From Sharjah to Billund: Meet the UAE's first Lego Certified Professional

Ever walked by a Lego store and wondered who makes those large sets, which could depict anything from a camel to a Formula One car? Well, the work starts in a quiet warehouse in Sharjah, filled with tubs of colourful plastic bricks.

Hasan Jamal’s love for Lego began in childhood, which has turned into both a profession and a legacy – one that has made him the UAE’s first Lego Certified Professional, part of an elite global network of fewer than 25 individuals recognised by the Danish toy giant. These professionals are tasked to create large-scale models, installations and educational projects using Lego bricks.

“I’ve been playing with Lego since I was three years old,” Jamal tells The National. “There was a dark time when I stopped, around my teens, but it found its way back into my life after graduation. My father asked what I wanted as a gift, and I said, a Ferrari Technic model. Since then, Lego has taken up most of the space in my house – and, eventually, my life.”

Now 40, Jamal’s story stretches between Pakistan, Sharjah and the UK. “I’ve lived in the UAE since I was a year and a half old,” he says. “I grew up between Pakistan and the UAE, mainly Sharjah.” By day, he is a financial accountant and auditor, working in his family’s packaging business. By night, and often well into the weekend, he leads intricate builds that turn Lego bricks into art, architecture and cultural storytelling.

Becoming one of Lego’s chosen few

Jamal’s journey to becoming an LCP was not an easy one. Lego rarely opens applications, and when it does, it’s only for specific regions. “Lego posts the opportunity on their website if they have a requirement in a certain region,” Jamal explains. “You submit a business plan, show your builds and go through several rounds of interviews. They assess your credibility and skills before deciding.”

Jamal went through the process in early 2022. “I had interviews in January and February,” he recalls. “Many people from the UAE applied. In March, I got the call – I had been selected.”

That marked the beginning of a two-year probation period. “There were certain restrictions at first,” he says. “But about a year and a half ago, I became fully certified. Now, I can take on projects freely under Lego’s guidelines.”

A debut with Louis Vuitton

His first commission came from one of the world’s most recognisable luxury brands, Louis Vuitton. “It was a massive job – four life-sized trunks, two open and two closed, as well as six smaller jewellery boxes,” Jamal says.

Each trunk contained about 35,000 bricks, assembled entirely by hand. “They were displayed in Dubai Mall, Doha and Louis Vuitton’s Fifth Avenue store in New York. It took about five months from design to installation.”

Jamal designed the pieces with the help of his eldest son. “At that time, it was just me and him. Louis Vuitton shared 3D files with me for the measurements, and I did about 100 hours of digital designing before we started building.”

Millions of bricks, endless possibilities

Today, Jamal’s Sharjah workspace holds an inventory of about five million Lego pieces. “All sizes, all shapes, all colours,” he says. “We buy directly from Lego’s main factory, so we’re ready for almost any project at any time.”

That readiness has paid off in the years since Louis Vuitton. One of his most ambitious builds came earlier this year, in partnership with Science World in Vancouver. “We built a lunar base, two astronaut figures – one adult, one child – and the human landing system,” he says. “Altogether, it used about 100,000 bricks.”

The exhibition, which launched in Canada, will travel across North America until 2028. “It’s amazing to know that something built here in the UAE is being seen across the world.”

Celebrating Emirati identity

Closer to home, Jamal’s builds have become part of the visual landscape of Dubai’s most popular malls. At Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates, visitors can spot life-sized Emirati Minifigures proudly on display – one holding a falcon, another dancing and a third carrying a woven basket.

“These were commissioned by Lego’s local office,” he explains. “They wanted to introduce an Emirati Minifigure for the first time. I suggested poses that reflected culture – the dance, the falcon, the traditional basket – and it turned out beautifully.”

For Jamal, representing local heritage through Lego is more than an assignment; it’s a responsibility. “It’s about showing that Lego can tell stories from anywhere in the world,” he says. “It doesn’t just belong to Denmark or America. It can reflect Emirati culture too.”

From wooden ducks to priceless bricks

Beyond his professional work, Jamal is also an avid collector of Lego’s history. “I’ve got a wooden duck from the 1940s, an elephant from the 1950s and some of the first plastic sets from 1949,” he says. “I bought most of them from Billund, Denmark – the home of Lego – or through friends who work there.”

He also owns early Samsonite-made sets from the 1960s, when Lego licensed production in North America. “They’re rare, and they tell the story of how the company evolved,” he says. His personal collection, excluding work inventory, is valued between Dh500,000 and Dh750,000.

Teaching the next generation

Lego isn’t only Jamal’s passion – it’s become a shared family language. His eldest son, now in high school, has taken the interest further. “He started helping me with builds when he was younger,” Jamal says. “At first, it was forced,” he admits with a laugh. “But now he loves it. He’s taken design technology and engineering subjects, and he’s learning 3D design so he can work with me.”

Jamal says that Lego is far more than a toy. It’s a tool for learning, creativity and connection. “In today’s technological world, it helps children understand how things work,” he says. “It gives them the thinking power to design, to problem solve. It plants a seed of engineering in their minds.”

He recalls watching his sons discover the mechanics behind Lego builds. “We were in Denmark recently, where there was a Guinness World Record Lego machine moving balls between platforms using gears. My boys were fascinated – they wanted to build their own version. That’s what Lego does. It inspires curiosity.”