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Design Insights XLI
📜 The very first permanent theatre built in Rome was the Theatre of Pompey, completed in 55 BCE by Pompey Magnus. At the time of its construction, nothing like it had been built in Rome as the wooden impermanence of all previous theatres was in keeping with a Roman law prohibiting any built of stone. Pompey the Great, ever the shrewd statesman, circumvented these regulations by building a temple dedicated to numerous deities in the center of the semicircular seating area. Access to the temple was through the theatre and each level of seating corresponded to another temple floor dedicated to more gods.
The Theatre of Pompey was accompanied by lavish porticoes and gardens stretching all the way to the Largo Argentina area where some of the most sacred temples of the Campus Martius still stand in ruins to this day. Not to be outdone by their precedence, Pompey included a sizable Curia directly adjacent to the row of temples. There, the Senate convened on multiple occasions after a fire had consumed the usual Curia in the Forum. It was in the Curia of Pompey that his friend-turned-enemy Julius Cæsar was assassinated on the Ides of March, 44 BCE.
Don't miss this all-new DESIGN Insights post highlighting Phase III of my ongoing efforts to build all of Ancient Rome, circa mid-4th century CE!
😎 These insights are EXCLUSIVE to Corinthian patrons, and peel back the curtain months before these designs will be shared publicly. The renderings, on the other hand, are shared with patrons of all tiers.
Support this unprecedented project on Patreon!
Link below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/RoccoButtliere
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusinessOwner #History #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #Antiquity
Beim Bau der Köf wurden zahlreiche Fremdteile eingesetzt. Der Circuit Cube, ein paar dunkelblaue oder beige Teile, die es (derzeit) so nicht aus Dänemark gibt. Und eine Menge von Platten mit Frontnoppen. Auf diese mag ich nicht mehr verzichten.
PORTICVS OCTAVIÆ ️
Design Insights XXXIX
📜 Welcome to the Portico of Octavia! This next slice of Ancient Rome comes in the form of a literal wedge-shaped subsection. Like the Augustan namesake of this monument, these works were overlaid onto the urban fabric of the Eternal City, just as their patrons' versions of history were grafted onto the founding myths of the Roman culture.
No sooner had we discussed an ephemeral form of Augustan propaganda in last week's Design Insights covering the Circus Flaminius, do we now find ourselves confronted with physical architecture attesting to this broader movement toward imperium. It bears repeating just how emblematic the Campus Martius is of this period in Roman history. This legacy is part of what informed my decisions on where to draw suitable boundaries for Phase III.
Don't miss this all-new DESIGN Insights post highlighting Phase III of my ongoing efforts to build all of Ancient Rome, circa mid-4th century CE!
😎 These insights are EXCLUSIVE to Corinthian patrons, and peel back the curtain months before these designs will be shared publicly. The renderings, on the other hand, are shared with patrons of all tiers.
Support this unprecedented project on Patreon!
Link below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/posts/porticvs-design-116461195
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusinessOwner #History #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #Antiquity
Loosely inspired by an unused concept art for Blade Runner 2049 by George Hull.
Ended up looking a bit Star Warsy.
A previous version (with no gun turret) had been sitting on my desk for 2 years, decided to revamp it using today's parts.
LEGO + other brands (Sembo, Wange, Gobricks)
[This set consists of 5 photos] This is a creative commons image, which you may freely use by linking to this page. Please respect the photographer and his work.
The William Diuguid House in Lynchburg, Virginia dates from 1906, designed locally by the firm of Frye and Chesteman. This brick structure has a front pedimented gable roof. Edged by dentil moldings, the gable contains a fanlight. On the second story, fenestration is the dominant aspect of the front facade--above the door is a two-sectioned window (possibly a door) with at least 10 small vertical panes; a narrow transom of 5 rectangular panes is above this. A three-part window is just above the tripartite window on the porch, both consisting of a large 2/2 central pane with narrow 2/2 panes to each side. Windows on both levels have jack arches (straight arches or flat arches) with wedge-shaped elements. The porch is relatively small with Doric columns supporting a flat roof; dentil molding reappears in the porch roof cornice. The balustrade consists of turned balusters. Wide wooden stairs lead from the walk to the porch entrance, a single-leaf door with a centered window with various recessed panels both above and below the center pane. The transom displays the street address of 616 (Court Street). Lattice work encloses the space beneath the porch. Framing the front facade are brick corner quoins. A view of the side facade (image 2) facing the street shows a three-story structure and some sort of extension at the rear. This home is a part of the Court House Hill-Downtown Historic District in Lynchburg, Virginia, added to the National Register of Historic Places August 16, 2001 with identifying number #01000853.
A good information source for brick masonry arches is a 21-page pdf document from January 1995 by The Brick Industry of America-- www.gobrick.com/docs/default-source/read-research-documen...
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
• Parts: 36,800+ (~1,130 unique)
• 📐 Scale: 1:650
• 📏 Dimensions: 32in x 51in (80cm x 130cm)
• 📚 Research, Design + Build Time: 4 months
• Photography: James Vitullo 📷
• ©️ MMXXIV - Rocco Buttliere, LLC
___________________________________
During a brief stint in Washington D.C. in 2023, I spent the better part of a summer evening exploring the grounds of Capitol Hill. Few landscapes invite as much inquiry along winding paths paired with plenty of moments for quiet introspection on marble benches; all in picturesque view of the Capitol dome. These on-site experiences are exactly the form of anecdotal justification I seek when considering whether to recreate such monumental places in the first place.
