As we close out the year, I thought it’d be a fun exercise to try and predict what the 2024 Modular Building set will be!
January is when the year’s Modular Building goes on sale, and we usually find out what the set is sometime in December when LEGO officially reveals them.
For many adult fans, the launch of the new Modular Building is almost synonymous to ushering in the new year and for a series that has been running since 2007, it’s something that LEGO fans look forward to each year.
I’m also trying to get as many predictions out before my upcoming trip to Billund for Fan Media Days 2023, where there’s a high chance of seeing these in the flesh.
Last year, we got a sneak peek of the Modular Jazz Club, and I also got to chat to the designer, Anderson Ward Grubb. I also semi-predicted last year’s Modular while in Billund, so I think I’ve got a good track record when it comes to predictions, and I think I have it in me to predict the 2024 one.
And to predict the 2024 LEGO Modular building, I’ve come up with a pretty convincing case based on historical trends.
As of 2023, LEGO have produced 18 sets that fall within the Modular Building category, beginning with 2007’s Cafe Corner, all the way up to 2023’s Jazz Club.
LEGO’s Modular Building subtheme has been incredibly popular, but it’s always had a common thread – urban structures with interesting architectural facades, that can connect to one another.
To predict the 2024 Modular, I’ve sorted every LEGO Modular Building into the following categories:
- Commercial (Services)
- Commercial (Shopping)
- Entertainment
- Food & Travel
- Municipal Buildings
- Residential
These categories are the ones that make the most sense to me, and if I were to pretend that I was an urban planner in charge of LEGO’s Modular City, these categories are indicative of what Modular Minifigure citizens would expect, with amenities from shopping, to municipal services to entertainment options like a Cinema or Jazz Club.
However, once you look at these categories and compare them against places that you’d expect from an urban centre, there’s one massive gap which I think is a clue to what the 2024 Modular Building will be!
My prediction for the 2024 LEGO Modular Building is that it will have something to do with Education, Science or History.
Cities have long been epicenters of academia, science or preservation of culture, and I think that looking at the 17 years of Modular Building history, this category has been neglected, which I hope LEGO fixes in 2024.
I think it’s very likely that we get a Museum or some sort of University, however I’m leaning towards Museum simply because LEGO can do some really interesting things with the Architectural design, whether it’s a classic neoclassical-inspired, or a modern treatment inspired by the Solomon Guggenheim Museum.
I’d really like a proper Art Deco-inspired Modular Building, and I think a Museum or some sort of Beaux-Arts architecture.
LEGO could also have quite of fun with the interiors, with either a Science, Natural History or Sociological collection, and really be a nexus for learning and preservation of culture that’s sorely missing from the Modular Building collection.
A Library would also make quite a bit of sense in this context, but with LEGO’s increasing focus on interiors with recent Modular Buildings, a Museum would be a much more interesting and challenging structure than a Library!
So yeah, book it in, my prediction for the 2024 Modular Building is a Museum or Learning Institution of some sort.
What do you think the 2024 Modular Building will be? Let me know in the comments!
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I follow your conclusion and including it will not change this, but you have forgotten the parisian restaurant in the groupings.
A museum or library would be awesome!
It’s rumored that the next modular will have a similar piece count to assembly square, so it could be wider or taller also
Whilst not an official modular, the Marvel Sanctorum is essentially a museum and library. Also, museums and art galleries are very similar and we had one of the latter (albeit tiny) in the Boutique Hotel set. Plus the Bookshop is essentially a small library.
With those sets all being quite recent, I think education is more likely and people have pointed out that (dentists aside) we’ve not had much in the way of healthcare.
If the next modular is 1.5 baseplates as many are predicting due to the high piece count, perhaps it will be some kind of community centre that provides lots of the missing resources in a smaller scale.
Maybe a small doctor’s surgery, a creche or summer school classroom, yoga studio, etc… Similar to Assembly Square in a way (multiple small businesses sharing a public space) but more education and wellness rather than arts and cakes focused?
Perhaps that’s more what I’d like to see rather than what I think we’ll get, but I think it would work. A sense of community fits with Lego/Danish ascetics and these sort of centres have been fairly common globally dating back to the early 1900s (I never know what era modulars are supposed to be from but I guess 1910-1950s) so wouldn’t be out of character.
I’m also in for Museum or university /library! And my prediction for 2025 would be a Post + residential.
How about a blind modular, where you have no idea what it is until you’ve bought and opened it?
Collect’ em all!
I…. might steal this for next year’s April Fool’s joke..
It would be so fun if the museum had “the history of lego in 100 bricks” including successes like ninjago, m tron mannequin , and funny pokes at flops like Galidor.
I hope for a hospital or a post office. But with the size… it’s probably not a post office because that will be a smaller building. Soo maybe a school? Or a hospital? I would also like a supermarket. They will never make that i guess because of the time/age of the buildings. So for now i think a school or a hospital.
