Why I bought these sets and instructions

Sometimes, official Lego sets require modifications to make them work in a city, and the sets associated with the TV show Friends fit that mold. The Central Perk and Friends Apartment sets are display pieces I wanted for nostalgia but differ from the type of display models I collect. I also need buildings for my city. The Rebrickable model by Brick Artisan is the ideal solution to this problem!

While the Friends sets are the base of this MOC, you can add extra floors to it from all the sitcom sets. Thus, it has been called the SitComplex, so you may have heard of this MOC using that name.

I first saw the SitComplex on Bricksie’s Youtube channel and instantly fell in love with the model. This also introduced me to rebrickable.com, a site on which I have lost countless hours, amazed at the Lego community’s creativity and endless possibilities.

Parts

I wanted to build this before I had a city, and I acquired the necessary three sets (The Friends Apartments #10292 and two of Central Perk #21319) when I saw a sale in November 2022. I was such a newbie that Bricklink.com intimidated me, so I purchased the parts from Lego’s online Pick-a-Brick store during a double VIP points event and got some GWPs simultaneously. I also had no inventory as I hadn’t bought my 60 lbs bulk lot nor discovered the PAB wall. Consequently, I purchased parts I wouldn’t have needed if I were sourcing parts today. Ah well. The parts list was straightforward to follow, and due to Lego’s stock, I only had to make a few color adjustments to the supplied parts list.

While building, I found that I had missed some critical pieces from my shopping list. I most likely wrote down what was out of stock and needed to get but forgot in the intervening eight months. Luckily, I have a decent parts inventory that I could poach from. So, some pieces are a different color, but I will swap them out in time (they are on the parts list, this was 100% my wrongdoing and not the instructions). Further, the PAB wall saved me with 1x6x5 glass panels – a vital piece I grabbed a few of without a specific purpose. A few elements need to be added to the build, but nothing structural, so I will fill them in when those parts arrive.

Finally, while the build only needs 1.5 baseplates, I didn’t have a half baseplate to MILS plate, so my build is on two baseplates. I will add another building next to it.

Sorting

As this is my first MOC, it’s my first experience sorting before building. It’s a mammoth task parting out three sets, plus over 1000 extra pieces. I don’t have the best resources for this, so I used my jigsaw puzzle sorters to help keep things in order. I could have gone deeper into organizing the categories; instead, I opted for simple designations of brick, tile, plate, and decorative elements. The process took several hours.

I spent most of my time in the early build searching through parts, and I will spend more time organizing pieces for a large MOC like this in the future. Searching for elements isn’t fun for me. I will probably buy a set of my favorite storage drawers and have this sitting on my desk, as this seems like an organized and tidy option.

Instructions

Another first for this build – using digital instructions! I build Lego to escape the digitalization of my world, so I appreciate the physical manual. I am blessed to own an iPad and a computer, and I tried reading the instructions on both to determine my preference. I found my laptop best, as it was easiest to zoom in and change the contrast when it was hard to distinguish the piece’s color. You can do this on an iPad, too, but my laptop was easier to work with. I didn’t mind the electronic instructions, but I prefer a hard copy.

Full credit to Brick Artisan – the instructions were easy to follow, with everything broken down as expected in official instructions. Each PDF file covers a floor so that you could do a group build if desired (the smaller files make it easier to find your place too). There were only a few times I was confused about what to do, but that was probably more on me than the instructions.

Set highlights

I love many things about the build, some of which come from the official sets rather than attributable to the MOC design. That’s one thing I greatly appreciate, though – that although these Friends sets have been transformed, they retain all the original character, mini builds, and appeal of the official sets. The apartments are an excellent example – nothing from that set hasn’t been included in the MOC, from the kitchen configurations to the furniture or the spacing. Instead, they’ve been added to, creating complete apartment layouts based on the source material.

The ground floor is my favorite as it packs all the delights of Central Perk from when it was a bar and then as the iconic coffee shop. It’s here where most parts of the two Central Perk sets are utilized, giving two printed windows and entrances. I adore the floral details prevalent here (and on every windowsill in the building) and the development of the street. The green benches are a welcomed addition too. The same tiling is used on the street as in the modular series, so it will fit flawlessly with existing buildings.

