BrickLink Designer Program Series 11: The Five Finalists

Five fan designs have made the cut for BrickLink Designer Program Series 11, announced today at Brickworld Chicago. The finalists are The Village Parlour by HenrysBricks, Elven Citadel by NicolasCarlier, Le Petit Bouquet by Mictur, Royal Nest by TLG, and Lunar Cargo Train (designer name to be confirmed). It's a varied lineup - a cosy building, a fantasy castle, a botanical set, a nature build, and a space train. No two are chasing the same audience.

BrickLink will now work with each designer to refine the models, a process running until May 3, 2027. Pricing and piece counts won't be confirmed until then either, so we're a long way from knowing what these will cost.

Crowdfunding opens in June 2027. That timeline is worth bearing in mind. If you're excited about any of these, you're looking at a full year before you can back them, and delivery would be some time after that. The BDP has always moved slowly, but the gap between announcement and availability does test your patience.

The selection itself feels well balanced. The Elven Citadel could scratch that Castle itch LEGO doesn't feed often enough through official sets, and a space-themed train is the sort of oddball concept that thrives in this programme. Le Petit Bouquet slots neatly alongside LEGO's own botanical range but with a fan designer's perspective on it.

Whether all five hit the 3,000-backer threshold needed for production remains to be seen - previous rounds have shown that not every finalist gets there. Keep an eye on the BrickLink Designer Program page if any of these catch your eye, and budget accordingly for next summer.