A tiny replica of Christ's College Boathouse on the River Cam has taken 19-year-old Jim Gleed nearly six months to complete – using an astonishing 10,000 Lego bricks. The University of Cambridge education student, a keen rower from Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire, created the intricate model as a tribute to the historic building.
The meticulously crafted 1:42 scale model spans 100cm by 80cm and boasts an impressively detailed interior, including tiny rowing crews and even a miniature representation of the head coach's dog. Gleed described the project as a way to celebrate a building that holds significant meaning for many students, combining his lifelong hobby with his passion for rowing.
Gleed began rowing with Newark Rowing Club in 2020 before continuing his involvement with the sport at Cambridge. He explained that the boathouse is a central part of his university experience, noting that he spends almost as much time there as he does in his own room. The painstaking brick-by-brick construction process, he added, has given him a new appreciation for the real building, allowing him to notice small details he had previously overlooked.
The creation process involved a mix of digital design tools, trial and error, and assistance from friends. Gleed highlighted the challenge of crafting miniature rowing machines from tiny Lego pieces. The original Christ's College Boathouse, built in 1887, underwent a renovation between 2017 and 2018, subsequently being named the Blyth-McGregor Boathouse.
Gleed hopes his detailed model will help to raise the profile of both rowing and the historic Christ's College Boathouse. The project serves as a testament to the blend of academic life, extracurricular passions, and creative pursuits that can thrive within the university environment.