground floor is a pharmacy, perfect for when you realize that all the chicken soup in the world isn't going to cut it and you need some real medication to see you through the day. Of course the best way to know what you need is to actually visit your doctor, and as luck would have it several can be found on the floors above. Science may never find that cure for the common cold, but I suppose a runny nose is a small price to pay for architecture this good.

The Woman and the Window

Courtesy Brick Noir by Ru Corder

Bleak Boulevard - (BTT) The light is still on in the office of the hardboiled detective currently residing in this gritty piece of the urban streetscape. A femme fatale, her hat hiding her eyes almost as well as her words hide her true intentions, just stepped through the scarlet door to the misty alley beyond. Beyond these walls, as grey as the perpetually raining skies, the two seem to have entered a business arrangement that just reeks of trouble and cigarettes. Best keep that revolver (and umbrella) close.

Fiscal Balcony

Courtesy Tax Office by fuchsp1

Certainty Street - (BTT) We're just a few hours into the new year, and already there are a bunch of people in a panic over the state of their taxes. However, not everyone is doom and gloom it seems. Here at the Tax Office, business has never been better nor has the future ever looked brighter. Housed in a building the same color as your hard earned dollars, the head honchos are always willing to go over your deductions (and help you improve your putting). Refunds are hard to come by, but if you have long arms and a decent vertical leap, you might get back a little of that paycheck.

Psi of Relief

Courtesy Psychiatrist Office by kjw010

Neuro Alley - (BTT) Besides the odd couch-jumping actor, I think we can all agree that mental health is as important as physical health, and those who dedicate their lives to the field are certainly worthy of respect. They are also worthy of having a great building in which to practice, and the doctor in this psychiatrist office has just that. The palette might be simple - mostly grey with just a tasteful touch of green - but the detailing is anything but. On the first floor is the receptionist, while upstairs is the actual office with a rather angry athlete currently taking his spot on the couch.

Gaming Goodness

Courtesy Brickin' Games by DarthNick

D-Pad Drive - (BTT) The gaming industry is certainly at a bit of a crossroads lately. Physical copies or digital distribution? $60 epics or 99¢ time wasters? Analog sticks and buttons or motion controls and touch screens? Whether this is exciting or frightening is a matter of opinion, but the fine folks at Brickin' Games have done their finger exercises and are ready to code the next great blockbuster. Working in their Mies van der Rohe-esque modernist headquarters - the dark steel exterior contrasting brilliantly with the bright and cheery interior - this company truly has an office as slick as their products.

Extra Extra

Courtesy The Evening Brick by snaillad

Reporters Way - (BTT) Dating back from the era when all reporters wore fedoras with the word "Press" tucked into the band, the headquarters for The Evening Brick has seen (and reported) more history than most. Journalists are hard at work researching the latest scoop in their second floor offices while the Editor-in-Chief keeps an eye on things from his lavish top floor suite. Time is everything in this business, and with the clock in the tower ever ticking away the minutes, these employees never forget that the news waits for no man.

Brains vs. Brawn

Courtesy The Daily Planet by Xenomurphy

The Daily Planet - (BTT) It appears Superman has his work cut out for him. While attempting to fight off one of Braniac's robots, two more are busy ripping apart the building. It's a real shame, because this is a fantastic piece of architecture. 

Iron Works

Courtesy Office Building by Bill Meakin

Portland, Maine - (BTT) Preferences in office buildings sure has seen a shift in the last century, and there is certainly nothing wrong with a sleek and shiny curtain wall. The fantastic wrought iron windows on the second level of this historic workplace, however, proves that maybe there is more to a window than just a rectangular piece of glass.

Art Deco Detroit

Courtesy Another Detroit Building by DecoJim

Detroit, Michigan - (BTT) Style and elegance has made it to Motor City. Art Deco has transformed the town into a mainstay for thousands of people. Cars are everywhere, and traffic jams are on the rise. When asked about the problem, the mayor said, "Yeah, it's a huge problem. It's like there's a factory around here making cars or something..." Brick Town Talk refused to ask anymore questions.

RedBubble T-Shirt Winners!

The winners of the RedBubble T-Shirt contest have finally be picked, and here they are!

Courtesy Scooter Dealer and Octan Headquarters by L@go

Our first winner is L@go, who built an amazing scooter dealer and headquarters for the widely known Octan Gas. Along with having a fantastic exterior, the interior is just as awesome.Head on over to Flickr to see the rest of his creation!

Courtesy LEGO City Residential Pack by BrickCityDepot

And our second winner is none other than BrickCityDepot (or Brian Lyles of MOCpages.) His entry is a set of houses modeled after a pair in Richmond, Virginia. The gabled dormers are about as good as you're gonna get and the eloquent design of each with their bay windows, steep sloped roofs, and traditional porches are terrific. See more of Brian Lyle's work over at Flickr or MOCpages.

Courtesy Apartment Building by j-spears

And last but not least is the Apartment Building by Jason Spears. You always have to appreciate what a builder can do with a limited amount of pieces, and in this case, tan bricks. It's so easy to see this scrunched in between two other buildings in the heart of a big city, and I really like the "bricked" up effect of some of the windows. More photos can be found over at his Flickr. Keep an eye out for his billiards building!  

Congratulations to all the winners of the Red Bubble T-Shirt contest! I hope you all enjoyed it! You will be contacted by RedBubble to complete the process.

Thanks again!

Chris

News, Sports, and Weather

Courtesy LEGO TV News Station by lgorlando

Perhaps some of our older viewers remember set 6661 Mobile TV Studio , a pretty tiny set to say the least! However, lgorlando brings it back in the spotlight with a revamped van and studio! Catch the news and watch the weather or cruise around in the van. This model seriously has everything, so check it out!

We All Need Robot Insurance

Courtesy Old Glory Insurance Building by Rob Bender

This was posted quite awhile ago on Flickr, but up until recently did I finally got around to posting it. Anyways, please check this building out. The amount of facade techniques on this thing is enough to speak for itself.

As it says in Rob's description, Old Glory Insurance was the first insurance company to offer insurance against robot attacks. I never knew this. I've always just thought of it just as a joke, partly due to the Saturday Night Live skit (who Rob so graciously pays tribute to.)

Hide your medicine!

Going Old School

Courtesy 13th and Walnut Building by Shuppiluliumas

After a little break this week, Brick Town Talk finally returns with this terrific high rise building by Shuppiluliumas. The architecture and design on this structure is phenomenal; not too detailed, so as to take away from the original look but detailed enough to come across as a real building. My favorite part of this is  probably the tan bay windows shooting up from the third floor to the cornice. It has a very appealing look to it. Check out the inspirational building for a side-by-side comparison!

Corner Office Building

Frontal, originally uploaded by valgarise.

I love the simple, art deco feel to this, intentional or not. The colors match terrifically, and I'm really liking that cornice detailing up top. Hopefully this will spur builders into some skyscraper construction!

Lego Modular State Capital

Lego Modular State Capital, originally uploaded by lgorlando.

A little bit overdue, but this State Capital by lgorlando is just magnificent (and I apologize for overlooking it.) The detailing in architecture and well-placed color use makes for a fantastic creation. Maybe it's just me, but I'm willing to bet this could jump start anybody's building desire. Keep up the well built creations!

19th Century Office Tower

Now this is what I'm talking about. MOCpages user Jonas James writes this:

This design incorporates the use of light and dark contrasting to emphasize form and conceals roof structures with a decorative crowning parapet.

And it works perfectly. Great building, can't wait to see more!

Composition

I like the way this MOC is photographed in front of a real building. The light reflecting off one building through the other ties them together perfectly. By jorgereis