Paige Lyman, writing at StarWars.com, talks to LEGO Master Model Designer César Soares about the new LEGO Star Wars UCS Death Star, available now, featuring 9,023 pieces and measuring a most impressive 20.6 inches high, 18.9 inches wide, and 15.1 inches deep.
Like many LEGO set designers before him, Soares found inspiration in existing sets. “The previous diorama sets were certainly an inspiration for this model. But, more than that, these previous sets showed us that builders and fans really appreciate this type of intricate, detailed-oriented model,” Soares tells StarWars.com.
The decision to include scenes from Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was made very early. “They all feature scenes that are important for the story of the Death Star and Star Wars altogether,” Soares says. “The Death Star scenes are so loved and iconic that we had to include them — like the Throne Room and the Trash Compactor.”
But Soares and his team also found ways to incorporate other areas of the Death Star that aren’t all that familiar. “With components like Darth Vader´s Meditation Chamber, there was a bit of creative freedom, as you never actually see a room like this on any of the Death Stars apart from a deleted scene from Return of the Jedi,” Soares notes. “Nonetheless, it would make sense that Darth Vader would have one, so we included it.”
A nod to video game history can be found with the addition of a hot tub for the Hot Tub Stormtrooper. “The Stormtrooper in swim trunks is a favorite amongst fans that played the LEGO Star Wars video games!,” Soares shares. “We always try to include fun and funny moments in our sets, so having some Easter eggs referencing the video games was important for us.”
Soares and the design team also had fun deciding what minifigures to include in the set, such as the all-new minifigures Galen Erso and the mysterious Imperial Dignitary. “Just like the chosen scenes, most of the characters we decided to include as LEGO minifigures were a must-have, because they have a pivotal and important role in the movies,” Soares says.
When it came to the actual design of the building set, there were some tough design challenges. “We had to make sure that the bottom half of the circle structure was very sturdy, because that is the foundation of the entire build,” Soares notes. “All floors above rest on it, so it required some clever engineering.”
Now that the LEGO Death Star set is complete, the high level of detail and accuracy is a major highlight of the set for Soares. “It is a delight to simply build the set and discover all the features and details in each room,” he says, including a nod to Andor’s end-credit scene from Season 1. “There are a ton of Easter eggs scattered throughout the set. Some are brick-built, and some are on stickers,” Soares tells StarWars.com. “My favorites, as a model designer, are the brick-built ones, like the inclusion of a Mini Kit. But there are many more — you will have to build to find them all!”
Check out our deep dive into the new LEGO UCS Death Star with César Soares (Senior Product Designer) and Madison O’Neil (Graphics Designer) where we take a look at the design, ‘rooms’, features, Easter Eggs, Gift-with-Purchase (GWP), minifigures and more.
The LEGO Star Wars UCS Death Star is now available at LEGO Stores and at LEGO.com, please support Jedi News by preordering/purchasing your LEGO here for the UK, USA and Canada — happy building!
The post Master Model Designer César Soares on the New LEGO Star Wars UCS Death Star appeared first on Jedi News.
