reated by homegrown artist, Nicholas Foo, the artwork is made of 41,472 pieces and offers a day and night depiction of the seven-storey waterfall. Why Singapore According to Eric Maugein, regional president of the Lego Group Asia Pacific, the company decided to open its first ever Lego Airport Store in Singapore as it is one of the region’s key leisure and business hubs for travellers.  “Changi Airport ranked as the 9th busiest airport in the world in 2022, hence there is a strong demand and a gap that has yet to be fulfilled by the toy industry,” he told Inside Retail. Beyond being a place to buy Lego sets, he hopes that the new stores will provide a space for families to come together, friends to bond and for travellers to find a piece of home no matter where they’re from.  “These new stores mark our 8th and 9th stores in Asia, alongside stores in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Australia. With the opening of our new Lego Airport Stores, we continue to build a strong presence across key airports in Asia-Pacific,” he added. Maugein said the ‘retailtainment’ store concept had been developed following two years of customer research, which found kids and adults alike are keen for more opportunities to play with bricks and participate in brick-inspired activities. The phygital factor The Lego Airport Stores in Changi feature store-front facades, which resemble giant Lego bricks combined and stacked to welcome customers into the world of Lego play.  “The stores also feature bright yellow hues to invoke joy in our visitors. We have also incorporated unique 3D models, as well as a Build a Minifigure station for visitors to customise their minifigures,” he added. Visitors can also enjoy an elevated shopping experience with an interactive AR Digibox kiosk, where they can hold a Lego set up to the screen to visualise the assembled Lego models.  To get up close with the details of Lego sets, shoppers can even utilise an interactive disruptor unit which features a moveable magnifying feature.  The stores also have 3D models of local Singaporean landmarks, such as a Merlion minifigure and the Changi Airport Tower, built out of Lego. These models were specially designed and built by Lego Group out of 35,832 bricks.  The big picture Maugein said that the new airport stores are ultimately there to provide a gateway for customers who are looking to add creative play into their lives or for their loved ones.  “One of the highlights is our ‘Build Your Own Minifigure Station’, where there are no rules to building and one’s imagination and creativity can run free. Through these stations, we want to encourage children and families to come together for a unique play experience and create new memories,” he opined. Going forward, Lego Group is committed to creating stores that provide opportunities for customers to play with bricks, participate in brick-inspired activities and personalise their play experiences. “We have incorporated these elements into the design of our new Lego Airport Stores, blending physical and digital experiences that are unique to the brand, while also allowing customers of all ages to share their ideas and creativity,” he noted. Despite the growth in e-commerce, Lego’s research showed that physical retail remains one of the most important platforms for discovering new products. “By blending physical and digital immersive play experiences, we are able to reimagine the Lego retail experience and offer a more immersive and entertaining physical store experience for our shoppers,” he said. The stores at Changi Airport are just the beginning of Lego’s expansion plans in the region.  “With this strong partnership and expanded focus on travel retail, we hope to continue building a strong presence across more key airports in the Asia Pacific region to bring meaningful ‘Lego Play’ to more children and families across the region,” Maugein concluded.