I also really like the idea of the museum, especially if it is a large one! I have been tempted to get the Friends botanical gardens and kitbash a museum with that included. I wonder if they feel the recent BrickLink Studgate Station fills the transportation void? I have been wanting to add the recent winter trolley to run down the street in front of the row. Whatever they come out with will most likely be on my want list for a bit…
Pet shop. Cuts the minifigure count down but add lots of animals.
Museum would be pretty sweet. 1st floor natural history, Brick built TRex skeleton that towers in to open floor of level 2, a small brick built solar system diorama, 2nd floor- people history stuff- Sarcophagus? Ancient tools? Age of Sail model? An ‘armor stand mannequin’ with AgeofSail admirals uniform/hat/sword. 3rd Floor floor classical art works- a mini printed flat tile of starry night homage seems no brainer.
Also Hospital is massive gap.
I think look to retiring modular, what is being lost on market? Public services- Police Station. Major case for a Hospital. 1st floor check in, receiving, ER. 2nd floor diagnostics, lab, xray, CT/MRI machine. OR . 3rd floor extended stay/in patient. Records.
Also gotta squeeze an elevator in there, no only for accessibility of injured minifigs! But to save space on stairs (usually) for more pods.
What would be AMAZING is a LEGO HISTORY MUSEUM!! It could have tons of references to previous LEGO categories/themes that have gone by the wayside. References to current ones and even references to LEGO’s beginning.
Now THAT would be a day-1 purchase for me!
A museum definitely makes way more sense than a library, since we’ve already had a bookstore- I can’t imagine that the interior of a library would be all that much different.
Second that!
A neo classical / beaux arts inspired Museum of (Natural or Minifig) History.
So much fun they can have with the interiors (dinosaurs, statues, paintings, etc.) and so much awesome directions they can take with styles, advanced building techniques, detailing, etc. for the exterior!
I’ve wanted a hospital for a few years. The COVID pandemic seemed a good opportunity, but did not come to be during those years. The City hospital sets tend to be high on stickers and low on details, so I’d like to see a Modular Buildings set with the intricate details it is known for. (Plus we already have sets for a police and fire station.)
Aside from a hospital, I’d like to see something related to science and/or research. A laboratory, a pathology clinic, environmental testing centre, some kind of research facility, a or even a superhero / supervillain lair. A building that allows access to funny-coloured liquids and strange machines.
I do like the idea of a museum! I’d like it to focus on treasures and geological specimens as opposed to something like fossils and/or art (which have already been done in Modular Buildings or other themes).
“A building that allows access to funny-coloured liquids and strange machines”….
This comment made me think of a pinball arcade ! That’s gunna be my left-field choice, built over multiple floors it will feature themed pinballs with call backs to LEGO touchstones like dragons, ducks, monorail, vikings and of FORESTMEN. A small side build will be included selling sugary drinks, maybe a Monkie-Kid-esque Bubble Tea shop.
More realistically I am surprised they have never included an urban park. The reception of the botanical series, ninjago city gardens, and the Spring Lantern festival would seem to make this a no brainer. Could include a skate park roof top basketball court and be designed to economically occupy a double baseplate which would allow the tenth anniversary set to *finally* gracefully retire. Of course it should feature an Urban Forest Centre that would be staffed by someone in a fetching pointed hat and plume.
Yes a urban park makes a lot of sense and would offer a pleasant relief to a row of modular buildings. But I guess this would start to compete with some of the City & Friends builds ideas which people make have adapted into layouts.
I like your thinking! I would go with something in the science/education/STE(A)M theme too, I would go with a “maker space” that could include a repair shop for Lego people’s household goods, tools, a Lego 3D printer? and maybe some bins of spare parts?
It could all be housed in a building that is a fusion of an old architecturally-interesting structure with some modern elements like solar panels or incorporating shipping containers, while still having a realistic look and not being too wacky or out-of-place with the adjacent buildings.
I’d be very happy with a large, single purpose building like a museum, school or library. The museum does seem to offer the most variety in terms of interior.
I’d also love to see a hospital, even if it’s a small hospital. An apartment building would also be interesting.
I feel you might be right but might also include a community square with historical type column in its forecourt.
Brick Clicker has already reported that the set is to be large at 4014 pieces , the largest modular yet. So we what to see. We are still lacking a post office?
I predict a hospital, we have the fire station and police
I would love a museum too, can definitely imagine the dinosaur bones on display on one of the levels
I’m hoping for a school or hospital. I got tired of waiting for a museum so I created a two-story Women in STEM museum by adding floors to Town Hall and making my own displays from cannibalized parts. I don’t want competition, especially from the pros at LEGO.
