We Challenged the LEGO Designer Behind the LEGO® Icons Tropical Aquarium to Personalize It!

LEGO Designer Sven Franic takes on our customization challenge, exploring new creative depths and revealing fresh ways to add that personal touch to an impressive LEGO® Icons Tropical Aquarium.



Filled to the brim with color and bursting with life, the LEGO® Icons Tropical Aquarium is a beautiful sight to behold, offering a whole ocean of possibilities to add your own special touches and customizations.

But how would the LEGO designer behind this aquatic masterpiece add their own finesse to the fauna, I hear you ask… Well, let’s take a peek and find out, shall we?

“There wasn’t a lot of thought behind the modified coral – and that was the point,” says Sven. “I wanted to show that you can pick almost any interesting shape from your collection and use it to create patterns.” He used dark-orange pumpkin elements (vegetable no. 3 as we lovingly refer to them in Pick a Brick) to create the eye-catching, funky plants above. “It’s a fun entry point for anyone looking to customize their set,” says Sven.

One of Sven’s standout pieces uses “Minifigure utensil whips, originally from Indiana Jones sets,” to create a striking, wiry coral.

“I personally find minifigure utensils, food items and headwear make the best shapes,” he adds. Just look at how he used carrot elements to create an elegant piece of coral… 

“When we first started concepting LEGO Botanicals, we even used car hoods to create rose patterns,” Sven explains. “With coral and underwater life, you can let your imagination run wild – there’s still so much unknown life in the sea.”

Carrots, whips, pumpkins… almost anything can be transformed into coral. With a load of random pieces and some imagination, your LEGO® Icons Tropical Aquarium can be truly your own. For more ideas, check out three ways to personalize your LEGO Icons Tropical Aquarium and take your set to the next level.