It was 60 years ago today – January 28, 1958 that LEGO was able to secure a patent for its brand of interlocking bricks. The company has a history both storied and controversial, but what remains most important is that millions of children and families have been brought together by the iconic building toys. To celebrate the 60th Anniversary milestone, LEGO placed a massive installation in the Flatiron District of New York City, a neighborhood hailed as “the original home of the American Toy Industry.” Check out the build video below to see the construction of a 12,000 pound LEGO Brick…
“The LEGO brick changed the way that children build and play, and for 60 years has become a childhood play staple in homes around the world for generations, so we are thrilled to celebrate children’s creativity with a one-of-a-kind model designed to commemorate the occasion,” said Amanda Madore, Senior Manager, Brand Relations for LEGO Systems, Inc. “We hope that LEGO bricks continue to entice people to build their imaginations to life for many generations to come.”
For a vintage look back, LEGO has released a series of archival videos to give fans a look at the beginnings of the company and their production process…
About the LEGO brick
- LEGO Group founder Ole Kirk Kristiansen launched the first bricks called Automatic Binding Bricks in 1949
- Original bricks were hollow underneath, so they had limited clutch power
- In 1953, the name was changed to LEGO “Mursten” (Danish for LEGO bricks)
- Early LEGO bricks were available in five colors: white, red, yellow, blue and green
LEGO Brick Fun Facts
- Six “2×4” LEGO bricks of the same color can be combined in more than 915 million ways
- A stack of about 40 billion LEGO bricks would reach the moon
- The molds used to produce LEGO elements are accurate to within 4my/0.004mm – less than the width of a single hair. This accuracy enables the clutch power that helps bricks stay together
- LEGO bricks are now available in more than 60 different colors
- There are more than 3,700 different types of LEGO elements now in production
By visiting www.lego.com/whatwillyoubuild, fans can find information about a collection of creative building sets commemorating the 60th anniversary, simple building inspiration, and guidance for how to facilitate a building moment that can be shared with the world using the hashtag #WhatWillYouBuild.
