Greek Temple MOC: Column, Pediment and Step Proportions
Here is the short version: this Greek temple MOC runs about 2,600 pieces, finishes roughly 28 cm tall on a 32x16 stud footprint, costs around ¥460 in parts, and takes about 10 hours at two hours a day. The thing that makes or breaks a Greek temple is the relationship between three elements — columns, pediment and steps. Get those ratios right and the model reads as classical architecture; get them wrong and it reads as a toy.
The instructions are free to download on brickplan.cn, with the parts list grouped by column order, entablature and steps.
Step 1: Lay the steps and base first — this locks in every other ratio
Start on a 32x16 stud baseplate. The front elevation gets three steps, each one stud tall and two studs deep, which gives you a clean 1:2 riser-to-tread ratio. The base platform then sits two studs higher than the top step and is edged all the way round with tiles. This stage uses about 500 pieces and it is the datum line for the whole build: once the step block is off, the columns and the pediment will be off with it, and no amount of fiddling at the top will fix it.
Step 2: Build the columns and hold the spacing
The temple uses the Doric order: shafts 12 studs tall and 2 studs across, stacked from round brick and cylinder parts. The slight mid-shaft swell of the real thing can be skipped. What you cannot skip is even spacing — 3 studs from column centre to column centre, with no exceptions. Six columns across the front, four along each side, with the corner positions shared, comes out at about 14 columns and roughly 900 pieces. Build the two corner columns first and check them with a straight edge before you fill in the run between them.
Step 3: Add the entablature and pediment
On top of the columns goes the architrave: long beams spanning every column so the whole row is tied together. Above that, add triglyph detailing for the frieze. The pediment is the triangle on the front face — slope pieces stepping in from both sides, about 3 studs tall, which works out at roughly one-sixth of the entablature width. A round shield or a small statue piece in the centre of the tympanum makes a good focal point without adding much to the part count. This stage uses about 700 pieces.
Step 4: Roof and finishing touches
Slope the roof down from the ridge to each side using sloped tile pieces, and add small ornaments at both ends of the ridge line. Then do the checks: are the columns plumb, are the steps level, does everything on the bench match the parts list in the brickplan instructions? If you want a better display piece, put two palm trees and a few scattered rocks in front of the temple — the Greek ruin atmosphere appears immediately.
FAQ
Q: How do I stop the columns from leaning?
A: Anchor every column base onto the studs of the baseplate first, then tie all the column tops together horizontally with the architrave so the column row becomes a frame rather than a line of separate posts. Fix the two corner columns, then fill in the middle — the odds of a lean drop sharply.
Q: How exactly do the step and column ratios work?
A: Memorise two sets of numbers. Each step is 1 stud tall and 2 studs deep. Each column is 12 studs tall, 2 studs in diameter, with 3 studs between column centres. Built to those figures it reads as a standard Greek temple, and the whole thing fits a 32x16 baseplate.
Q: I am short on parts — can I swap colours?
A: Yes. Temples are usually off-white, light grey and sand, and any parts in a close colour can be substituted without affecting the structure. Keep standard parts for the load-bearing columns and architrave so the upper levels do not collapse. Check the part numbers against the brickplan parts list and order whatever is missing.
Q: What will it cost me?
A: About 2,600 pieces at roughly ¥0.15 to ¥0.2 per part comes to around ¥460. If you already have a decent stock of off-white and light grey, your real spend will be far lower — the instruction page on brickplan.cn also includes a parts-saving version of the list.
Q: How big is the finished model, and where does it go?
A: Roughly 28 cm tall with a 32x16 stud footprint, so about 25 x 13 cm. That suits a middle bookshelf or a display case. Add a dark baseplate and a few palm trees and it works well as a standalone display.