LEGO V&A Dundee goes on display and sparks the imagination of local school pupils
18 February 2026
A LEGO model of V&A Dundee, built by Dundonian games entrepreneur Brian McNicoll, is now on display in V&A Dundee as part of a campaign to have the model turned into an official LEGO set.
Inspired by the dramatic V&A Dundee building – designed by world renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma – Brian’s model celebrates and encourages creativity and play for people of all ages. He wants his model to honour the museum, the city and the Dundee community.
Brian has entered his design into the LEGO Ideas platform and is now campaigning for the 10,000 public votes needed to progress to the next stage. If the model receives 10,000 votes, it will be formally reviewed by LEGO and in with a chance of becoming an official LEGO set.
School pupils from Ancrum Road Primary, Dundee have been getting behind the campaign and came along today to show their support. Mason (11), Murray (10), Anthony (10), Leo (10) and Jude (10) designed posters to encourage their classmates and teachers to vote for the model. A group of true LEGO enthusiasts, they're thinking about starting a school LEGO club and would like the V&A Dundee to be their first build.
If successful, the V&A Dundee model could join LEGO’s Architecture series alongside world-famous landmarks such as the Empire State Building, the Taj Mahal and the Sydney Opera House.
Kengo Kuma, architect of V&A Dundee, said: “It’s an honour to see my building recreated in LEGO and I’m impressed with how well Brian has translated the design. The building design was inspired by the Scottish landscape and now the building is inspiring Scottish designers.
“I always wanted the building to be a gate through which the city can connect with the world, reflecting Dundee’s once thriving global trade routes on the river. If this design becomes an official LEGO set, then people all over the world will be building a Dundee landmark.
"It’s a joy to see the city get behind the project, especially so many school children, and I hope the support continues until it reaches 10,000 votes.”
Leonie Bell, Director of V&A Dundee, said: “It’s amazing to see the city get behind Brian’s campaign to have V&A Dundee and its striking architecture turned into an official LEGO set. We hope displaying the model created by Brian in the museum will inspire visitors of all ages to look at the museum in new ways and help Brian reach 10,000 votes.
“V&A Dundee champions design and play so a LEGO set of V&A Dundee feels like the perfect match for Scotland’s design museum. Visitors travel from all over the world to Dundee to see Kengo Kuma’s only UK building and an official LEGO set of V&A Dundee would allow people to get hands-on with this incredible design from wherever they call home.
“Brian’s done such a remarkable job translating the design into LEGO and we hope lots of people get behind his project and vote for it.”
Brian McNicoll, LEGO V&A Dundee designer, said: “As an independent LEGO architecture designer recreating landmark buildings with texture, structure, and story, I see bricks as a brilliant medium for celebrating great buildings - inviting people to engage with design by building it.
“V&A Dundee is a modern icon, and I hope this model inspires new visitors to discover the museum and sparks a new generation of builders and designers. With enough support on LEGO Ideas, it could help take V&A Dundee and Scotland’s design story to the world as an official set enjoyed by families worldwide.”
Voting is open to everyone via the LEGO Ideas Platform: https://beta.ideas.lego.com/product-ideas/f3ae350e-f5a7-42bf-a245-b4cfcc26c914
