| Who doesn't recall the excitement of hours spent as | | | | imagination. |
| children surrounded by small interconnecting blocks | | | | But anyone who hasn't looked at Lego bricks since |
| called Lego Bricks building elaborate creations limited | | | | childhood may be in for a shock. Most modern Lego |
| only by our imagination. | | | | kits are so elaborate that they now come with a |
| The story of this famous Danish icon reads like a | | | | folder of step-by-step construction instructions. |
| Hans Christian Andersen fable. | | | | To remain competitive Lego has adapted its history |
| In 1932, master carpenter and joiner Ole Kirk | | | | and values around simple child play to the |
| Christiansen, establishes a small business in the village | | | | technological world of Game Boy, Xbox and |
| of Billund in Denmark manufacturing stepladders, | | | | Playstation. |
| ironing boards... and wooden toys. By 1934 the | | | | In 1999 in partnership with Lucasfilm Ltd., the |
| company adopts the name Lego for their products, | | | | company launched Star Wars themed Lego kits |
| formed from the Danish words "LEg GOdt"(play well). | | | | which became the biggest sellers in the company's |
| Not too long after the Lego company is the first in | | | | history. Their success inspired Lego Bionicles - a |
| Denmark to buy a plastic injection-moulding machine | | | | combination of biological and chronicle, the most |
| for making toys. In 1948 the Lego "Mursten" (Brick) is | | | | elaborate having hundreds of pieces, which in turn |
| born. | | | | inspired a movie. |
| Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen (his surname accidentally | | | | Lego Mindstorms take it all to the next generation. |
| misspelled on his birth certificate), the grandson of | | | | They let you design and program real robots that do |
| Ole Kirk is now CEO. The house where his father, | | | | what you want them to. With the Robotics Invention |
| Godtfred, grew up is now nestled amid the Lego | | | | System 2.0(TM), the core set of the Lego |
| Group's corporate buildings and the original Legoland | | | | Mindstorms product range, you can create everything |
| theme park (there are now four) sits adjacent. | | | | from a light-sensitive intruder alarm to a robotic rover |
| The basic eight-stud Lego brick hasn't changed, | | | | that can follow a trail, move around obstacles, and |
| including the recipe for the plastic used. Almost every | | | | even duck into dark corners. |
| office and conference room at Lego HQ still contains | | | | Lego bricks continue to inspire not only 6 year olds |
| a bowl of loose Lego bricks so that people can play | | | | but the child in us all. The web is awash with fan sites |
| during meetings. | | | | containing elaborate plans, sculptures and even films |
| What makes Lego bricks unique is that they click | | | | performed by Lego Brick actors. |
| together and "lock" so that large structures can be | | | | Not bad for a product that's sold in pieces, and |
| built and still hold together. This design developed | | | | requires imagination and a child's touch to turn into |
| over time was so that a child could take a box of | | | | into something amazing. |
| Lego bricks and create almost anything without it | | | | Interesting too that close by is the home of another |
| falling apart or toppling over. Instructions were never | | | | well known product which leaves the factory in |
| included so as to not restrict a child's limitless | | | | pieces requiring assembly ...... IKEA. |