STAINED GLASS WINDOW

 MONUMENTINI A CHIERI

Last Saturday I visited the Monumentini exhibition in Chieri, an event that invites visitors to look at Italian architecture from a surprising and unexpected perspective. There are places we recognize instantly, even from a single detail: an arch, a dome, a row of columns standing against the sky. These are monuments that tell stories across centuries and have become part of our shared memory. In this exhibition, however, those giants of stone take on a new form: they are rebuilt brick by brick, transformed into remarkable LEGO interpretations.

Monumentini is precisely this meeting point between grandeur and wonder. The solidity of architecture merges with the lightness of play. The works on display reconstruct history through thousands of small colored elements, turning familiar buildings into something new and unexpected. Each model becomes a tribute to creative ingenuity and an invitation to observe well-known monuments with fresh eyes.

The artist behind these works is Luca Petraglia, who patiently and passionately recreates a selection of iconic Italian architectural landmarks using only LEGO bricks. His creations are not simply scale models: they are interpretations that offer new perspectives on the original monuments. Precision and amazement coexist in his work, because for Petraglia building is not just about assembling pieces, but about bringing something into existence that did not exist before.

Born in Milano in 1991, Petraglia has been passionate about LEGO since childhood. The idea of transforming a collection of small bricks into something recognizable and iconic fascinated him from an early age. Over time, his interest gradually focused on Italian architecture, particularly monuments that represent centuries of history and beauty. Through careful study of proportions and details, he recreates Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical buildings with remarkable fidelity, producing works that are both tributes to art and ingenious reinterpretations.

During the meeting with visitors, Petraglia clarified one of the most common questions: none of his works are official LEGO sets, and there are no building instructions available. LEGO does not produce custom pieces for him. Everything on display is built exclusively with standard bricks that anyone can buy. His process, he explained, is similar to that of a sculptor or an architect. First he designs the structure, then studies the colors and selects the most suitable pieces within the limits of the actual LEGO catalogue. The real challenge lies in achieving accurate shapes, details and proportions using only elements that are publicly available.

The choice of which monuments to reproduce is guided primarily by emotion. Petraglia explained that he is drawn to buildings that capture his attention through their history, architectural form or unique details. He often chooses lesser-known monuments as well. Italy is home to thousands of extraordinary sites that rarely receive the attention they deserve, and through his reconstructions he aims to highlight them, making them more visible and accessible to the public.

The time required to create each piece varies greatly. Some models take a few weeks, while others require several months of work. Surprisingly, the longest phase is often the digital design rather than the physical construction. Petraglia uses a specialized modeling software that allows him to build the structure virtually, piece by piece. However, the program does not generate the design automatically. Every curve, angle and color choice is the result of manual decisions. Once the digital project is completed, the software generates a list of the required pieces, which the artist then sources from international marketplaces for loose LEGO parts before beginning the physical build.

The construction phase demands precision, organization and a great deal of patience. When working on models made of tens or even hundreds of thousands of pieces, every brick becomes part of a complex mosaic that must fit together perfectly. Transporting these large works also requires careful planning. From the beginning, each structure is designed in modular sections that can be separated into transportable blocks. Each module is placed inside custom-made padded wooden crates designed to protect the structure during travel. Interestingly, those same crates later become part of the exhibition display, as the models are presented on top of the boxes in which they were transported.

Technology plays an important role in Petraglia’s work, but mainly as a support tool. High-resolution photographs, satellite imagery, videos and tools such as Street View help him study the proportions and details of the original buildings. The final artistic decisions, however, always rely on his manual skills, experience and aesthetic sensitivity.

Creating these works requires much more than simply assembling bricks. It involves knowledge of architectural proportions, spatial volumes, color composition, 3D modeling and even a form of miniature structural engineering. Each project becomes a multidisciplinary challenge where technical understanding and artistic interpretation must work together.

The cost of materials is also significant. Loose LEGO bricks can be quite expensive, especially when specific colors or shapes are required and must be sourced from international suppliers. However, as Petraglia points out, the true value of each work lies not in the plastic bricks themselves but in the hundreds of hours of research, design, testing and construction behind every model.

One of the greatest challenges in his work is translating complex architectural forms—curves, irregular surfaces, sculptural details—into structures made of rigid geometric pieces. Every arch, cornice or balustrade requires specific technical solutions. Sometimes entirely new building techniques must be invented while still respecting the limits of the available bricks. In a way, it is like translating architecture into another language: everything must remain faithful to the original while also being structurally stable.

Petraglia’s dedication to Italian monuments comes from a deep belief that Italy’s architectural heritage is among the richest and most diverse in the world. Many buildings, especially lesser-known ones, deserve to be rediscovered and appreciated. Recreating them with LEGO allows visitors to experience them in a new and surprising way—playful, yet still architecturally rigorous.

Visitors often react with strong emotions when they see the models. Many recognize monuments connected to their hometown, a memorable trip or an important moment in their lives. LEGO creations have a unique ability to create immediate empathy: they evoke childhood memories while simultaneously presenting themselves as sophisticated artistic sculptures. Petraglia’s goal is precisely to build this bridge between personal memories and collective architectural heritage.

None of the works use glue. They are entirely brick-built structures assembled through interlocking pieces, respecting the original philosophy of LEGO. Thanks to careful structural design, the models are far more solid than one might expect, even though they still require the same care as any sculpture.

The weight of the pieces can also be surprising. Some models weigh only a few kilograms, while the largest can reach several dozen or even hundreds. One remarkable example is the reconstruction of the Teatro di San Carlo in Napoli, which alone weighs about 220 kilograms.

With Monumentini, Luca Petraglia invites visitors to rediscover the beauty of Italian monuments through an unexpected material, transforming architecture into an experience suspended between craftsmanship, creativity and wonder.