Thanks for explaining the background of your prediction in such detail! To me guessing the modular is a traditional part of each year’s end. A library would be quite close to the book shop and the art gallery aside the hotel similar to a museum. In addition to the rumoured 4000+ piece count, thus, my guess is a multi-facility complex: postal office, pharmacy and residential 🙂
I think you’re spot on with your prediction Stefan. It is rumoured to be a 1.5 base plate build (given circa 4k piece count) and give Assembly square is retiring AND lego has been integrated multiple story lines in the builds.. it is very likely a multi-facility complex. Hospital alone would be too big for a 1.5 base plate build. Much more likely a pharmacy and some other shops
Great article. I am missing the Parisian Restaurant in the categories. Is is one of the best modular buildings at least from my point of view.
If it were a Rock N’ Roll hall of fame It would be a DAY 1 purchase for me. It’s got education (history of music), entertainment (rock bands), food (cafe/snacks) and shopping (souvenirs) options all rolled into one. Throw in a capsule hotel room (residential) and a city tourist office (municipal/services) and you got all the modular categories covered – hopefully all on a 32×32 plate. 🙂
I’m thinking of clues I see and less about what I’d like to see although what’s missing is a good place to start.
I read that they put a newspaper printer on hold I think becausethe Daily Bugle was still on shelves. This may be why there was a paper boy minifigure and it also goes with the Police newspaper stand. So they may be completing this now if the Bugle is gone.
There’s an apple on the message board on the Boutique Hotel that can’t be explained like the rest of the items. Could this be because they have plans for a school of some sort or a fruit stand as a secondary small part of a different theme? (Or maybe a school)
The moving van exclusive that matched with the Jazz club could contain clues as well. Items like the piano & sax painting can belong to the jazz club (I included them inside) and obviously the box that said To: Jazz Club, the table seemed like it went well with the Boutique Hotel (I put it under the stairs in the lobby actually), but where would the juke box go? Could that possibly fit into the next modular somehow? Maybe the whole moving van thing I’m looking too hard at.
Any other subtle clues anyone noticed? Sometimes the minifigure series have related characters too.
And although a museum is a great idea, I wonder if it’s too soon with the El Cubo – Fine Art with the Boutique Hotel. Even though it’s nothing compared to a museum, it felt like a mini museum with paintings, sculpture, a bust. Unless of course this compliments a museum the way newspaper stand compliments the bigger newspaper printer.
Think you’re on to something here Jay!
Would love to see a museum with Dinosaur Bones, although a University or Library could be fun too.
Solid thought process.
Looking forward to seeing what we get.
I really hope it’s a museum!! That would be awesome! 😀
Given several IDEAS submissions of schools/universities and museums that have not made it into production, it would make sense to have a school or museum. I think a hospital would be great though as with the focus on interiors it would be great to have a lab, a nurses station, imaging (xray/mri), and triage/emergency. They could even incorporate a giftshop/cafeteria. I would love a museum, but it would be hard to focus on one type of museum… History? Fine Art? Space? The possibilities are ENDLESS! If they went with a school, would folks prefer a university setting vs. a primary/secondary school? Whatever the case, I always look forward to the modulars – its usually what I spend my holiday gift cards on 🙂
Wouldn’t be surprised to see a 2 part modular – 1 part Pharmacy, the 2nd part either another shop or a house of some kind or maybe a Doctor’s office or Dentist
Seeing rumors that the set will be $299.99 and over 4,000 pieces so could be 1.5 or 2 wide rather than the standard plate width
Hi Jay,
Any word on this year’s winter village set?
Yes Carly, that’s been revealed by Promobricks & Brick Clicker ( see his Youtube) .
I would like a museum modular. But I would also like a hospital modular. But who am I kidding, I like all the modulars. 😛
I think it will be a hospital. Lego knows we want one, and they will have time to design a modular one.
Every year we hope for a school or Modular hospital but it’s still never happened!
I wonder if they are going to do a University – there’s a non Lego one been on sale and doing the rounds for ages
Redbrick University – Mould King
Might just be that they make that one official – seems to be that Lego follow the fakers now
A museum with dinosaur skeletons and may be minifigures in costumes of by gone ages !
I am rooting for Museum, especially with the recent leak that the new modular will have 4014 pieces, and will thus probably be of similar size to Assembly Square. A museum of that size would be quite awesome!
I’d agree a museum would be great, I really don’t want a depressing modular of a Hospital – which is what is rumoured
Other rumours of a shopping mall would be nice
However I think Lego are in danger of making sets too expensive – especially just after Christmas
I think they might find day one sales slower than usual
Day one sales being slower is something they probably don’t mind seeing as the modular GWP only launches a month or two after. I’d expect most people buying the sets from lego will wait for a bit because of that.
All I want is a modular library! I’m a huge fan of the residential/two-building combo offerings as well, though, so I’m flexible. 🙂