In tackling any work of such storied precedence as the US Capitol, I always seek to expand the conversation beyond existing works in the medium of plastic bricks. While the consistent 1:650 scale among my works has always ensured some level of originality, it is no guarantee of further insight that cannot already be gleaned from existing works by other artists. With this in mind, I set out to capture the full 100-acre site currently maintained by The Architect of the Capitol. What's more, the diorama depicts a particular time of year - specifically late March to early April - as illustrated by the iconic presence of hundreds of cherry blossoms rendered in two shades of light pink.
The diorama starts downhill at the trapezoidal Capitol Reflecting Pool, with the Grant Memorial taking pride of place along its eastern edge and the US Botanic Garden across the street to the south. The diorama expands from there, capturing the radiating pathways meandering uphill, as designed by Frederick Law Olmsted within the parcels laid out in the city plan by Pierre Charles L'Enfant. The piece culminates with the widely imitated US Capitol Building, perched atop a plinth projecting from the Capitol Visitor Center on the opposite side.
Topping everything off is a custom-made representation of the Statue of Freedom (as designed by Thomas Crawford), steadfastly overlooking the National Mall from atop the dome. The statue was designed in collaboration with BigKidBrix and was sized comparably to the minifigure statuette / trophy element.
The piece was designed over the course of about two months: first in December 2023 through January 2024, paused during the build-out of SPQR - Phase II, then resumed between March and April. The build-out lasted from July through August and was completed by September. The piece will soon be added to my personal gallery of works, now available for touring exhibitions.
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #ChicagoArtist #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #LEGOArtist #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #USCapitol #USCapitolBuilding #CapitolHill #WashingtonDC #ArchitectOfTheCapitol #America #USA #Diorama #AmericanHistory
Design Insights XLV
What do you see when you close your eyes and imagine the ancient past? Visions of golden ornamentation and impossibly captured poses rendered in crisp statuary are likely to abound in your mind's eye. But what can you glean of the background; the setting in which all the trappings and fine objects are placed? You might not have a specific landmark in mind, but it's likelier than not that the surrounding architecture assumes a platonic likeness, which can be distilled to those two most primal elements, the circle and the square.
The Pantheon in Rome is one of the most enduringly iconic landmarks of antiquity and is certainly the most well-preserved large building of its time. It has succeeded on several fronts: most obviously in its remarkable durability, but also in its unrivaled structural innovations, and most importantly, I would argue, its transcendent harmonizing of the circle and the square. We find these ideal forms at the very foundation of every found object, every work of art and every architectural plan across every culture in recorded history.
It should come as no surprise then, that the Pantheon is at the very top of my own list of all-time favorite structures ever built! My relatively reticent approach toward superlatives never stood a chance when I walked through the ancient doors of the portico for the first time in 2019. It's the quintessential interlocking of the two most basic elements of design, echoing across time and a lofty interior vault, that does it for me. I can think of no better way to introduce my interpretation of the Pantheon in the latest Design Insights post, available now to all my patrons (not just the usual Corinthians).
Don't miss this all-new DESIGN Insights post highlighting Phase III of my ongoing efforts to build all of Ancient Rome, circa mid-4th century CE!
😎 These insights are EXCLUSIVE to Corinthian patrons, and peel back the curtain months before these designs will be shared publicly. The renderings, on the other hand, are shared with patrons of all tiers.
Support this unprecedented project on Patreon!
Link below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/RoccoButtliere
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusinessOwner #History #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #Antiquity #Pantheon
Design Insights XLIV
The Sæpta Julia (pronunced: Sipe-ta You-lia) covered a vast expanse of the Campus Martius. The open-air space was completely paved in travertine and enclosed within a quadriporticus which once housed exquisite works of Classical art. The Sæpta was originally conceived of as a place for the gathering of eligible voters in the election of magistrates, but was gradually repurposed for the staging of public spectacles as the importance of voting waned during the imperial era.
It is often the case when discussing grand projects of Roman antiquity that the true scale of these undertakings is not readily apparent. Among a body of work such as mine, it has always been necessary to exhibit the SPQR diorama alongside other, more well-known and consistently 1:650-scaled works. Without the visual aid of other brick-built monuments on nearby tables for the timebeing, I'll instead compare the size of this week's DESIGN Insights subject, the Sæpta Julia, to something the brick-building community know well; convention halls.
The Sæpta Julia covered an area of more than 350,000 sq ft. To put that into perspective, the much-loved Brickworld Chicago convention typically boasts a 100,000 sq ft exhibition hall. The Sæpta could have easily accommodated more than three-and-a-half times that! The best spatial comparison I can conceive of would be to stand at the middle of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool looking toward that same monument. Then, imagine gleaming travertine pavement over the surface of the water, from the midpoint of the pool all the way to the steps of the monument. You'd be hard-pressed to find any convention centers with that kind of uninterrupted square footage, let alone any which might rival such a richly decorated and neatly paved outdoor venue.
Don't miss this all-new DESIGN Insights post highlighting Phase III of my ongoing efforts to build all of Ancient Rome, circa mid-4th century CE!
