‘LEGO greenhouse’ by sebastian bergne

for london design week 2011, sebastian bergne has been commissioned to create an installation using LEGO. entitled the ‘LEGO greenhouse’, the london-based designer’s project is an actual functioning greenhouse, whose walls, floors and earth are entirely built from the iconic building bricks, contrasting the live plants and vegetables growing within.

sebastian bergne: LEGO greenhouse detail

standing in covent garden in front of the famous covered market, the structure’s pitched roof is meant to reference and reflect the architecture that surrounds it, while plants bring nature back to this area which was once famous for garden trade. though the installation is temporary, the LEGO greenhouse’s functionality hints at the possible potential of LEGO to bridge the gap between toy and usable construction for the real world.

sebastian bergne: LEGO greenhouse

‘… what instinctively appealed to me, was that I would finally have the chance to live out a childhood dream and build something huge and usable out of LeGO. as with the majority of my work, I enjoy taking a material or process and pushing the boundary of what can be done with it. this time we have created an interesting juxtaposition of a natural environment growing in an almost digital, mass-produced LEGO structure, and it makes you look at LEGO in a new way,’ says bergne.

bergne has worked closely with the LEGO build and technical teams, along with covent garden to realize the project, with the final design built and installed by duncan titmarsh, the UK’s only LEGO certified professional.

the LEGO greenhouse will be on display in north piazza, covent garden, london from september 15th – 25th, 2011 during london design week 2011.

sebastian bergne: LEGO greenhouse