Michael Sillinger
About you
What is your name?
Michael Sillinger
Which country are you from?
Austria
How old are you?
I’m a 40-year-old kid
About your LEGO passion
How did you get into building with LEGO bricks, especially building your own creations?
I was a big LEGO fan in my childhood. I always flipped through the catalogues with my younger brother to decide who wished for which LEGO sets for Christmas or birthdays, so we could get most of the sets we wanted. We also shared a room for sleeping, so that we could have a second room just for building.
Then there was a long break. After the birth of my son, Moritz, in 2015 I started building again. He is also responsible for my taking part in LEGO Masters Germany because he said it was worth a try. In 2023, I won second place in LEGO Masters Germany with my teammate, Philip from Vienna. The massive quantities of LEGO bricks we had available to build with on LEGO Masters really got me into building MOCs (My Own Creations). At home I only have a small stock of LEGO bricks, which my family already thinks is a lot.
What kind of creations do you love building the most, and why?
I mostly build vintage stuff that I have pictures of. I love to work out how the details could be created using LEGO bricks. I have already made cars, motorcycles and then later I built the professional ski racer Franz Klammer. I have always built brands, people, etc. that I have loved since my teenage years.
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring LEGO builders, what would it be?
If you don’t have the right parts for your build at home, don’t worry. You will find a cool solution with the parts you have available. At the end you will have a build that is more creative than you originally thought possible.
How does it feel to have your work exhibited here at LEGO House - Home of the Brick?
AWESOME!!!!!
What’s next for you in your LEGO journey—any upcoming projects or dreams?
I want to build an alpine winter scenery with a ski lift, cable cars, wooden huts, and more. If I’m really crazy, I will try to motorize the lifts.
Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website or social media profile that you can share?
You can find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfgangamadeus_mocart/.
About your LEGO creation(s) on display
Title
Franz Klammer – Olympic Champion 1976
Can you describe your model and what it represents?
Franz Klammer was a very famous Austrian ski racer in the 1970s. He won the downhill race at the Olympic Games of Innsbruck in 1976. The model shows him jumping during the race. Even though I wasn’t born when his great achievement happened, I’ve always been fascinated by him ever since I was a child. I also got the opportunity to ski with him some years ago.
How long did it take you to build?
It took me many months to complete.
Are there any hidden details, Easter eggs, or techniques used that fans should look out for?
It was challenging to build the squatting position in a stable way. There are many LEGO Technic elements inside and, of course, no glue. It makes me a bit nervous every time this model is exhibited.
I used some unexpected parts, such as car parts for the goggles.