😎 These insights are EXCLUSIVE to Corinthian patrons, and peel back the curtain months before these designs will be shared publicly. The renderings, on the other hand, are shared with patrons of all tiers.
Support this unprecedented project on Patreon!
Link below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/RoccoButtliere
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusinessOwner #History #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #Antiquity
When it comes to landmarks, it doesn't get more instantly recognizable than the cascading shells of Sydney Opera House!
Like sails on the water, the opera house boasts dramatic visibility from all sides, jutting out into the harbor on Bennelong Point in Sydney.
Coming soon to my gallery, the Pritzker Prize-winning Sydney Opera House, designed by Jørn Utzon and formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973.
The 1:650 piece was designed on commission at roughly the same scale as the rest of my oeuvre, and will consist of more than 6,000 bricks when completed.
Be the first to see all the high-resolution renderings NOW, only on Patreon!
Design Insights will be shared at a later date as refinements are made to the digital model; but for now, can you spot Benny the seal?
Support my work on Patreon!
Link below➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/RoccoButtliere
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #Exhibition #SmallBusinessOwner #ChicagoArtist #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #Sydney #SydneyOperaHouse #Australia #JørnUtzon
Design Insights XLII
📜 "... everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses."
This particularly insightful excerpt of Juvenal's first-century work, Satire X, speaks as much to the modern era as it did to those living in the Roman empire. The concluding phrase "panem et circenses" refers to the artificial appeasement by which the ruling elite ensured the masses would remain pacified. To this point, we've explored many of the "circuses" referred to by this saying in their various forms. Today, for the first time in my ongoing SPQR project, we'll be taking a look at a space dedicated to "panem," specifically the 'grain dole' known as 'cura annonæ'.
Don't miss this all-new DESIGN Insights post highlighting Phase III of my ongoing efforts to build all of Ancient Rome, circa mid-4th century CE!
😎 These insights are EXCLUSIVE to Corinthian patrons, and peel back the curtain months before these designs will be shared publicly. The renderings, on the other hand, are shared with patrons of all tiers.
Support this unprecedented project on Patreon!
Link below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/RoccoButtliere
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusinessOwner #History #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #Antiquity
This post marks the 50th entry into the Design Insights series on my Patreon! Available to all top-tier, Corinthian patrons, these entries have extensively documented nearly every project I have digitally designed - and later, built - since 2021. I like to think of each post as a chapter in a never-ending story and a glimpse at the nearest I've come to summarizing the thoughts racing through my head as I work through any given project.
The subject of this post, therefore, is reflective of my case-by-case approach to each and every project. Represented here (from right to left) are the plaza of the Pantheon, the Templum Matidiæ and the Templum divi Hadriani. An assortment of rectangular precincts is nothing new here in the Campus Martius region. Rather, it is the order in which each was designed and the meticulous care in material / color curation which define this next and penultimate chapter of Phase III design insights posts.
Don't miss this all-new DESIGN Insights post highlighting Phase III of my ongoing efforts to build all of Ancient Rome, circa mid-4th century CE!
😎 These insights are EXCLUSIVE to Corinthian patrons, and peel back the curtain months before these designs will be shared publicly. The renderings, on the other hand, are shared with patrons of all tiers.
Support this unprecedented project on Patreon!
Link below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/RoccoButtliere
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusinessOwner #History #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #Antiquity #Hadrian
Debuts this weekend in Rochester, NY!
Get your tickets ➡️🔗⤵️
www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-brickuniverse-rochester-n...
#BrickUniverse #Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #WorldHistory #AncientHistory #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #FestinaLente #LEGO #GoBricks #WeBrick #WorldHeritage #Antiquity #ForumRomanum #RomanForum #GrecoRoman #CapitolineHill #PalatineHill #Colosseum #CircusMaximus
Design Insights XLVI
Throughout the process of reconstructing Rome of the fourth century, it has often been the case that after months of research, I find myself left with more questions than answers. Some reconstructions are purely speculative, based on textual descriptions not yet backed up by the archaeological evidence of a physical site. Others, like the Baths of Agrippa, are known to us through both physical remains and written sources, yet remain frustratingly enigmatic from a lack of consensus among these sources. The former, oddly, provide more freedom of design, while reconstructions based on the latter are prickly at best.
The Baths of Agrippa were the very first public thermæ built in Rome. The baths were part of a broad public works site undertaken by Marcus Agrippa during the late first century BCE. Connected to the Pantheon and sited firmly within the Campus Martius, the Thermæ Agrippæ were reconstructed on several occasions, either due to destructions by fire or by gradual deterioration over the centuries. Its novelty as the first public bathing complex is entwined with its elusive building plan, resulting in a number of conflicting reconstructions painting a thorny picture of the overall scheme.
My best attempts at bushwhacking through the many narratives enshrouding the Baths of Agrippa have resulted in the reconstruction I present to you today. With these many qualifiers and disclaimers in mind, we can now proceed to attempt to uncover the Thermæ Agrippæ.
Don't miss this all-new DESIGN Insights post highlighting Phase III of my ongoing efforts to build all of Ancient Rome, circa mid-4th century CE!
😎 These insights are EXCLUSIVE to Corinthian patrons, and peel back the curtain months before these designs will be shared publicly. The renderings, on the other hand, are shared with patrons of all tiers.
Support this unprecedented project on Patreon!
