Hong Kong Faces

Tsang Yiu-keung may be in his 30s, but he is driven by a passion for a pastime most people give up after childhood - building with Lego. He and like-minded enthusiasts believe Lego is a creative tool that can be used to produce artistic marvels for public exhibition

The colourful plastic building blocks of Lego have entertained generations of children, but to thirty-something Tsang Yiu-keung, they are a creative tool for adults whose Lego constructions deserve public attention.

Mr Tsang, who works in the information-technology sector, is so attached to Danish carpenter Ole Christiansen's creation of 50 years ago that he founded the Hong Kong Lego Users Group and has been named a Lego ambassador this year.

He has invested a tremendous amount - of time, up to eight hours at a sitting, and a six-digit figure in money - in his passion. 'I think it's the knot that ties me to my childhood. When I was small, Lego was a toy that almost every kid had in their collection. The plastic bricks are pretty and I was fascinated with their Lego men. I loved to collect them. After I grew up, my feelings changed and the colourful plastic bricks gave me a creative outlet.'

Today, Mr Tsang's 'building empire' ranges from an i-phone, LV-monogram handbag, armour, spacecraft and cars to Hong Kong's landmark buildings. Initially, he kept a room at his home to house the collection, but it soon outgrew the space and now he rents a warehouse to store it - and in which to work on new creations.

To make his work stand out, Mr Tsang often dresses his constructions up with unusual additions. For example, he added laser lights to his replica of the Cultural Centre. 'I felt it would be a bit boring if I just built the Cultural Centre. I wanted to make it look different. Actually, it has turned out to be much better than I expected.'

Three years ago, as Mr Tsang's conviction grew that Lego was more than a toy and that it should be viewed as an art form worthy of public display, he decided to set up the Hong Kong Lego Users Group. 'I think it's good to have such a club, as a group of passionate Lego players can exchange different ideas and inspire each other to build. But what I wanted most from our club was to organise some exhibitions and showcase our work to the public, instead of just treating it as a personal hobby.'