A grand boutique build

Combining two modular buildings into one shouldn't be too difficult... should it? We decided to give it a go using set 10297 Boutique Hotel.

Combining sets can be a great way to start building your own creations. Modular buildings are arguably one of the more preferred genres for this. Being ‘modular’ and often square in shape, they’re perfect for expanding, modifying or combining. However, due to its unusual geometry and oblique angles, 10297 Boutique Hotel could prove to be a trickier project to simply combine. How difficult would this be? There was only one way to find out… give it a go!

Starting the project

Before starting any creation, it’s always wise to get a plan in place. Ask yourself about what you’re trying to create before pouring out piles of bricks all over the place.

Combining sets is not as overwhelming as starting with a blank canvas, the existing design gives a great foundation to build on. It still allows for creativity and individuality but is a more reassuring way to stray from the instructions. You have the benefit that the set already has been designed with the bricks all bagged up and ready. At first glance it may seem a simple case of just joining the two sets together, but is that what you really want? Do you want two identical buildings side by side? We love a challenge, so we asked ourselves a few more questions. Should they be integral? What should be duplicated or removed? Is it just a case of mirroring the existing build? These were all things we decided to consider. Don’t worry, though! There’s no right or wrong way when it comes to creating with LEGO® bricks.

Early decisions

To help us choose how we wanted to build, the project was divided into two areas: internal and external. For the ‘Grand Boutique Hotel’ exterior, the main aim was to celebrate the amazing architecture and its grandeur as this was going to be a landmark building within the town. But just duplicating the art gallery and the roof terrace was something we wanted to avoid. We also wanted a grand ground floor reception area. So, to achieve both goals, we decided that the main building would be mirrored but the terrace and gallery would need to be redesigned, altering the building’s footprint.

The process

First things first! Make life easy for yourself by getting to know your set. The easiest way to do this is to build one set first. Follow the instructions and build as you normally would. This provides a greater understanding of how the set was designed and what it contains. It also makes visualizing what you want to do with the second set easier, helping with any decisions that might need to be made.

The unusual geometry of this set led us to the decision of extending the gallery and terrace along the rear side of the building. Earlier thoughts of squaring off the end of set two were dismissed as the angles would make the upper floors too difficult to replicate without obtaining additional pieces or changing the design. As we said, keep it easy. When combining, you can set the complexity level as you go along. The desire in this project was to keep it simple and avoid needing additional bricks.

We got started on the second set by placing the fresh baseplate beside the completed build. This is a great way to ensure all would be aligned. The upper floors were removed from set one to make it easier to create the grand reception space (always start from the bottom).

We then proceeded to lay out the ground floor, using just the first layer of bricks to create an exact mirror of the built set. At this stage we just used bricks and didn’t lay any floor tiles as these aren’t as easy to remove or adjust. Details like floor tiles can come later!

Once the walls were laid out, it was time to open up the space and remove the side wall from the built set. This would give us lots of spare bricks and enabled the two staircases to become one grand staircase. A fitting level of decadence for a grand boutique hotel, don’t you agree? The grand central staircase also prompted us to move the entrance doors to the center. We swapped both doors from the corners to create one central entrance. This was a simple transformation of swapping windows for doors, which allowed more flexibility for the interior pieces to be moved around. With the ground floor layout looking as desired, the subsequent layers were added to the walls. At this point only the bags required for the walls were opened to prevent us from having a sea of bricks to wade through. As the walls were still the point of focus, all detail elements like furniture and flooring were safely stored in plastic tubs.

Working up through the floors

Once the ground floor was complete, the subsequent floors were simple mirror builds. The layouts remained the same as we proceeded along the ‘keeping it simple’ thinking. It does require concentration when building in reverse to what is shown in the instruction’s pictures. Like the ground floor, though, if you build alongside the built model and test each floor when you just have the plates and first row of bricks assembled, you can’t go wrong. If you’re really struggling, though, take pictures of the instructions with your front-facing phone camera as this will flip the image for you. Then use your phone pics to build from.

Traveling up through the floors it was fun to watch it all come together. It was only when building the roof that the obtuse angle became an issue. We didn’t have the wing plates going in the right direction to build in reverse. These were replaced by adding six extra hidden plates (all common pieces: 2x6, 2x2, 2x4) to shore up the structural integrity of the roof.

In summary

Combining two Boutique Hotel sets proved to be challenging but rewarding, especially as we were ensuring the model would still come apart into two sections for storing. The key tips were to get the grid and layout right before going too far. Not adding details like the tiles until the end meant we could easily tweak and try different things as the build went along without too much lengthy rebuilding.

When doing a project like this it’s good to have a plan but don’t feel you have to stick to it. Allow the build experience to take you in new directions. You’ll undoubtedly come across design challenges. These are great opportunities to express yourself or perhaps go in a different direction to what you initially planned. If you get stuck, move to another area of the model, get a quick ‘build’ win and come back re-motivated.

It may seem daunting at times, but remember – LEGO bricks can come apart and be rejoined. Nothing is permanent, so make sure you explore.

Taking time to enjoy the build – the basic stages

1. Build the first set as per the instructions

2. Explore the build and understand the model

3. Grab a warm drink

4. Set a few goals on what you want to achieve before opening set two

5. Build the floorplan grid and test it to make sure it works

6. Continue to build upwards, keep testing against the original model

7. Sit down for another cup and admire your work