About
.jpg "Yusuke Yamana, LEGO Builder in Hawaii")
*Photo by Hawaii Department of Education (DOE)
Design Philosophy & Creative Vision
With a background in IT solution development and project management, Yusuke approaches LEGO® model design as a structured, purpose-driven problem-solving process.
The following is an excerpt from an official interview featured by the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE), where Yusuke details his core approach to translating cultural and historical icons into LEGO® realities:
Q: How do you translate cultural and historical icons into physical models?
1. Respecting the original icon
I always imagine how people will feel when they see the model. I don’t want them to think, “Oh, it’s just a toy.” I want you to feel the way you would feel when viewing the original inspiration.
Hōkūleʻa represents the continuation of traditional Polynesian navigation using modern knowledge and technology. When you see my model, I hope you can feel both the traditional roots and the future. When you see my model of Iolani Palace, I want you to think about Hawaiʻi’s last monarchy and the history behind it.
2. Deciding what to keep and what to simplify
When translating a real building or object into LEGO®, I always have to decide what details must remain and what can be simplified depending on scale, available parts, and schedule. Hawaiian Hall was built in a Neo-Romanesque style in the 19th century. The arched windows are a key feature, and the texture of the exterior walls is also important. Those are details I must keep, even if I simplify other areas.
3. Adding a sense of reality
If someone knows the real place, I want the model to feel believable and familiar. When I designed the wake behind my Hōkūleʻa model, I wanted them to look realistic. I researched the physics and the shape of the wake. A museum visitor told me it looked just like the waves behind her own catamaran.
Based on that experience, I added small realistic details to Hawaiian Hall, such as drain pipes, restroom signs, trash cans, railings and air-conditioning units. If you know the building, I want you to notice those details and say, “Oh, I know this place! I see that every time!” Those moments of recognition make the model feel real.
4. Creating a point of view for both adults and children
Sometimes I hide small details in places that only kids can notice at their eye level—for example, hidden treasure in a cove in the Hōkūleʻa model or hidden artwork in the hallway of Hawaiian Hall.
I also want my work to encourage the next generation. My Hōkūleʻa model has 14 faceless crew members—seven male and seven female—because I want children to feel that the story of voyaging is also their story that they can be part of. I want them to believe that someday, they can also build models like this. I hope my LEGO® creations help them dream about the future.
Selected Exhibitions & Projects
- Prop building and on-set support for a commercial shoot (The LEGO Group, 2026)
- Aloha Bricks ’26: Stories of Hawai’i, Bishop Museum, Honolulu (2026)
- Travelling Bricks: An Exhibition Made of LEGO® Bricks, Bishop Museum, Honolulu (2019).jpeg "Participating in the ʻUntie Maile Leiʻ ceremony during the VIP Preview of Aloha Bricks ’26 at Bishop Museum.")
Participating in the ʻUntie Maile Leiʻ ceremony during the VIP Preview of Aloha Bricks ’26 at Bishop Museum.
Media Coverage
Kahuku High & Intermediate tech coordinator showcases elite LEGO® talent [interview article]
Contact:
yamana.brick.studio@gmail.com