Link below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/RoccoButtliere
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusinessOwner #History #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #Antiquity #Agrippa
• Parts: 36,800+ (~1,130 unique)
• 📐 Scale: 1:650
• 📏 Dimensions: 32in x 51in (80cm x 130cm)
• 📚 Research, Design + Build Time: 4 months
• Photography: James Vitullo 📷
• ©️ MMXXIV - Rocco Buttliere, LLC
___________________________________
During a brief stint in Washington D.C. in 2023, I spent the better part of a summer evening exploring the grounds of Capitol Hill. Few landscapes invite as much inquiry along winding paths paired with plenty of moments for quiet introspection on marble benches; all in picturesque view of the Capitol dome. These on-site experiences are exactly the form of anecdotal justification I seek when considering whether to recreate such monumental places in the first place.
In tackling any work of such storied precedence as the US Capitol, I always seek to expand the conversation beyond existing works in the medium of plastic bricks. While the consistent 1:650 scale among my works has always ensured some level of originality, it is no guarantee of further insight that cannot already be gleaned from existing works by other artists. With this in mind, I set out to capture the full 100-acre site currently maintained by The Architect of the Capitol. What's more, the diorama depicts a particular time of year - specifically late March to early April - as illustrated by the iconic presence of hundreds of cherry blossoms rendered in two shades of light pink.
The diorama starts downhill at the trapezoidal Capitol Reflecting Pool, with the Grant Memorial taking pride of place along its eastern edge and the US Botanic Garden across the street to the south. The diorama expands from there, capturing the radiating pathways meandering uphill, as designed by Frederick Law Olmsted within the parcels laid out in the city plan by Pierre Charles L'Enfant. The piece culminates with the widely imitated US Capitol Building, perched atop a plinth projecting from the Capitol Visitor Center on the opposite side.
Topping everything off is a custom-made representation of the Statue of Freedom (as designed by Thomas Crawford), steadfastly overlooking the National Mall from atop the dome. The statue was designed in collaboration with BigKidBrix and was sized comparably to the minifigure statuette / trophy element.
The piece was designed over the course of about two months: first in December 2023 through January 2024, paused during the build-out of SPQR - Phase II, then resumed between March and April. The build-out lasted from July through August and was completed by September. The piece will soon be added to my personal gallery of works, now available for touring exhibitions.
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #ChicagoArtist #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #LEGOArtist #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #USCapitol #USCapitolBuilding #CapitolHill #WashingtonDC #ArchitectOfTheCapitol #America #USA #Diorama #AmericanHistory
Front and back views of best chuni ever.
Heresy alert: Megumin’s left hand is a 48729b clip bar in tan. This is a clone part from GoBricks.
• Parts: 36,800+ (~1,130 unique)
• 📐 Scale: 1:650
• 📏 Dimensions: 32in x 51in (80cm x 130cm)
• 📚 Research, Design + Build Time: 4 months
• Photography: James Vitullo 📷
• ©️ MMXXIV - Rocco Buttliere, LLC
___________________________________
During a brief stint in Washington D.C. in 2023, I spent the better part of a summer evening exploring the grounds of Capitol Hill. Few landscapes invite as much inquiry along winding paths paired with plenty of moments for quiet introspection on marble benches; all in picturesque view of the Capitol dome. These on-site experiences are exactly the form of anecdotal justification I seek when considering whether to recreate such monumental places in the first place.
In tackling any work of such storied precedence as the US Capitol, I always seek to expand the conversation beyond existing works in the medium of plastic bricks. While the consistent 1:650 scale among my works has always ensured some level of originality, it is no guarantee of further insight that cannot already be gleaned from existing works by other artists. With this in mind, I set out to capture the full 100-acre site currently maintained by The Architect of the Capitol. What's more, the diorama depicts a particular time of year - specifically late March to early April - as illustrated by the iconic presence of hundreds of cherry blossoms rendered in two shades of light pink.
The diorama starts downhill at the trapezoidal Capitol Reflecting Pool, with the Grant Memorial taking pride of place along its eastern edge and the US Botanic Garden across the street to the south. The diorama expands from there, capturing the radiating pathways meandering uphill, as designed by Frederick Law Olmsted within the parcels laid out in the city plan by Pierre Charles L'Enfant. The piece culminates with the widely imitated US Capitol Building, perched atop a plinth projecting from the Capitol Visitor Center on the opposite side.
Topping everything off is a custom-made representation of the Statue of Freedom (as designed by Thomas Crawford), steadfastly overlooking the National Mall from atop the dome. The statue was designed in collaboration with BigKidBrix and was sized comparably to the minifigure statuette / trophy element.
The piece was designed over the course of about two months: first in December 2023 through January 2024, paused during the build-out of SPQR - Phase II, then resumed between March and April. The build-out lasted from July through August and was completed by September. The piece will soon be added to my personal gallery of works, now available for touring exhibitions.
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #ChicagoArtist #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #LEGOArtist #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #USCapitol #USCapitolBuilding #CapitolHill #WashingtonDC #ArchitectOfTheCapitol #America #USA #Diorama #AmericanHistory
Brick-built scale model of the Bergün railway station building.
This station is located in the beautiful Albula Valley (Graubünden/Switzerland), on the famous railway line from Chur to St. Moritz.
We regularly spend our winter holidays there, so it was an obvious choice to recreate this station in 1:42 scale for my other RhB models.
