LEGO fan interview with Dan Konstanski

How did you become an adult LEGO fan? Were you a LEGO fan as a child?

“I have been a LEGO fan since I was three years old. My dad would always bring me back a small gift when he traveled. On one occasion he chose 6659 TV Camera Crew. Little did he know what he had just unleashed.

From then on, I have been obsessed. Never had a dark age, though I have had a few stretches of what I call my “no disposable income” ages where acquisitions have been fewer and farther between.

I started doing conventions and big builds in the early 2010s and began working for Blocks magazine in 2015 so my transition from child fan to AFOL was pretty seamless.”

It’s funny what we remember from childhood, and how much a small set can set us up for a lifetime of fandom!

What is your favourite LEGO set?

“6769 Fort Legoredo from the Western line. This set came out when I was at the peak of my childhood LEGO playing phase and I spent countless hours on the floor with it. Even now Fort Legoredo is a big set, but back then it was unparalleled in terms of size. So much amazing play value, so many good memories.”

I remember staring at this set in LEGO catalogues for hours – and I still haven’t got it. One day…

You’ve written A Secret Life Of LEGO Bricks: how did that come about?

“Due to my work with Blocks Magazine I had the good fortune of being able to collaborate with the LEGO Group’s team of Corporate Historians on a variety of articles. Because of that previous work when the company embarked on a project to develop the first book written for AFOLs they ended up reaching out to me. Thanks to those existing relationships I was able to hit the ground running.”

What is your favourite discovery while researching the book?

“There were so many revelations that I loved learning about but one of my favorites was about a set called Building Bonanza from 2004. It was a very simple Creator 3 in 1 model that the company had no great aspirations for which made it all the more surprising when it began flying off shelves. The sales numbers stood out so much that management commissioned an internal study to learn the reason why. Turned out it was adults buying multiple copies and that revelation was what inspired the Modular Building line.”

Tell us about the most memorable fan built model you’ve seen in your role as US Editor of Blocks Magazine?

“Hands down New Hashima at Brickworld Chicago in 2023. It was an enormous collaborative build with over 80 participants. Everything about it was incredible. Normally builds are either big or detailed but this one was both. As far as I know that event was the only time the entire thing has been displayed at once since it’s hard to bring that many builders together. ”

Oh yes – I was fortunate to see New Hashima at Bricktastic 2024 in Manchester and it really is stunning!

Who inspires you as a LEGO fan? Other builders, writers? Links to Instagram etc welcome.

“From a professional perspective I am fascinated and inspired by the LEGO Group’s history. It’s a crazy story how it grew from one man’s family business in rural Denmark to a global corporate giant. So many interesting stories have dotted that history and I love digging for them.”

If you could bring back one retired LEGO theme, which would it be and why?

“LEGO Pirates without a moment of hesitation. I loved this theme as a kid and still contend that LEGO ships are the best sets of all time. Something about the scale of minifigures perfectly matches with towering masts and billowing sails. I have at least one copy of every LEGO ship ever made and would happily keep adding to that collection.”

Must not buy a pirate ship. Must not buy a pirate ship.