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Student rower builds university boathouse in Lego

Helen BurchellCambridgeshire
David Johnson Photographic Jim Gleed is sitting by a Lego model of a boathouse. He has curly brown hair and a moustache, and is wearing a white polo shirt. The Lego model shows the ground floor and first floors of the boathouse which is mainly blue and white. Lego figures can be seen on the decks and in front of a river.David Johnson Photographic
Jim Gleed made a scale model of the boathouse where he said he spent most of his time

A University of Cambridge student has spent "countless hours" designing and building a Lego scale model of the oldest wooden-framed boathouse on the River Cam.

Keen rower Jim Gleed, 19, from Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, used about 10,000 bricks to recreate Christ's College's boathouse.

His 1:42 scale model is 100cm (39in) x 80cm (31in) and includes a detailed interior, rowing crews and even the dog which belongs to the head coach.

Gleed said: "I wanted to celebrate a building that means a lot to many students using a hobby I've had since childhood."

Christ's College A sepia photo shows a wooden-framed boathouse on the river bank and a bridge with people watching a rowing crew on the river below.Christ's College
The original boathouse was built in 1887

He said he used a combination of the Lego digital design tool, trial and error, and help from friends.

Gleed said the most challenging part of the project was creating rowing machines using tiny pieces of Lego.

The education student started rowing for Newark Rowing Club in 2020 and now rows at Cambridge.

David Johnson Photographic Part of a Lego model shows little rowing machines.David Johnson Photographic
Mini rowing machines were constructed from tiny pieces of the toy
David Johnson Photographic Rowing machines are lined up inside a boathouse and there is other gym equipment in the large room.David Johnson Photographic
He recreated the interior of the boathouse

"The boathouse is such an iconic part of my college life, I spend almost as much time there as I do in my bedroom," he said.

"The brick-by-brick building process changed how I see the real thing as I now pick up each small detail I previously walked past hundreds of times."

Gleed said he hoped his model would be used to raise the profile of rowing and of Christ's College Boathouse which was built in 1887.

The boathouse was renovated in 2017-18 and named the Blyth-McGregor Boathouse.

David Johnson Photographic A boathouse on the bank of a river is mainly blue and white. There is a bridge next to it.David Johnson Photographic
The boathouse sits on the bank of the River Cam in the centre of the city
David Johnson Photographic A Lego model of a boathouse showing the ground floor and first floors of the boathouse which is mainly blue and white. Lego figures can be seen on the decks and in front of a river.David Johnson Photographic
The student hopes his model will raise the profile of rowing at the university

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