Satu Aaltonen
About you
What is your name?
Satu Aaltonen
Which country are you from?
Finland
How old are you?
46 years old
About your LEGO passion
How did you get into building with LEGO bricks, especially building your own creations?
I started building with LEGO bricks as an adult in 2014, when I received my first Modular Building set as a Christmas gift from my husband. I was instantly hooked, and during the COVID lockdowns I decided to create an entire city for my modulars. That’s where my nickname ’Tuusaland’ comes from.
Participating in LEGO Masters Finland (Season 2) opened my eyes to a whole new kind of building. Ready-made sets were no longer enough; I became passionate about creating my own models. At first, I built characters and small scene “sets” for photographing my minifigures. I even recreated all the LEGO Masters contestants as custom minifigs, since I felt the production’s versions didn’t quite capture everyone’s true personality or likeness (let’s just say they took some creative liberties).
Before the show, I didn’t know a single other LEGO enthusiast, now I have many true friends, and my LEGO family keeps growing. I love going to events and sharing what I’ve been working on. I’ve also realized how helpful it is to bring along unfinished builds. They’re a great way to get feedback, spark new ideas, and connect with others.
The “Cool Hats” challenge on LEGO Masters made me wonder what I could create without time limits and that’s where my journey into wearable LEGO costumes really began. Building is my creative escape and my way to slow down. Some people meditate, I build with LEGO bricks.
What kind of creations do you love building the most, and why?
I love building wearable LEGO costumes that combine design, play, and storytelling. In a way, it takes me back to being six years old, designing outfits for my dolls. Now I use LEGO bricks instead of fabric. It’s both serious work and play at the same time, which is exactly the balance I enjoy.
I’m fascinated by how LEGO Technic parts, or those strange little elements, the ones my friend calls “sithy pieces” (basically the “useless” ones), can become something delicate and beautiful when reimagined at the right scale.
The techniques I use are the result of constant experimentation and hands-on testing. Building is a counterbalance to my computer-based work. It brings me back to a tactile, material-focused process where intuition plays a key role. I often start by developing a loose concept or theme, sometimes even a short backstory, which helps guide the design of each costume.
I constantly run small tests to explore what kind of texture I can create, how to make something that behaves like fabric, or how far I can push the illusion of LEGO “cloth.” I think about how the structure will look when worn, how it moves, and whether it flows in the right way.
For example, flex tubes are one of my favorite elements, they allow for fluid, organic forms, offer attachment points, and help stabilize more fragile Technic-based structures. I’ve also started paying closer attention to the types of holes in the bricks I use; the right combination of flex tubing and connection points can make a design both expressive and structurally sound.
Over the years, I’ve worked with many materials, yarn, clay, wood, recycled plastics, but there’s something unique about LEGO bricks. It frees me from the constraints of formal design training and brings play back into the heart of the creative process.
I love both visual challenges and solving technical problems. That’s why I don’t just want to build display pieces, my costumes have to actually work and be wearable. Maybe it’s simply that I no longer want to choose between art and play. With LEGO bricks, I get to do both.
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring LEGO builders, what would it be?
Build boldly and give yourself permission to play. You don’t need to plan everything out or do things “the right way”, the beauty of LEGO bricks is that you can always take things apart and try again. Some of the best ideas come from happy accidents. Don’t be afraid to use parts in unusual or “wrong” ways; sometimes the best solution appears when you break away from conventional thinking. Inspiration can come from anywhere, but the most meaningful builds are the ones that matter to you personally. And remember, unfinished builds are valuable too. They’re a great way to learn, get feedback, and grow your own style.
How does it feel to have your work exhibited here at LEGO House - Home of the Brick?
It feels incredible and deeply meaningful, truly the ultimate dream for any LEGO builder. When I first received the invitation, I actually had to check with a friend inside the LEGO Group to make sure the person contacting me on social media really worked there. At one point, I honestly wondered if I was dreaming.
I’m only the second Finnish builder ever to receive this honor, and the first Finnish woman to be invited to the LEGO House Masterpiece Gallery. That makes it feel even more special. I’m also really looking forward to meeting the other selected builders. Maybe I’ll gain some new friends for my growing LEGO family.
I love that the LEGO community makes space for unconventional and experimental styles. My work isn’t a traditional building or diorama; it’s a wearable costume, and yet it has found its place among other masterpieces. It proves there’s no single “right way” to build with LEGO bricks. The only limit is your imagination.
It’s also a joy to share my work in an international context, where people from all over the world can see and maybe be inspired by something that started as a small personal idea.
What’s next for you in your LEGO journey—any upcoming projects or dreams?
The model currently exhibited at the LEGO House Masterpiece Gallery and its accompanying photograph are part of a new project: a collection of six wearable LEGO fantasy character costumes that combine building with photographic art. I’m working on this project together with photographer Kasper Dalkarl. The result will be an exhibition where the LEGO outfits are presented both as physical, sculptural installations and as magical, mythic photographs set in natural landscapes.
The aim is to explore themes of play, roles, and identity, and how LEGO bricks can serve as a medium for artistic and social expression. This is a dream project for me, where I can bring together design, craftsmanship, storytelling, visual thinking - and my beloved hobby, LEGO building.
At the moment, three of the costumes are completed, and I will be building the remaining three over the next year.
I hope we’ll have the chance to exhibit the full collection widely in Finland and maybe even spark interest internationally. I believe this unique combination of wearable LEGO art and photography could open doors to new kinds of creative exhibitions beyond the traditional LEGO scene.
Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website or social media profile that you can share?
I mainly share my work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tuusaland/
About your LEGO creation(s) on display
Title
Bride of the Frozen Crown
Can you describe your model and what it represents?
Bride of the Frozen Crown is an elegant, icy wedding gown inspired by the figure of the Ice Queen. White and blue tones combine in a fragile yet regal form. Sharp, crystalline structures made from LEGO bricks create a frozen architectural silhouette. A translucent train and skirt bring lightness and ethereal movement. Decorative white leaves and ice crystals evoke the feel of frost and carved, both visually and in the sound the dress makes as it moves. The look is crowned by a delicate headpiece where frozen flowers and icicles form a quietly majestic, royal presence.
The story behind the dress tells of a queen standing on the edge between fantasy and reality, ready to step forward, but frozen within her old dreams. She is radiant yet cold, strong yet alone. The piece reflects love and loneliness, hope and release, the emotional weight we carry when dreams and reality no longer align.
The model also makes a statement about play, adulthood, and gender. Why do we give up play when we grow up? In the hands of an adult woman, LEGO bricks take on new meaning, and play becomes a valid and powerful form of creative expression. The work explores how play, imagination, and storytelling can challenge traditional roles and open new ways of thinking about identity and art.
How long did it take you to build?
Approximately 6 months.
Approximately how many LEGO elements did you use?
Several thousand – including over 1,200 white leaf elements alone.
Are there any hidden details, Easter eggs, or techniques used that fans should look out for?
Viewers may spot elements from various LEGO themes and sets hidden throughout the design, perhaps even something surprisingly familiar. Finding a piece from a childhood set or favorite series becomes its own small moment of discovery.
The dress was built entirely by hand, without digital planning. Flex tubes were used to strengthen the Technic-based structure and to create flowing, organic shapes. The construction had to appear delicate and light, while being wearable and strong enough to move in — at least from altar to aisle and back again.
Special feature:
When worn, the icy blue bricks shift against each other as you walk, creating a sound that resembles cracking frost.