From discussions with others, it seems that most architects have grown up with Lego. Years ago all you would get is a box of Lego bits, whereas nowadays a pre-determined object is decreed. But wouldn’t it be nice to go further than just a scale model of your architectural dream?

James May, the long-haired foppish one from Top Gear, is about to do just that. He’s all set to build a 1:1 scale model of a house, entirely from Lego. He’s not content to have one of the top jobs in Britain (being paid to be very silly in someone else’s car) but now is set to tackle the nascent architect’s dream – to build a full size house from our childhood bricks. He’s even going to live in it – for at least a few days, and has said that hopefully even all the details as well – right down to the toilets. We’re not sure how the blocks will be waterproofed – but he seems confident:

“I’ve got a man working on a flushing Lego lavatory. We think it’s possible. Things like power supply, sanitation and plumbing coming into the house are as they could be for a real building… everything within my Lego house must as far as possible be Lego”

May has done a couple of these type of things before – including a beautiful garden entirely made of Plasticine for the Chelsea Flower Show, and a 9m long bridge made from Meccano.