LEGO Ideas Feature: Vintage Lego Topographical Map

Listen to this article

It’s 2021 and what better way to kick off a new Year then to continue our LEGO Ideas feature!

With the recent news of another 25 projects up for review, it’s getting harder than ever to get an idea to the production stage. We hope to shine a light on select builders creations to gather a little extra support and to promote community values. After all we’re one big LEGO family!

I’d like to start off with something rather different yet equally as special, a topographical map of the UK.

It’s creator, SharkyBricks, has produced something I’d actually hang and display pride of place on my living room wall!

I love maps and wanted something artistic to decorate my home

It measures quite a decent size too, coming in at 25.5cm x 51cm, in LEGO terms that’s roughly two 32×32 baseplates tall, so it would most certainly make for a conversation starter that’s for sure.

The colours SharkyBricks has used match and compliment each other so well from the different shades of green for land masses to the blues of the ocean. It also stays true to most physical maps also, with darker raised parts depicting elevations.

Finishing off this beauty are several details such as a golden compass, a ship, and an anchor.

I took inspiration from the old LEGO maps you’d get with a pirate set

There is also a small, shall we say playability, feature in the form of lost treasure, can you find it?!

One feature I particularly like is the inclusion of each Counties flag, which can be found by removing the top layer of land. It reveals the flags that make up the UK and to great effect I might add.

Hanging and displaying it couldn’t be any easier too, with the included plate-built hook. It can also be propped up on a shelf for an alternate display option.