It took Jorge Parra Jr. eight years to build his Lego magnum opus—a large, complex and exceptionally detailed model of Los Angeles made entirely from the beloved plastic blocks—but you can’t rush a masterpiece. Now that he’s made the big reveal, it’s clear what he spent all that time on.
For years, he has been posting updates on his YouTube channel dedicated to the project, showing how he constructed each individual component, from City Hall to an In-N-Out to the soaring skyscrapers of Downtown. A Metro train rides around the palm tree-dotted cityscape. As Los Angeles Magazine notes, there are even everyday L.A. goings-on in the Lego city, like a film shoot, a mariachi band performance and, of course, a police chase.
Watch the video below to see how Parra pulled every last authentic detail together, from iconic buildings to tiny beach umbrellas.
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