Maker Faire Bay Area 2024
The Brickmania Team builds the USS Vallejo (Pt 2) & Historic Mare Island Ship Yard
Home: California, United States
During Maker Faire 2023, Brickmania's team of LEGO enthusiasts scratch built a 10-foot-long replica of the atomic submarine USS Vallejo, just yards from where the actual submarine was built during the height of the Cold War. Team Brickmania plan to return to the scene to not only finish where we left off, but also to build the actual shipyard and slipway where the actual submarine was built. Additions include complete detailing the interior spaces, including working lights, assembling the shipyard's slipway and cranes, and otherwise add the details that make our works "museum quality." The final model will be part of a full-time display at our location in historic downtown Vallejo for the public to enjoy seven days a week.
https://www.brickmania.com/mare-island-store-vallejo-ca/
Makers
Brickmania
Brickmania is currently celebrating our 25th year of creating our own custom historical building kits primarily using LEGO® toys as our medium. In addition to our custom products, we also build mega displays that document historical scenes and achievements. Our displays are regularly featured at museums, conventions, and memorial events.
https://brickmaniatoys.com/
What Inspired You to Make This?
The Brickmania team are builders of science and history and use LEGO as a medium to document the high points (and sometimes the lows) of the world around us. Brickmania established an outpost in historic downtown Vallajo in 2022 because of the locations's rich history, with a promise to incorporate the local history and traditions into our public presence. Being at Maker Faire allows us to share our enthusiasm with the wider public, give us insight into local history, and helps bridge the past between past and present. Our medium is LEGO (and building toys) because it is approachable by people of all ages and can tell a story in much more vivid, ever-evolving way. Building in a public space such as Maker Faire is a challenge, but a very good way to explain to the public the importance of our history. We would like to think our enthusiasm in infectious and people often return again and again to check on progress throughout the event.