Phase 2 is now complete, with the entire station building.
100% self-designed (MOC), with the exception of the ticket machine and the snack machine (designed by Dennis Tomsen).
First floor with interior fittings
Scale: 1:42
Parts: approx. 6500 building blocks (LEGO, GoBricks)
Lighting: Light-my-Bricks
• Parts: 36,800+ (~1,130 unique)
• 📐 Scale: 1:650
• 📏 Dimensions: 32in x 51in (80cm x 130cm)
• 📚 Research, Design + Build Time: 4 months
• Photography: James Vitullo 📷
• ©️ MMXXIV - Rocco Buttliere, LLC
___________________________________
During a brief stint in Washington D.C. in 2023, I spent the better part of a summer evening exploring the grounds of Capitol Hill. Few landscapes invite as much inquiry along winding paths paired with plenty of moments for quiet introspection on marble benches; all in picturesque view of the Capitol dome. These on-site experiences are exactly the form of anecdotal justification I seek when considering whether to recreate such monumental places in the first place.
In tackling any work of such storied precedence as the US Capitol, I always seek to expand the conversation beyond existing works in the medium of plastic bricks. While the consistent 1:650 scale among my works has always ensured some level of originality, it is no guarantee of further insight that cannot already be gleaned from existing works by other artists. With this in mind, I set out to capture the full 100-acre site currently maintained by The Architect of the Capitol. What's more, the diorama depicts a particular time of year - specifically late March to early April - as illustrated by the iconic presence of hundreds of cherry blossoms rendered in two shades of light pink.
The diorama starts downhill at the trapezoidal Capitol Reflecting Pool, with the Grant Memorial taking pride of place along its eastern edge and the US Botanic Garden across the street to the south. The diorama expands from there, capturing the radiating pathways meandering uphill, as designed by Frederick Law Olmsted within the parcels laid out in the city plan by Pierre Charles L'Enfant. The piece culminates with the widely imitated US Capitol Building, perched atop a plinth projecting from the Capitol Visitor Center on the opposite side.
Topping everything off is a custom-made representation of the Statue of Freedom (as designed by Thomas Crawford), steadfastly overlooking the National Mall from atop the dome. The statue was designed in collaboration with BigKidBrix and was sized comparably to the minifigure statuette / trophy element.
The piece was designed over the course of about two months: first in December 2023 through January 2024, paused during the build-out of SPQR - Phase II, then resumed between March and April. The build-out lasted from July through August and was completed by September. The piece will soon be added to my personal gallery of works, now available for touring exhibitions.
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #ChicagoArtist #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #LEGOArtist #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #USCapitol #USCapitolBuilding #CapitolHill #WashingtonDC #ArchitectOfTheCapitol #America #USA #Diorama #AmericanHistory
One of a kind Buildable Kits + Home Decor 🌿
Get yours today, only at www.roccobuttliere.com/shop
#ChicagoArtist #SupportArtists #FineArt #HomeDecor #SmallBusiness #WorldHistory #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #GoBricks #LEGO #LEGOArtist #Antiquity #Classics #GrecoRoman #RomanEagle #Aquila #Doric #Ionic #Corinthian #ChineseGuardianLion #CapitolineWolf #Discobulus
• Parts: 36,800+ (~1,130 unique)
• 📐 Scale: 1:650
• 📏 Dimensions: 32in x 51in (80cm x 130cm)
• 📚 Research, Design + Build Time: 4 months
• Photography: James Vitullo 📷
• ©️ MMXXIV - Rocco Buttliere, LLC
___________________________________
During a brief stint in Washington D.C. in 2023, I spent the better part of a summer evening exploring the grounds of Capitol Hill. Few landscapes invite as much inquiry along winding paths paired with plenty of moments for quiet introspection on marble benches; all in picturesque view of the Capitol dome. These on-site experiences are exactly the form of anecdotal justification I seek when considering whether to recreate such monumental places in the first place.
In tackling any work of such storied precedence as the US Capitol, I always seek to expand the conversation beyond existing works in the medium of plastic bricks. While the consistent 1:650 scale among my works has always ensured some level of originality, it is no guarantee of further insight that cannot already be gleaned from existing works by other artists. With this in mind, I set out to capture the full 100-acre site currently maintained by The Architect of the Capitol. What's more, the diorama depicts a particular time of year - specifically late March to early April - as illustrated by the iconic presence of hundreds of cherry blossoms rendered in two shades of light pink.
The diorama starts downhill at the trapezoidal Capitol Reflecting Pool, with the Grant Memorial taking pride of place along its eastern edge and the US Botanic Garden across the street to the south. The diorama expands from there, capturing the radiating pathways meandering uphill, as designed by Frederick Law Olmsted within the parcels laid out in the city plan by Pierre Charles L'Enfant. The piece culminates with the widely imitated US Capitol Building, perched atop a plinth projecting from the Capitol Visitor Center on the opposite side.
Topping everything off is a custom-made representation of the Statue of Freedom (as designed by Thomas Crawford), steadfastly overlooking the National Mall from atop the dome. The statue was designed in collaboration with BigKidBrix and was sized comparably to the minifigure statuette / trophy element.
