Why LEGO is the perfect gift for boys and girls
There’s no better way to learn a love of building than through LEGO. So, we asked some of our property leaders: why does LEGO make the best Christmas present?
We spend a collective five billion hours playing with LEGO each year, and there are an estimated 62 pieces of LEGO for every human being on earth.
And block by block, LEGO teaches children the basic principles of structural engineering, construction and even placemaking.
The GPT Group’s CEO Bob Johnston, says LEGO is the perfect gift for “kids young and old to put their creative skills to the test”.
Carl Schibrowski, head of development with Brookfield Properties Australia, agrees. “LEGO allows kids a sense of achievement to follow the instructions, and room for creativity to go freestyle, or both”.
Virginia Briggs, a partner with MinterEllison, says LEGO presents the “opportunity to create something physical that has no boundaries or limits and truly sets the imagination on fire”.
Briggs thinks LEGO “gives kids the tool to be true blue sky thinkers and architects for their own built environment. And not just buildings, also trains, buses, ships and everything in between”.
One of Briggs’ partners at MinterEllison recently created a “LEGO bus, which is compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act, is hybrid electric and has bike racks. If she can do something so innovative with LEGO, just imagine what the kids can create!”
Ken Morrison, the Property Council’s chief executive, also marvels at LEGO’s possibilities.
“Years ago, you would use LEGO to build imaginary houses or forts or towers. Now you can build Millennium Falcons, Eiffel Towers and Opera Houses,” he says.
“LEGO reminds us that building things is fun – there’s imagination, problem solving, instructions to follow and limited resources because there’s a limit to those bricks,” Morrison adds.
For Dexus chief executive officer Darren Steinberg, LEGO gives kids “the thrill of creating something”. And it encourages them to get back to old-fashioned fun. “It gets them off their iPads and phones,” Steinberg adds.
Stockland’s managing director and CEO, Mark Steinert, loves LEGO’s recently-released Women in NASA series, which he says “illustrates the importance of diversity regarding equality, broadening customer reach and driving business”.
Lexia Wilson, a partner with Piper Alderman, also reminds us that LEGO is for both boys and girls. Wilson has daughters that both loved LEGO when they were young, because “it allowed them to build and create all sorts of things such as boats, cars, homes, airports and even a zoo”.
And there was no “fairy LEGO” for Wilson’s girls. “They wanted the ‘real LEGO’, as they called it, and would spend hours effectively building and creating communities.”
Carmel Hourigan, AMP Capital’s global head of real estate, says LEGO is a great “stepping stone” for a career in real estate.
“Just like the best developments, the best LEGO creations are when all the different pieces work together to create something special.”
This year, AMP Capital commissioned LEGO certified professional, Ryan McNaught, also known as ‘The Brickman’, to create a 2.1-metre-high, 114,700 piece to scale LEGO replica of the landmark Quay Quarter Sydney development, Hourigan says.
“Taking over 310 hours to build, it’s a LEGO creation to aspire to and will provide some inspiration this Christmas,” Hourigan adds.
Turner & Townsend’s CEO Vincent Clancy has a piece of advice for parents: “Start early if you want your kids to have a passion for construction.
Clancy’s company is working with children around the world to showcase construction careers, and says LEGO is a great tool to spark a life-long love of building. “The best part about LEGO is that we can play with it too,” he adds.
The Property Council’s Morrison offers one final word of warning.
“It’s a great present for kids – they just have to be taught to put it away after use. Because there’s nothing worse than treading on a LEGO brick – particularly in the middle of the night.”