This is not simply a mountain: this custom Playwell Bricks set is a veritable ecosystem of hiking, waterfalls, and skiing on one side. And on the other? This hollow mountain contains a secret lodge, live band, and gaming zone. Did I mention there’s also moving parts and lights throughout to keep things illuminated?

Here at Playwell Bricks, we don’t just move mountains for our clients… sometimes we build them, too. When a client wanted a custom mountain set as a gift for his avid outdoorsman partner, Playwell Bricks designer John Canepa hit the bricks.

I caught up with John to ask him what designing a set like this was like. “Very challenging. And more work than I expected, but the result was impressive,” he tells me.

He says didn’t take long for the mountain to come to life in his imagination. “I wanted to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing mountain form with a trail, plateaus, and a ski slope at the top.” But that was just the exterior mountain. Inside, John pictured “an internal [ski lodge] with a band stage, dance floor, and small video game area.”

The biggest challenge was minimizing parts use while maintaining a strong support since the sides of the mountain slope in towards a point at the top,” John explains. “I learned that I have to build in support as I plan the design, but you won’t really know until you test build the structure and test for weak points that need reinforcements.”

At one point, another designer asked John if he could lift the set. “I turned and picked up the mountain from the base,” he says with pride in his eyes. “I was super happy it lifted effortlessly and stayed strong.”

Whether you’re considering commissioning a custom Playwell bricks set as a corporate gift, to commemorate a significant achievement, or to celebrate an event, contact us today! Here at Playwell Bricks we don’t just build mountains, we help you build your dreams.