The purpose of this article is to tell the extraordinary story of a world record-breaking LEGO brick mosaic. The project, led by Mickaël Eymann alias mick_batto, was set up with the aim of restoring a boat dear to his heart, which requires substantial funds, and for which it was necessary to mobilize as many people as possible.

You can see an overview of the project ion this video:

We chatted with Mick in France.

Meet Mick

Sam: Hi Mick, our French audience probably already knows you (in the blue shirt above) for your participation in LEGO Masters France Season 3 as a finalist with Fabien (red shirt). Could you tell us a little about yourself?

Mick: Hi, I'm from Brest, France, 48 years old, I've been a fan of boats and LEGO since I was a kid. I’m quite a fan of the minifig scale, with a nice diorama representing my town, and with a pirate’s one that's been following me for 15 years now!

Motivation

Sam: You are passionate about boats, and you draw them perfectly!

Mick: Yes, not mick_batto for nothing... I have a good grasp of my subject! I’m a fan of traditional boats from an early age. My dad was a state sailor, and my grandfather was a fisherman during the week and captain of the old Notre Dame de Rumengol rig at weekends. I mostly draw from memory the boats I come across!

Specifications

Sam: You've set an impressive world record! Tell us more about what makes this record? The mosiac is made with stacked bricks rather than flat elements on a baseplate.

Mick: It is a freestanding vertical mosaic made with 2x2 bricks.

Length: 20.97m (the exact length of the boat)
Height: 1.84m
Number of bricks: 250,210 in 29 colors
Number of supports: 32 x 588 bricks
Number of base plates: 83
Total number of LEGO elements: 269,109 bricks
Number of instructions sheets: 2,680
Assembly time: 13h 20 minutes

The Capucins workshop also recorded its highest attendance ever, with over 28,000 visitors over the weekend!

Development

Sam: How did this record project come about, and who helped you with this crazy project?

Mick: It was born from a discussion with Émeline Gergaud, a member of An Test (the association that manages the boat) in April 2023. The first visual was produced with my regular graphic designer Frédéric Thaëron in August and the inventory estimate with Simon Pinta in August. I also made contact with Brique Mulsanne (who has the previous record).

By September, partners were joining us, the venue was validated, and communication around the event was getting underway! On February 24 and 25, 2024, Théo, Rodolphe (Winner of LEGO Masters France Season 3), Fabien, Edward (Play Well), Simon Pinta, myself, and a few AFOL friends took care of the LEGO part, while the association took care of the maritime heritage part.

Sam: I’m aware of a world record attempt by Fairy Bricks in 2018 at LEGO House which consisted of 2,700 32x32 baseplates and measured 12x14 meters (691,200 2x2 bricks). Can you tell us about the previous record and the difference to your record?

Mick: Other records do exist, but mainly with constructions on floor or on supports. In self-supporting mosaics, Brique Mulsanne LUG has the record of 202,816 bricks in November 2022.

Innovation

Sam: Simon Pinta, France's mosaic boss, devised this particular mosaic technique. Can you tell us what it's all about?

Mick: The diamond technique, created and developed by Simon Pinta in 2009, is absolutely brilliant. We mounted it at an angle to reveal the historical frieze.

Each diamond is 19 rows high (18.24cm) and 20 studs wide (16cm), equivalent to 100 2x2 bricks, and has its own instruction sheet.

A mosaic measuring 1m80 high by 1m60 wide therefore comprises the equivalent of 200 diamonds, equivalent to 20,000 2x2 bricks.

The diamonds are shifted backwards by one stud at each level change, allowing brick reinforcements to be connected to the back of the mosaic.

The Ultimate Goal

Sam: Why go for this record? What's the idea behind this massive project?

Mick: The Notre Dame de Rumengol is a boat that needs to be restored and brought up to electrical standards. To do this, we’re looking to raise €250,000. The idea was to create a buzz and launch a fund-raising campaign, but in a different way—LEGO bricks are a great communication medium.

I've had a personal history with this boat since I was a kid, and my grandfather was its captain from 1981 to 1991. Over the weekend, we recorded some 50 donations for a total of around €4,000—every donation counts! If you wish to participate here is the link to do so.

Sam: Your idea was to create a buzz around this record, and I'm impressed by the number of media outlets relaying in attendance. Do you think it was a success?

Mick: More than 100 local, regional, national and international media commented on the event, and it’s still going strong!

Mick, Rodolphe, Fabien , TEO (Lego masters season 3 finalist and winners)

Sam: A record is there to be broken and challenged. Do you think other players in the community will take up the challenge of breaking this record?

Mick: Records are made to be broken. I know some French AFOLs are already thinking about the next one! Perhaps others in the world will want to go beyond the limits!

The Future

Sam: What will become of this mosaic?

Mick: The mosaic was immortalized by a drone, then dismantled diamond by diamond on Sunday evening at 11pm, then sorted back to bricks by dozens of volunteers in three hours on Monday morning.

Sam: How do you validate your world record with Guinness World Records?

Mick: Validation is complex, but it’s supposed to take a few months, so I’m not worried and will still wait for the official result for our submission.

Sam: Thank you, Mick, for this interview, and congratulations again on this record.

Mick: Thank you for the opportunity, Sam. I’ve already got the challenge in mind once the budget has been found and the boat renovated, just to say thank you to everyone!

Did you think you can build a world record yourself? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

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