"Can't Go, So We Build"
By Lucia Gadau and Paloma Ortiz-De Ferrari
April 2022
Landscape architect Aaron Williams has a unique hobby: building miniature versions of the beloved buildings that line Monroe Street. He began these projects during a time when interacting with the community was off-limits—in 2020. Because COVID stopped Williams and his family from going out, he found a way to show his appreciation for these places in a different way. With the free time that quarantine brought, Williams and his kids found a way to pass the time by playing with Lego, rekindling his love for the toy. His newfound passion for Lego and desire for some sense of normalcy launched his project recreating his and his family's favorite spots in Madison. Keeping communities connected at the beginning of the pandemic was difficult, but Williams seems to have cracked the code; with creativity and family, the monotonous and solitary days of quarantine were completely transformed.
On May 17, 2020, Williams posted his first Lego recreation, a model of the restaurant Fairchild, with the caption, “can’t go so we build.” Much like many other new businesses across the country, Fairchild had to temporarily close due to the pandemic, denying Williams the chance to take his family to the highly anticipated spot. Fortunately, his love for the Dudgeon-Monroe community persisted and his Instagram posts continued to show new buildings, as well as peeks into his process.
Williams takes a professional approach to his hobby. First, he takes pictures of the real-life building from all angles. He then makes a scale for the building, and with some trial-and-error, lays down the foundation, the roads, sidewalks, and finishes the building itself by completing it with iconic details, like murals, that gives the models their flair. These stylistic monochromatic buildings are brought about by Williams' use of generic Lego pieces, giving him more freedom to be more authentic and precise when it comes to recreating his favorite buildings.
Williams' success and ability to use Lego, an already creative toy, to fit in with his hobbies makes his project especially remarkable. The fact that his skill and creativity come from a long history of Lego experience shows just how versatile Lego are, from a child's toy to a full scale project like Williams’, proving a simple toy can bring light into dark times. Now, anyone can visit the username aw_legoarchitecture on Instagram and see the almost 60 Madison buildings recreated with Lego over the past two years.
April 2022
Landscape architect Aaron Williams has a unique hobby: building miniature versions of the beloved buildings that line Monroe Street. He began these projects during a time when interacting with the community was off-limits—in 2020. Because COVID stopped Williams and his family from going out, he found a way to show his appreciation for these places in a different way. With the free time that quarantine brought, Williams and his kids found a way to pass the time by playing with Lego, rekindling his love for the toy. His newfound passion for Lego and desire for some sense of normalcy launched his project recreating his and his family's favorite spots in Madison. Keeping communities connected at the beginning of the pandemic was difficult, but Williams seems to have cracked the code; with creativity and family, the monotonous and solitary days of quarantine were completely transformed.
On May 17, 2020, Williams posted his first Lego recreation, a model of the restaurant Fairchild, with the caption, “can’t go so we build.” Much like many other new businesses across the country, Fairchild had to temporarily close due to the pandemic, denying Williams the chance to take his family to the highly anticipated spot. Fortunately, his love for the Dudgeon-Monroe community persisted and his Instagram posts continued to show new buildings, as well as peeks into his process.
Williams takes a professional approach to his hobby. First, he takes pictures of the real-life building from all angles. He then makes a scale for the building, and with some trial-and-error, lays down the foundation, the roads, sidewalks, and finishes the building itself by completing it with iconic details, like murals, that gives the models their flair. These stylistic monochromatic buildings are brought about by Williams' use of generic Lego pieces, giving him more freedom to be more authentic and precise when it comes to recreating his favorite buildings.
Williams' success and ability to use Lego, an already creative toy, to fit in with his hobbies makes his project especially remarkable. The fact that his skill and creativity come from a long history of Lego experience shows just how versatile Lego are, from a child's toy to a full scale project like Williams’, proving a simple toy can bring light into dark times. Now, anyone can visit the username aw_legoarchitecture on Instagram and see the almost 60 Madison buildings recreated with Lego over the past two years.