The piece was designed over the course of about two months: first in December 2023 through January 2024, paused during the build-out of SPQR - Phase II, then resumed between March and April. The build-out lasted from July through August and was completed by September. The piece will soon be added to my personal gallery of works, now available for touring exhibitions.
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #ChicagoArtist #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #LEGOArtist #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #USCapitol #USCapitolBuilding #CapitolHill #WashingtonDC #ArchitectOfTheCapitol #America #USA #Diorama #AmericanHistory
Part I of Capitol Hill Design Insights are now available, exclusively on Patreon! 🇺🇲
Link to Patreon below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/posts/design-insights-105773732?utm_mediu...
#Artist #SupportArtists #SupportOnPatreon #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #ChicagoArtist #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #LEGOArtist #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #WeBrick #USCapitol #USCapitolBuilding #CapitolHill #WashingtonDC #ArchitectOfTheCapitol
What could be a more monumental way of commemorating the 2,777th anniversary of the Founding of Rome than by debuting Phase II of my SPQR diorama?
With Phase II now successfully added, the diorama grows to roughly 211,000 individual plastic bricks and represents several thousand hours of research, design and build time executed over two-and-a-half years!
A smile would belie the resolute burden of committing to recreating the entire Eternal City over many years, but I'm grateful to be tempered by a constant knowing that so many are paying close attention to this impossible overview; which 1 million fourth century inhabitants never knew themselves, and one which I can only hope to faithfully represent at this scale and in these media for millions to learn from today.
That which is done well enough, is done quickly enough. Festina lente.
Support this unprecedented project on Patreon!
Link below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/RoccoButtliere
Photography: @eclarkephoto
Debut: @brickuniverseofficial
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #Exhibition #SmallBusinessOwner #WorldHistory #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #GoBricks #WeBrick #WorldHeritage #Antiquity #ForumRomanum #RomanForum #GrecoRoman #CapitolineHill #PalatineHill #QuirinalHill #EsquilineHill
⚔️ ROMAN MILITARY STANDARD
My next EXCLUSIVE kit is an iconic emblem of Rome's unrivaled imperial might!
⛳ LEGIO VI - FERRATA • LIMITED EDITION! This will be the only edition to feature the 6th Legion, making this highly collectible. Subsequent reissues will feature various other legions and their insignia.
⏳ Subscribe to the CORINTHIAN tier over on my Patreon by April 19 to receive yours!
Link to Patreon below for further details & qualification ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/posts/next-all-new-kit-100377317?utm_medi...
#Artist #SupportArtists #SupportOnPatreon #FineArt #SmallBusiness #WorldHistory #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #FestinaLente #WeBrick #GoBricks #LEGO #LEGOArtist #Antiquity #Classics #GrecoRoman #RomanLegion #RomanEagle #Aquila
Dude, where are your ears!?
Two of three. This time, David Ramirez from Cyberpunk Edgerunners.
I am a little baffled here. The designer decided to reuse Rebecca’s frame instead of sticking to the original design by me. Why? The result leaves a lot of to be desired, including a complete lack of ears, which I find very uncanny. The inadequate connection of the hair section is also very noticeable. 3 out of 10.
All clone sets used parts from Gobricks brand, so the quality of the bricks was very high, sometimes indistinguishable from Lego ones. The packaging, however, was very rough as it is common in most goods coming from Chinese stores. Many parts were heavily scratched despite being theoretically new. A bummer, but I guess it was predictable.
www.roccobuttliere.com/shop/roman-military-standard
#Artist #SupportArtists #SupportOnPatreon #FineArt #SmallBusiness #WorldHistory #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #FestinaLente #WeBrick #GoBricks #LEGO #LEGOArtist #Antiquity #Classics #GrecoRoman #RomanLegion #RomanEagle #Aquila
️ SPQR - Phase II ️
▶️ Intro to SPQR Project:
Support this unprecedented project on Patreon:
www.patreon.com/RoccoButtliere
Parts: 211,000+ (~2,400 unique)
Scale: 1:650
Dimensions: 95in x 108in (240cm x 274cm)
Research, Design + Build Time: 2.5 years and counting
Photography: EClarke Photo 📷
© MMXXIV - Rocco Buttliere, LLC
Part III of Capitol Hill Design Insights are now available, exclusively on Patreon!
Link to Patreon below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/posts/design-insights-106637131?utm_mediu...
#Artist #SupportArtists #SupportOnPatreon #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #ChicagoArtist #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #LEGOArtist #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #WeBrick #USCapitol #USCapitolBuilding #CapitolHill #WashingtonDC #ArchitectOfTheCapitol
Part I of Capitol Hill Design Insights are now available, exclusively on Patreon! 🇺🇲
Link to Patreon below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/posts/design-insights-105773732?utm_mediu...
#Artist #SupportArtists #SupportOnPatreon #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #ChicagoArtist #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #LEGOArtist #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #WeBrick #USCapitol #USCapitolBuilding #CapitolHill #WashingtonDC #ArchitectOfTheCapitol
Short video from the initial phase of my Lego Air Force Base that I showed at Bricks in the Six 2024 in Toronto in November 2024. The F-15 is drawn by the South Korean Gobrick magnet system. Very effective system! You see the first of two planned main hangars measuring 4x3 baseplates, with complete interior and entirely illuminated; the control tower with a rotating light beam, the ASR-17\19 radar that is rotating, the base fire station which is being equiped with brand new emergency response vehicles. You will also notice custom minifigs, different ground vehicles and specialised equipment. In addition to the taxing F-15C, an F-4D, an F-18C, an AV-8B, an F-16C and a C-130H are also getting ready to taxi, while other jets are getting refueled, repaired or rearmed.
