Modulars - Alternative Builds

[JakeS]

Hi everyone!
This is my first post on Eurobricks (after the "Hello my name is..."-topic). My name is Jake. I have been collecting and building modulars and alternative builds designed by others since a few years.
A few months ago I tried to make an alternative build of a modular myself. I wanted an inverted corner for my city (called "Steendam"), so I tried making a MOC of the Assembly Square.
For this MOC I used quite a lot of techniques of the original one, for the interior and the exterior, because I wasn't that confident that I would succeed in making a finished building.
The result was the Assembly Alleyway:

 For more pictures, see this page on Bricksafe.

What I like most about this building myself is that the front of the building consists of several small facades. Also, I liked the extra space in front of the building, because some parts are moved backward a little on the baseplate. I enjoyed making this one very much!

So much that a month ago I decided to try to make an alternative of the Bookshop. I like all of the modulars, but the blue house of the bookshop was difficult to place in my city, due to it's height and it's bright color. That's why I wanted to try making something else out of it. The result is the Bistro Bookshop:



 For more pictures, see this page on Bricksafe.

I used a technique of the original house for the roof of the building in the middle, but the rest is my own idea. Part of the fun was trying to make this building stand out a bit by having three small facades again, and placing a part of the building backward. I spent more time on the interior of this building. Also, I made up a story about it:

The owner of the bookshop is an author. He is a creative man, who made his passion his job. Unfortunately he doesn't make enough money with the bookshop. That's why the owner tried opening a bistro in the shop, to make sure more people visit his bookshop, and he tried to make some extra money by painting art. But still he can't make ends meet. What would he give to have a toilet, and a shower with running water!
Recently, on one of his bookshelves he found a book about crime. It gave him an idea: in secret he started working on a money press in the attic. It does not work just yet, but it won't be long before all his problems will be over!

Sometimes, when he is sleeping, he hears some strange noises from the attic. Could it be that there's another resident in his house, lurking in the shadows, with a fondness of cheese?

(The building on the right is another MOC I made, based on a building from the "Lego Neighbourhood Book" by Jason and Brian Lyles. I made it of 4x set 31097).

The last alternative build I made was a MOC of the Police Station. The fun about alternative builds is trying to work with what you have. The idea for the next building, the Crooks Crib, started with the roof of the building on the right:



 For more pictures, see this page on Bricksafe.

The story of this building is:
Meet the Crooks! Cecilia and Cedric seem like an ordinary, friendly couple, living in their house next to the local Police Station. The perfect neighbours. But unlike the owner of the Bistro Bookshop, these two are professional criminals. All over their house they hid the loot of their latest jewelry heist. They have a secret lair where they eat  their stolen donuts and plan their evil deeds. And they are so bold, they even stashed the spoils of their heist on the art gallery in the unused attic of the police station! Let's hope the police don't decide to renovate the attic soon.
What the two don't know, is that the cops are onto them, gathering evidence. But.. even if one day the police come knocking on the door, they still have an escape plan. And something tells me that if one of them would be arrested, he or she won't be in jail for a long time..

I think this building is the most original of the three, both interior and exterior. The part I'm most proud of is the bed on the second floor :)
Again, I tried to make several facades, and play a bit with the length of the sidewalks. I had a lot of fun making up the story and working it out in the build.

I also made manuals for the buildings and shared them on Rebrickable. For free, because I don't feel very comfortable with asking money for it. Some alternative builds have way more sophisticated building techniques than mine, or feel more finished. I am not trying to make perfect builds, I just have fun building and sharing what I built :)

Here's a picture of all three builds combined:



I think next stop might be an alternative build of the Downtown Diner, though it seems like a very difficult set to make a MOC of ;)

Edited May 26, 2022 by JakeS

[jus1973]

A good start to MOD/MOC of the modular format.  I must admit that IF i could ever afford a second copy of a modular, this is what I’d like to do.  I think you’ve managed to capture a small European town really well. 

The Downtown Diner will be a fair bit tougher i think.

