Before the lights, the competition, and the national recognition from Fox’s “LEGO Masters," Benjamin Edlavitch was just a college student from Richmond studying architecture at the University of Virginia.

He never imagined that a random Instagram message asking if he wanted to be on TV would lead to sharing his passion for LEGO on the big screen.

 

“I should know better than to take that kind of bait, but regardless, my response to that casting producer would eventually land Poppy and me on season four,” Edlavitch says. “Before then, I had seen the show but never really considered directly joining the competition. When faced with a real shot at appearing on the show, I knew immediately that it was an opportunity I could not pass up…If I had said no, I knew I’d always wonder, ‘what if.’”

 

His time on national TV may have opened doors. But it’s the work Edlavitch is doing in his community with kids and after-school programs that’s truly making an impact

 

How LEGO Builds Creativity and STEM Skills After School

Today, LEGO is much more than a childhood hobby for the “LEGO Masters” alum. For Edlavitch, it has become a meaningful tool for creativity, education, and hands-on learning for students across the Richmond area.

 

While continuing his architecture studies, Edlavitch has embraced community outreach and after-school education, leading hands-on LEGO programs that invite kids to explore design thinking and creative problem-solving.

 

A new workshop series is underway through Chesterfield County Public Libraries, and in his role as Teacher Fellow at the Valentine Museum, he partners with educators to explore how LEGO can spark meaningful conversations about history, place, and the built environment.

 

“‘LEGO Masters’ helped me realize how much I enjoy teaching, especially through play. Since the show, I’ve been leading workshops that use LEGO as a tool to teach architectural thinking. It’s given me a platform to connect with young people and help them see that they can shape the world around them,” he says.

 

Edlavitch sees LEGO as a way to bring students into important conversations about the spaces they live in.

 

“LEGO is a powerful way to make architecture more accessible. It invites people, especially young people, into conversations about the built environment that they’re often left out of,” he says. “Programs like LEGO’s Build the Change show how kids can use bricks to express their needs and priorities in a way adults can see and understand. I’d love to see more architects embrace tools like LEGO to engage communities in design through play and imagination.”

 

In addition to teaching, he continues to create with LEGO including large-scale models inspired by Virginia’s architecture like a five-foot-long replica of the Science Museum of Virginia, which is now part of the museum’s permanent collection. 

 

He is also developing another large-scale model based on Virginia’s state history, though the details are not yet public.

 

Building a Lifelong Family Bond

Long before his time on the big screen, Edlavitch saw the world not just as it was, but as it could be. From an early age, all he needed was a pile of LEGO bricks and a big idea.

 

“I honestly can’t remember a time before I was building with LEGO,” says Edlavitch. “I’ve always loved putting things together, and LEGO offered an immediate way to turn the ideas in my head into something real.”

 

What began as a quiet childhood pastime quickly grew into a lifelong passion, but the most meaningful chapter in the LEGO builders journey was shaped not by bricks, but by family.

 

His grandfather David, lovingly known as Poppy on the show, is a lifelong tinkerer, mechanic, and a steady presence in Edlavitch’s life. Their bond was built in a garage long before they ever snapped LEGO bricks into place on national television.

 

“We bonded over his 1929 Model A Ford, a car he’s been restoring since he was 15. Once I was old enough to hold a wrench but still small enough to fit under the chassis, I was helping him maintain this nearly 100-year-old car,” he remembers.

 

A Team of Two Becomes a Family for Everyone on Set

Their deep trust and shared creativity made the grandson-grandfather duo a perfect team for the high-pressure, nationally televised brick-building challenges.

 

“Poppy is a little newer to the world of LEGO, but in true ‘LEGO Masters’ fashion, he learned quick. Poppy’s knowledge of mechanics made him an obvious choice as my teammate,” the LEGO artist says.

 

Once filming began in early 2023, Edlavitch and Poppy found themselves surrounded by elite builders, intense timed challenges, and a whole new kind of pressure.

 

“It was like being at summer camp with a celebrity camp counselor,” he recalls. “The cast clicked almost immediately. We spent a lot of off-camera time swapping techniques, showing each other our passion projects, and giving each other feedback.”

 

The creative energy on set was inspiring, but the experience also brought unexpected changes to their relationship. Spending long hours under pressure meant they had to rely on each other in new ways, navigating both the demands of the competition and the shifting roles between them.

 

“Before the show, I’d always been Poppy’s student. He taught me how to hold a wrench, how to take care of a car, how to see a project through. ‘LEGO Masters’ flipped that dynamic. Suddenly, I was the one giving instructions, at times correcting him, and that took some adjusting for both of us. But over time, we found a rhythm,” he says.

 

That rhythm was rooted in “mutual respect and a shared love for making things.” And while their builds impressed the judges, it was Poppy’s warmth and charm that won over the rest of the cast.

 

“It was cute watching Poppy take on the role of communal grandfather for everyone on set,” Edlavitch says. “I learned to share Poppy with the rest of the team on ‘LEGO Masters.’ That experience made me more appreciative of the bond that I have with Poppy and underscored the importance of intergenerational bonds in our communities.”

 

How LEGO Inspires the Imagination at Any Age

Whether your child is just discovering the joy of snapping bricks together or already dreaming about a future in design, Edlavitch sees LEGO as a gateway to possibility. It sparks curiosity, builds confidence, and encourages kids to see the world not just as it is, but as it could be. His advice to young builders?

 

“Keep using LEGO to explore your ideas, and try using it to recreate the world around you. Build your favorite buildings and see what you learn in the process.”

 

And more than anything, creativity never goes out of style.

“Imagination doesn’t have an age limit. Whether you’re five or seventy-five, you can have just as much fun picking up a few bricks and seeing where they take you.”