Top view.
On top: TrixBrix R104
Below: AliExpress no-name R104
www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006304173442.html?spm=a2g0o.o...
My initial impression:
- No significant difference in the overall quality between the no-name R104 and the TrixBrix R104.
- The dark grey color is slightly more yellow and less blue than the Dark Bluish Gray used by TLG (The LEGO Group) but deviates as such no more than the dark grey used by TrixBrix.
- The finish seems less sharp than TrixBrix and LEGO but only ever so marginally.
- Clutch power is fine and pretty similar to TrixBrix and LEGO.
- The rail coupling points are less tight and thus stick together noticeable more than TrixBrix and LEGO which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage all things considering.
- The price per unit for the no-name is between 27-42% of the similar ones from TrixBrix or 0,80-1€ compared to 2,40-3€.
I'm surprisingly pleased with the product overall.
Added
From what I've been told the no-names are actually from Mould King and probably manufactured by Gobricks.
Design Insights XLVIII
Telltale signs of a bygone era are positively replete across the city of Rome; that is, if you know where to look! For many visitors, Piazza Navona is among the first stops of any respectable itinerary. It was there, at Bernini Ristorante, where I had the first meal of my inaugural trip to the Eternal City in 2019. Admittedly, it's a bit of a tourist trap, but one that felt right given its namesake's (Gian Lorenzo Bernini's) influence over the urban design of the modern city.
More than anyone else since the emperors of antiquity, Bernini left his mark on the city with an unassailable volume of architectural, sculptural and urban development projects, including the design of the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi at the center of Piazza Navona. Much of the canvas on which Bernini and his contemporaries built, however, was put down by the emperors of Rome. One such emperor, Domitian, was himself responsible for the shape of Piazza Navona. Domitian built a Stadium on the site in the late first century CE, alongside countless other projects to restore the grandeur of the Campus Martius in the aftermath of the fire of 80 CE.
To this day, the cobblestone pavement of Piazza Navona echoes the gravel terrain on which athletes competed in quadrennial games, in the Greek tradition. The buildings which encircle the piazza were built atop the cavea of this ancient stadium. These partially excavated foundations are accessible today, and are included in these insights. Let's now explore this ancient landmark hidden - if just below the surface - in plain sight.
Don't miss this all-new DESIGN Insights post highlighting Phase III of my ongoing efforts to build all of Ancient Rome, circa mid-4th century CE!
😎 These insights are EXCLUSIVE to Corinthian patrons, and peel back the curtain months before these designs will be shared publicly. The renderings, on the other hand, are shared with patrons of all tiers.
Support this unprecedented project on Patreon!
Link below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/RoccoButtliere
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusinessOwner #History #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #Antiquity #Domitian #Stadium
For the entirety of my formative architectural years, Taipei 101 had hovered within the list of top-ten tallest buildings in the world. I fondly recall designing an assortment of digital skyscrapers in the OG Lego design software, LEGO Digital Designer, some time in 2008 before I had settled on a scale of 1:650. My budding interest in architecture manifested in a fascination with tall buildings from around the world, and I distinctly remember iterating a small Taipei 101 alongside Willis Tower and others in a now-long-lost file. Lost, but not forgotten.
This hypothetical project always represented what I knew would be a formidable challenge. Since settling on a scale of 1:650 in 2009, the primary limiting factors in recreating this skyscraper were the inward and outward tapers of the tower façade as well as the unique blue-green color of its curtain wall; both of which could not quite translate well enough to existing elements. As it turns out, these limiting factors may have largely been self-imposed, as I resorted to creating my own unique elements shortly after beginning design efforts in earnest last year.
Don't miss this all-new DESIGN Insights post highlighting the digital design of my latest piece depicting Taipei 101.
😎 These insights are EXCLUSIVE to Corinthian patrons, and peel back the curtain months before these designs will be shared publicly. The renderings, on the other hand, are shared with patrons of all tiers.
Support this work on Patreon!
Link below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/RoccoButtliere
#Artist #FineArt #ChicagoArtist #sᴍᴀʟʟʙᴜsɪɴᴇssᴏᴡɴᴇʀ #GoBricks #LEGO #Architecture #Engineering #Creativity #Taipei101 #Taipei #Taiwan
Design Insights XLV
What do you see when you close your eyes and imagine the ancient past? Visions of golden ornamentation and impossibly captured poses rendered in crisp statuary are likely to abound in your mind's eye. But what can you glean of the background; the setting in which all the trappings and fine objects are placed? You might not have a specific landmark in mind, but it's likelier than not that the surrounding architecture assumes a platonic likeness, which can be distilled to those two most primal elements, the circle and the square.
The Pantheon in Rome is one of the most enduringly iconic landmarks of antiquity and is certainly the most well-preserved large building of its time. It has succeeded on several fronts: most obviously in its remarkable durability, but also in its unrivaled structural innovations, and most importantly, I would argue, its transcendent harmonizing of the circle and the square. We find these ideal forms at the very foundation of every found object, every work of art and every architectural plan across every culture in recorded history.
