Review: LEGO Bricklink Designer Program Series 2 910037 Mushroom House

Today we are quickly taking a look at the content of one of the five sets which will be available from June 6, 2024 as part of the pre-order phase of the second series of the reboot du Bricklink Designer Program, logically titled series 2, the reference 910037 Mushroom House by Jonas Kramm with its 964 pieces and its public price set at €79,99.

It is the most compact of the five finalist products offered during this new pre-order phase, yet it is the one that visually inspired me the most when I was asked to choose one to "test" it. ". The subject covered is a little different from the usual buildings and other medieval or pirate-based products, it's colorful, it's cute and the price remains relatively affordable compared to products sold for several hundred euros.

Those who closely follow the evolution of the LEGO IDEAS program know that this mushroom house had been submitted on the platform by its creator and it had reached 10.000 supporters in 2022 before being definitively postponed to February 2023.

The mushroom was then closed on all its sides with a removable section which allowed access to the internal spaces. The project has since evolved to try to find an audience via the Bricklink Designer Program and this new version now has a completely open side.

We might as well make it clear right away, don't expect the usual LEGO "experience" here. These products do not pass into the hands of the brand's designers for proper adaptation to the manufacturer's standards and requirements before their marketing, LEGO's intervention being for example reduced here to a few cosmetic changes such as the snail's shell. which changed color for reasons linked to the availability of the elements initially chosen by Jonas Kramm.

The marketing of these creations "as is" therefore risks disappointing some who will not find the same well-crafted assembly process as well as the techniques which generally ensure a certain solidity to the constructions offered in the official ranges. Fan creation enthusiasts (MOCs) will be on familiar ground here, they know that fans of the brand sometimes use interesting design techniques but do not always worry about the solidity of the result.

We indeed get annoyed here from time to time when faced with some somewhat risky assemblages, particularly at the level of the snail, and we must remain open-minded while keeping in mind that this is a creation of fan, as gifted and inspired as the latter may be. The whole thing remains relatively fragile and we cannot really speak of a playset designed for young audiences who would use it intensively.

Everything is quickly assembled, in any case thanks to the preliminary instructions and still being modified that I received and the result seems completely acceptable to me. As I said above, it's cute and we will be forgiving of the slightly rough finish in places. We will salute the creativity of the fan designer who, for example, thought of offering access to the upper floor without integrating a staircase but by installing a plant whose leaves will serve as steps.

This mushroom house is immediately recognizable, it has the right shape and the required color. We cannot escape some very large elements at the level of the hat which serves as a roof, but the solution used remains in my opinion overall very convincing for a construction on this scale.

Some might have liked a little more finesse and detail on the walls of the base of the mushroom or on the roof, but that was undoubtedly the price to pay to maintain a limited inventory and a contained public price.

The two interior spaces accessible from the back of the construction are correctly arranged even if they remain in reality difficult to access unless it is simply a question of placing a figurine there. There we find some furniture and other accessories piled up like a Structure and there is ultimately only a little space left to correctly integrate the three minifigs provided or even play a little with this mushroom house.

The fact remains that the subject treated guarantees some good surprises in terms of contrast between the scales used, the wheelbarrow transports some large fruits, the snail becomes a delivery vehicle and the vegetation placed around the house takes on proportions interesting, for example with the acorns placed near the pretty fountain. The double ladder which results from the arrangement of a mushroom with classic furniture is interesting, it almost feels like the Smurfs.

For those who are wondering, nothing new in terms of the three minifigs provided, the torsos of which come from the sets 10305 Lion Knights'Castle, 40567 Forest Hideout or, 10332 Medieval Town Square.

I will say it again for those who have not followed, everything remains far below the usual LEGO standards in terms of solidity and finish, you will have to live with it and expect to be dealing with a product straight from the hands of the fan designer without having been adapted by the brand's designers.

If this approach suits you, you will probably find something to please you in this set which deals with a somewhat unusual subject. Those who were disappointed to see the thing fall by the wayside during its career on the LEGO IDEAS platform have here a new opportunity to treat themselves.

Pre-orders open June 6, 2024 at 17:00 a.m., it will then be up to you to see if this box deserves the honors in your portfolio.