Master Builder Academy

About Master Builder Academy

A course rather than a story

Most themes are built around a setting or a cast of characters. Master Builder Academy took a different route: each kit focused on a particular area of design, and the set names spell out the structure, from Level One to Level Four. The emphasis was on techniques you could reuse, which makes the range a good fit for young builders who want to create their own models rather than follow a storyline. Instead of one large model per box, a kit typically leads you through several smaller designs, each demonstrating a different approach.

Kits by level

Level One includes Microbuild Designer (20201-1) from 2011 with 222 pieces, and the combined Level One - Kits 1-3 (20212-1) from 2012 with 383. Level Two is represented by Creature Designer (20204-1, 232 pieces), and Level Three by The Lost Village (20206-1, 229 pieces) and The Forbidden Bridge (20207-1, 220 pieces). Level Four covers Time Machine (20209-1, 209 pieces) and World Architecture (20210-1, 258 pieces). All of these date from 2012 unless noted.

The biggest set

Invention Designer (Kits 10 - 12) (20215-1) from 2013 is the largest entry at 678 pieces, bundling three kits into one box. Because the whole programme leans on general-purpose bricks rather than licensed pieces, these sets also make a useful source of parts. The What can I build? tool on Bricoria shows which kits your existing collection could already produce. Collectors should note that the numbering follows the programme rather than release order, so the set numbers from 20201-1 to 20215-1 are the clearest way to put the kits in sequence.

FAQ

What was Master Builder Academy?

A range of kits from 2011 to 2013 focused on teaching building techniques, organised into levels and numbered kits.

Which kit covers architecture?

Level Four - Kit 11, World Architecture (20210-1) from 2012, with 258 pieces.

How large is the Invention Designer set?

Invention Designer (Kits 10 - 12) (20215-1) has 678 pieces.