What started as a COVID-19 lockdown pastime has become one Saskatoon resident's nostalgic walk through the city's landmarks. Ben Fawcett has spent most of his life in Saskatoon, and has been putting his Lego builds online through his River City Microbuilds Instagram account and his look-hugh-it-is Reddit account since 2024.
He has a range of microbuilds, from Eighth Street's outdoor Dairy Queen, to Bonanza before it burned down, to the Vimy Memorial at Kiwanis Memorial Park. But the inspiration started while he was spending the lockdown at his friend's acreage, feeling 'extra isolated, extra secluded.'
From Lockdown Hobby to Creative Outlet
'I needed something to occupy my free time that provided a creative outlet,' Fawcett said. He dug up his old Lego set from his parents' house and started his hobby by recreating the very acreage he was staying at, describing it as a very satisfying process and something that allowed him to get in touch with his inner child.
He started following some Lego build pages on Reddit, and learned how to build sets digitally through BrickLink, a Lego retail website that also has a free studio app. Fawcett took part in design competitions that restricted the amount of Lego pieces that could be used for a build, saying at one point he got second place for a vacuum he had made.
Architectural Passion with Lego
'I've always had this interest in architecture, particularly Lego architecture,' Fawcett said. He says Lego can be quite expensive. Fawcett challenges himself to make builds with as few pieces as possible to leave the option open for either himself or other people to make these builds in real life, adding that he would also like to try creating instructions on how to build the sets one day.
'I've avoided certain buildings I would love to (build), because there are so many fine details in the architecture.' Fawcett said his builds are complete on all sides, and that he'll use the program's stability test to make sure there aren't weaknesses. He uses Google Earth images to look at buildings from all angles, and said he follows some historical Saskatoon accounts to get old building photos as well.
Time and Effort for Accuracy
Some builds take as few as 10 hours to complete, while others have taken him four months. He says it's a lot of playing around with different pieces to see what fits best. 'I really strive to get the image to be as accurate as possible to the scale and features of the building.'
Fawcett's first two microbuilds were of historic Saskatoon Arena, which was replaced in 1988 by SaskTel Centre, as well as the Bessborough Hotel. 'For the past several years I've been feeling quite nostalgic,' Fawcett said, adding that his Saskatoon builds were a niche and cathartic way to build distinct features of the city's landscape. 'I've got a list of buildings that I would like to attempt.'
