Sears/Willis tower help !

wb10005

Hi all, I am attempting to build a Sears Tower skyscraper with my daughters. We will be using 34x34 square box for the first large section of the building base, using mostly 1x2, 1x4 black with 1x2 clear trans windows. My question is : What is the best way to reinforce the top of the top floor of the bottom tower section, so I may have a flat, fully covered 34X34 base on top to build upward. Thank you. I'm right out of the dark ages....

Jay37

I don't claim to be an expert on MOCing (or indeed even an amateur!) but could you create an internal column using DUPLO bricks? I have seen this in large scale models as they create a solid but reasonably lightweight structure. If you were to arrange four 2x4 DUPLO bricks so they form a square (with a 2x2 hole in the middle) and repeat upwards, rotating the next layer by 90 degrees, this would form a fairly quick and easy starting structure. Only thing to bear in mind is the only standard LEGO brick that is compatible with DUPLO bricks is a 2x4 (3001), so you would need to create an initial layer with these (which would allow you to start from a standard base plate) and finish the top of your column likewise. This would enable you to then add plates to create your first 'roof' and hopefully give you a stable weight bearing platform. You could also add a couple of layers of 3001s every so often and construct some bridging structure from the DUPLO column to your outer walls. Once you've done the first section you may be able to adapt the process for the further sections of the building, using 2x4 DUPLO bricks side by side to create a smaller square.

An added advantage to this would be if you need to make any adjustments it will be a lot easier to pull apart and remodel.

Oh, and you may want to clad the interior column with some darker standard bricks; DUPLO 2x4s do come in black but don't seem overly plentiful and you might not want the multicoloured palette to be obvious when you look through the windows!

Hope this gives you some ideas and maybe others out there who are more proficient in MOCing can give you some more pointers.

Best of luck!

James