A historic industrial site in Shanghai has been revitalized through a large-scale creative installation made entirely of toy building elements. Developed by the LEGO Group's in-house advertising agency, Our LEGO Agency, the project brings vibrant visual art to a venue constructed from repurposed aviation fuel tanks. Known as Botanical Wave, the campaign reinterprets the industrial architecture of the Tank Shanghai Art Center into a colorful public display.
The centerpiece of the installation incorporates 380,000 LEGO flower and plant pieces, assembled to demonstrate the creative potential of modular building systems. Hand-built by assembly teams, the individual blooms form multi-colored streams that appear to burst directly out of the decommissioned fuel tank, cascading down onto the surrounding public plaza below.
Covering more than 8,600 square feet and stretching nearly 100 feet across the site, the installation relies on precise assembly to achieve its visual effect. Although constructed entirely from rigid plastic bricks, the layout creates the dynamic optical illusion of flowing liquid waves spilling across the paved grounds.
Beyond the exterior structure, the site features additional community contributions within the venue's interior Bloom Gallery. This indoor space houses 18 unique artworks crafted by LEGO artists and enthusiasts, highlighting grassroots creative work alongside the primary installation. The entire Botanical Wave exhibit remains open to the public through October 29, 2026. How might large-scale public art continue to redefine adaptive reuse in former industrial spaces?