[AntiZombie]

These are some great alternative builds! I guess the police station is my favorite one. Well done! :)

[JakeS]

2 hours ago, jus1973 said:

A good start to MOD/MOC of the modular format.  I must admit that IF i could ever afford a second copy of a modular, this is what I’d like to do.  I think you’ve managed to capture a small European town really well. 

The Downtown Diner will be a fair bit tougher i think.

Thanks! That's a nice compliment, about the small European town. I think that's what I aimed for :)
I agree with you, the Downtown Diner will be much tougher. But I can always try! Maybe it might be difficult to make a 32 studs wide-building, but I could try something else (though I don't yet know what or how).

57 minutes ago, AntiZombie said:

These are some great alternative builds! I guess the police station is my favorite one. Well done! :)

Thanks! I like your city, awesome! :)

Edited May 26, 2022 by JakeS

[AntiZombie]

17 hours ago, JakeS said:

Thanks! I like your city, awesome! :)

Thank you as well! :)

[JakeS]

Mocscout has placed a review of the Assembly Alleyway on YouTube :)

[JakeS]

I started working on a building with the parts of the Downtown Diner:

It's going to be a candy store and a boardgame shop :)

Edited June 24, 2022 by JakeS

[JakeS]

I finished the alternative build of the Downtown Diner! It's called: Dungeons & Dum-Dums :p

It's a game shop (board games, video games) and a candy shop. On the first floor is a house. And on the attic, there's a collection of several fantasy-related items: a wizard staff and hat, lightswords, etc.
I used only the parts of the Downtown Diner, including spare parts.
 

For more pictures, see: https://bricksafe.com/pages/JakeSch89/diner
 

Edited June 21, 2022 by JakeS

[Undi3sss]

These are really great alt builds, my favourite so far is you Police Station.

Would love to see you tackle an alt for the Home Alone house; i've yet to see anyone do it, and as someone who doesn't care for that movie it's something i've been curious about.

[JakeS]

On 6/19/2022 at 8:22 AM, Undi3sss said:

These are really great alt builds, my favourite so far is you Police Station.

Would love to see you tackle an alt for the Home Alone house; i've yet to see anyone do it, and as someone who doesn't care for that movie it's something i've been curious about.

Thanks! I personally like that one the most too, because of the story :)

I don't have the Home Alone house either, so that won't be possible. I think it might certainly be a nice set to make an alterternative build of!
For now I still have some other sets I would like to try to MOC. I would like to make a church of the 3-1 Creator Castle, and maybe some day an alt of the Boutique Hotel.

Edited June 21, 2022 by JakeS

[JakeS]

I built another alternative build, this time of the Boutique Hotel. It's a bit smaller than the other buildings, but I'm still quite happy with the result :)

Exciting Exhibition

Minifigs come from far and wide to take a look at the famous works in the art museum of Steendam! There is an exhibition of wonderful paintings, made by well-known painters like Jan Stud and Rembrick.
However, something strange is going on... Lately some paintings and works of art just seem to have disappeared from the museum. Could one of the museum guards be involved? He lives next door, and is known to be a great art-lover. But how could he be able to steal the paintings unnoticed?

For more pictures, see https://bricksafe.com/pages/JakeSch89/exciting-exhibition
And the (free) instructions can be found on Rebrickable: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-119101/JakeS/exciting-exhibition-alt-build-of-boutique-hotel-10297/#details

Edited August 20, 2024 by JakeS
Repaired link to picture

[JakeS]

It's been some time, but I made a new alternative build :) This time with the parts of the Jazz Club (10312).

Freds Fries and Ginas Grocery
 
The families of Fred and Gina have been quarreling for years and years. Freds father owned a snackbar, Ginas mother owned a grocery store. There was no love lost between them. Fastfood vs. healthy homemade meals.
 One day, however, everything changed! The day Fred took over the store from his father he walked into Ginas grocery store with one of his delicious hamburgers – a peace offering. Because in silence Fred had had a crush on Gina for a very long time. Since that day, the two are inseparable. They live together above the store.
 The big question remains: what’s for dinner tonight?

The (free) instructions can be found on Rebrickable: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-190679/JakeS/freds-fries-ginas-grocery-alt-build-of-jazz-club-10312/#details