Grand Central Terminal stands as one of New York City’s most iconic landmarks, welcoming 750,000 people through its doors on a daily basis. With its celestial ceiling, cast-iron eagles and iconic information booth, the Beaux Arts beauty has dazzled tourists and New Yorkers alike — so much so that we’ve created an entire tour based around its secrets:
Tour of the Secrets of Grand Central Terminal
Image via Keith Edward Olsen
While its distinctive beauty is easily captured in photographs and illustrations, architect Keith Edward Olsen has gone the extra step to create a miniature model of the New York City landmark made entirely out of LEGO bricks. With enough public support, it might also be available for purchase in a toy store near you.
“Europe has its cathedrals, and we have Grand Central,” writes Olsen. “The American architect, Philip Johnson, once proclaimed about the building that today, more than ever, it is the heart of New York City.”
Image via Keith Edward Olsen
Examine the set closely and you’ll notice that many small details are replicated from the original building. For example, the interior is modeled to capture light through its “windows” in a similar manner light would permeate through the actual structure itself. In addition to features like ticket booths, information kiosks and the grand stairways at each end of the Main Concourse, Olsen’s piece also includes hidden elements like escalators and the arched entry of the Oyster Bar.
Image via Keith Edward Olsen
Grand Central Terminal‘s exterior, which includes classic Corinthian columns and arched windows, have also been replicated with specific LEGO bricks. Tiny telescope pieces, for example, have been repurposed as light posts.
While large-scale LEGO sets of famous landmarks (including Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and Sydney Opera House) have been produced in the past, no American landmarks have yet been offered at such a scale. Olsen hopes to receive 10,000 votes in support of his design in order to be eligible for consideration by the LEGO Review Board, which will ultimately select projects to be created into actual retail sets. It only takes a minute or two to register to be eligible to vote, and Keith’s project is current just over 1,400 supporters. For more information, click here.
Next, check out the Top 10 Secrets of Grand Central Terminal and learn about its hidden tennis courts.