While the interiors are mostly the original sets, the exterior is all Brick Artisan and has one of the best areas – the arched entrance to the apartments. Combining the masonry bricks with the arches creates an appealing entranceway (I didn’t have medium nougat arches, so please forgive the grey and light tan bricks!) . The tree limb elements up the wall add another splash of color and prestige to the complex.

Set revisions?

It seems harsh to criticize an alternative build MOC which utilizes set parts to create something different. Of course, with any piece available, the design would be different. So, I’m choosing to look at these as areas of personalization rather than improvement.

First, I want to make some floor plan adjustments so you can get from the ground floor to the girl’s apartment without going through the boy’s apartment. I plan to add a floor to this with an apartment for myself and my cats, and I don’t want us walking through each other’s places to get there! The only way to do this is to lose the authenticity of the apartment’s layout so the entrance is on the same side. How hard would it be to mirror the build? Eek. If it were easy, Brick Artisan would have designed it this way.

The roof alignment with the slanted window looks a little off to me. It’s structurally sound but a tad off-putting when I look at it. I’m still trying to figure out how to adjust this, but I am sure something will come to me. It will all depend on my modifications to the floor plan below.

I will change the colors of the bedspreads in the girl’s apartment to something more fitting for the characters. I understand these were the parts available, so it is not critical. I will also add a dresser in there. Their bedrooms are small due to the footprint of the living space. Depending on how I configure the stairs, there might be room to make these a stud or two wider.

Ratings

Build: 5/5
I had a wonderful time building this MOC and was never concerned about structural integrity. Seeing the modular building take shape with the Friends’ interiors was exciting. I watched the show’s first three seasons during the sorting and building process, so you certainly get many hours of entertainment while constructing this modular. All the floors lift off easily and are robust, exactly how a modular should be.

The build has a few technic elements; the most challenging part is creating the reclining chairs, but the instructions are easy to follow. Other than that, this is a traditional system build, mostly layering plates and bricks. There is some SNOT work for mounting pictures.

Display: 4/5
This set is marvelous to look at. It is a tremendous upgrade from the two Friends sets I would have needed to be put on shelves and not enjoyed as much. The ground floor is a beautiful hub of excitement for the city – which requires a bustling coffee shop and a bar for the minifigures to relax in. Thanks to the two-tone masonry work and the decorated exteriors, I adore looking at this building from every angle. My favorite is the side entrance – it looks the most cohesive, thus attractive.

The glass walls are screaming for a park to overlook – it would be a waste to put a building up against this and be unable to see inside the apartments. At first, I wasn’t sure about these glass walls, but I’ve grown to love the “fish tank” quality of seeing inside without taking the floors apart. Remember, the random grey panels are meant to be light tan 🙂

Price: 4/5
I have this category in my reviews, but I’m unsure of its value here. Yes, this is an expensive build – there’s no getting around that. I did buy the three sets on sale and combined my part purchases with GWPs and 2X VIP points promotions. That helped squeeze out more value. My outlay was around $500 (maybe more as it’s MILS plated and some pieces were from the PAB wall) for a 4651-part set, so the price per piece (PPP) is around 11 cents. Honestly, I don’t think that is bad for a custom building I wanted in my city.

Final thoughts

Repurposing the Friends sets into a dynamic apartment building is an exquisite addition to any city. It is a stunning building, taking up one and a half base plates. With the parts in hand, it is like building an official Lego set.

I am delighted to have spent the money and time to have this in my city. Friends were a massive part of my teenage years, and I will look at this fondly. I will add Thor’s penthouse and an apartment for myself; then, I’ll consider it complete.

Buy the instructions

The instructions are available here, along with those for other floors for the building.

You need 1 of The Friends Apartments #10292 which is still available, and 2x Central Perk #21319, which is retired but you can get it at Amazon.com and other secondary retailers.