It should come as no surprise then, that the Pantheon is at the very top of my own list of all-time favorite structures ever built! My relatively reticent approach toward superlatives never stood a chance when I walked through the ancient doors of the portico for the first time in 2019. It's the quintessential interlocking of the two most basic elements of design, echoing across time and a lofty interior vault, that does it for me. I can think of no better way to introduce my interpretation of the Pantheon in the latest Design Insights post, available now to all my patrons (not just the usual Corinthians).
Don't miss this all-new DESIGN Insights post highlighting Phase III of my ongoing efforts to build all of Ancient Rome, circa mid-4th century CE!
😎 These insights are EXCLUSIVE to Corinthian patrons, and peel back the curtain months before these designs will be shared publicly. The renderings, on the other hand, are shared with patrons of all tiers.
Support this unprecedented project on Patreon!
Link below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/RoccoButtliere
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusinessOwner #History #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #Antiquity #Pantheon
Debuts this weekend in Rochester, NY!
Get your tickets ➡️🔗⤵️
www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-brickuniverse-rochester-n...
#BrickUniverse #Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #WorldHistory #AncientHistory #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #FestinaLente #LEGO #GoBricks #WeBrick #WorldHeritage #Antiquity #ForumRomanum #RomanForum #GrecoRoman #CapitolineHill #PalatineHill #Colosseum #CircusMaximus
• Parts: 36,800+ (~1,130 unique)
• 📐 Scale: 1:650
• 📏 Dimensions: 32in x 51in (80cm x 130cm)
• 📚 Research, Design + Build Time: 4 months
• Photography: James Vitullo 📷
• ©️ MMXXIV - Rocco Buttliere, LLC
___________________________________
During a brief stint in Washington D.C. in 2023, I spent the better part of a summer evening exploring the grounds of Capitol Hill. Few landscapes invite as much inquiry along winding paths paired with plenty of moments for quiet introspection on marble benches; all in picturesque view of the Capitol dome. These on-site experiences are exactly the form of anecdotal justification I seek when considering whether to recreate such monumental places in the first place.
In tackling any work of such storied precedence as the US Capitol, I always seek to expand the conversation beyond existing works in the medium of plastic bricks. While the consistent 1:650 scale among my works has always ensured some level of originality, it is no guarantee of further insight that cannot already be gleaned from existing works by other artists. With this in mind, I set out to capture the full 100-acre site currently maintained by The Architect of the Capitol. What's more, the diorama depicts a particular time of year - specifically late March to early April - as illustrated by the iconic presence of hundreds of cherry blossoms rendered in two shades of light pink.
The diorama starts downhill at the trapezoidal Capitol Reflecting Pool, with the Grant Memorial taking pride of place along its eastern edge and the US Botanic Garden across the street to the south. The diorama expands from there, capturing the radiating pathways meandering uphill, as designed by Frederick Law Olmsted within the parcels laid out in the city plan by Pierre Charles L'Enfant. The piece culminates with the widely imitated US Capitol Building, perched atop a plinth projecting from the Capitol Visitor Center on the opposite side.
Topping everything off is a custom-made representation of the Statue of Freedom (as designed by Thomas Crawford), steadfastly overlooking the National Mall from atop the dome. The statue was designed in collaboration with BigKidBrix and was sized comparably to the minifigure statuette / trophy element.
The piece was designed over the course of about two months: first in December 2023 through January 2024, paused during the build-out of SPQR - Phase II, then resumed between March and April. The build-out lasted from July through August and was completed by September. The piece will soon be added to my personal gallery of works, now available for touring exhibitions.
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #ChicagoArtist #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #LEGOArtist #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #USCapitol #USCapitolBuilding #CapitolHill #WashingtonDC #ArchitectOfTheCapitol #America #USA #Diorama #AmericanHistory
Design Insights XLIII
One of the oft-spoken dividing lines when it comes to Roman history is "after the fire." Depending on the locale, the date mentioned immediately after would be different. Tales of the fire of 64 CE infamously - and spuriously - tell of Nero fiddling while he watched the city go up in flames from the safety of his palace window. When it comes to the Campus Martius region and my present Phase III design efforts, however, it is the fire of 80 CE which more clearly marked the turning point. Before the fire of 80 CE, public monuments were few and far between among private villas with sprawling horti: after, the monuments were rebuilt in even greater splendor while much of the private land was repurposed for the construction of publicly accessible temple complexes.
Among the densest areas of redevelopment during the aftermath of the conflagration is the subject of today's DESIGN Insights post. In it, we will discover two large precincts, both built in quick succession and comparable in size to any of the Imperial Fora. One was built to reinforce the legacy of the imperial family, while the other strengthened the image of Rome as the undisputed center of the Mediterranean world.
Don't miss this all-new DESIGN Insights post highlighting Phase III of my ongoing efforts to build all of Ancient Rome, circa mid-4th century CE!
😎 These insights are EXCLUSIVE to Corinthian patrons, and peel back the curtain months before these designs will be shared publicly. The renderings, on the other hand, are shared with patrons of all tiers.
Support this unprecedented project on Patreon!
Link below ➡️🔗⤵️
www.patreon.com/RoccoButtliere
#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusinessOwner #History #ChicagoArtist #SPQR #ImperialRome #AncientRome #Rome #Roma #RomanEmpire #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #Antiquity