Build: Modularising the LEGO Pizzeria / Dojo
The LEGO Town Center is good for road parts but you can also modify it to make a modular out of it.
Every LEGO City needs a good Pizzeria.
At the start of 2021 LEGO launched the LEGO Town Center 60292 built around their new roads plates with a Car Wash, Park, Recycling and Pizzeria and Dojo.
The set is very much aimed at the kids market (and is lots of fun) but I decided to buy two sets for two reasons: one is it gave me a good number of the new roadplates for my streetscape and the other is to try and turn it into a proper LEGO modular out of the Pizzeria and Dojo.
This was the result:
The original design has three levels: the Pizzeria down the bottom with a simple counter and a solid pizza oven, the dojo on level two with some good mats, swords and helmets and then finally a rooftop garden. See below.
Combining two sets it wasn’t hard to build out the store frontage - using the 2 x sets to extend the awning around the corner and put the dojo signage on both sides.
You’ll notice I also added the LEGO minifigure from Series 19 Pizza Suit Guy Minifigure 71025 with him handing out pamphlets. Personally I think he looks great and adds awesome colour out the front.
One other thing I did do was get rid of the stack of burning pizza boxes outside (who stores pizza boxes outside???) and instead turn it into an alley for rubbish which is far more realistic.
I also switched the fencing (personally I like that there is an outdoor dining area) but it didn’t want to cut off the full pavement area, as I’ve discussed before.
Inside the Pizzeria I’ve kept the counter and pizza oven but added a dining area. The pizza oven area has also been extended to be more built out. It also gives me an entry area for the dojo in terms of creating a terrace space above.
In terms of building out the space I did buy some extra dark red pieces to keep the style of the build and some extra pizza pieces to make it more realistic in terms of the dining experience but I had plenty of tan and sandgreen in my collection already.
Upstairs the dojo is a good and realistic space but I confess I did feel it was a bit plain in terms of decoration. To solve this I got my hands on the retired LEGO Ninjago Spinjitzu Dojo (off eBay) which has some good decorative tiles that were useful for signage and aesthetic in the space.
One area I haven’t quite nailed is the entrance to the dojo. I’ve had to make it via the back using the ladder. I’d welcome any suggestions of a better way of doing this.
Similarly there’s a ladder which I’ve had to hang directly onto the terrace entrance for the dojo. Not entirely sure this works but its an interim solution (again welcome any suggestions).
On the top level, the original design had a vegetable garden with a cherry tree. I’ve kept this but also added flowers on the other side. I’ve also put a meditative bench for the dojo master to meditate on and added beekeepers in (need to add the beehive!).
Overall I’m happy with this design. It’s definitely a MOD rather than a MOC but its a fun build that I’ve enjoyed adapting and I’m pleased with how it slots into my streetscape.
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