Since March 2023, a collective of 14 adult LEGO builders from seven countries has constructed detailed scale models of Ukrainian landmarks. Their goal: channeling creative energy into tangible aid for a school destroyed in the 2022 siege of Mariupol.
The Project and Its Architects
The initiative, led by Dutch architect and certified LEGO professional Maarten de Vries, operates under the name "Bricks for Ukraine." De Vries, 42, whose previous work includes commissioned pieces for the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, assembled the international team through adult fan of LEGO (AFOL) networks after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The collective has completed 1:100 scale replicas of three Kyiv landmarks: Saint Sophia Cathedral, the Golden Gate, and the National Opera House. Each model requires approximately 800–1,200 hours of design and construction time, with individual pieces numbering between 15,000 and 40,000. The cathedral's golden domes alone demanded custom color-matching across five LEGO brick varieties.
"We're not just building miniatures," de Vries said in a video interview from his Rotterdam studio. "Every arch, every mosaic detail is a deliberate choice to say: this culture, this heritage, deserves preservation and attention."
The School at the Center
The fundraising targets School No. 25 in Mariupol's Kalmiuskyi District, a two-story building confirmed destroyed by satellite imagery and witness accounts during Russian airstrikes in March 2022. At least 12 students and 3 teachers were among the casualties, according to documentation compiled by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
The territorial status of Mariupol complicates reconstruction planning. The city has been under Russian occupation since May 2022, and Ukrainian officials have indicated that physical rebuilding would occur only after liberation. Project organizers state that funds are held in escrow by the Netherlands-based Ukraine Foundation, a registered charity with ANBI status, and would be released for construction when feasible—or redirected to comparable school reconstruction projects in Ukrainian-controlled territory if circumstances require.
"We are transparent about the complexity," said Olena Kovalenko, a Ukrainian-Canadian project coordinator who liaises with the Ukraine Foundation. "Donors deserve to understand that this is not a simple transaction. The money is protected, the intent is clear, and the flexibility is built in."
Partnerships and Permissions
Claims of Ukrainian government collaboration require careful parsing. The project has received a letter of appreciation from Ukraine's Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, dated November 2023, which de Vries provided to this publication. However, no formal procurement contract or direct funding mechanism links the initiative to state operations.
The LEGO Group, headquartered in Billund, Denmark, has not endorsed the project. A company spokesperson confirmed via email that "Bricks for Ukraine" operates independently and that LEGO A/S has "no commercial or charitable partnership" with the effort. The builders use LEGO bricks purchased through standard retail channels; the company has not intervened, though its trademark guidelines typically restrict commercial use of its product in third-party fundraising.
Legal experts note that fan-built projects occupying this space—artistic expression with charitable purpose—generally avoid enforcement action unless implying official sponsorship, which the collective's materials do not.
Financial Mechanics and Progress
As of January 2024, the project has raised €47,000 toward a €250,000 target. Models sell through the collective's website, bricksforukraine.org, at prices ranging from €450 for the Golden Gate to €1,200 for Saint Sophia Cathedral. Limited edition numbered series (50 per landmark) command premium pricing. Standard production runs of 200 units per model are planned if initial inventory sells.
The Ukraine Foundation publishes quarterly financial reports, with the most recent (October 2023) independently audited by Rotterdam-based firm De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek. Administrative costs are capped at 8 percent of gross receipts.
Exhibition and Reception
Models have appeared at four venues to date: the LEGO House in Billund (display only, no sales, February 2023), the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven (October 2023), the Ukrainian Institute in Paris (November 2023), and a private gallery in London's Shoreditch (December 2023–January 2024). Negotiations are ongoing for exhibitions in Warsaw and Washington, D.C.
Social media response has been substantial—the project's Instagram account has 34,000 followers—but not uniformly positive. Several commenters on a Reddit discussion in r/ukraine questioned whether aesthetic projects divert attention from direct humanitarian aid. De Vries responded to similar critiques in his interview: "If someone needs to choose between donating to medical evacuations and buying our cathedral, they should choose medical evacuations. We're offering a third option for people already inclined toward cultural engagement."
How to Evaluate and Participate
Potential supporters
