Creator of Iconic LEGO Minifigure Has Died

Jens Nygaard Knudsen, who created the iconic LEGO Minifigure, has died at the age of 78, his former colleague told AFP. In speaking to the news agency, veteran LEGO designer Niels Milan Pedersen confirmed that Knudsen passed away on February 19 after spending a week in hospice care due to complications with his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

We're very sad to hear that Jens Nygaard Knudsen, the creator of the LEGO Minifigure, has passed away. Thank you Jens, for your ideas, imagination, and inspiring generations of builders pic.twitter.com/7YixYvHtRW

— LEGO (@LEGO_Group) February 24, 2020

"It is with great sorrow and dismay that I must announce that an amazing man, the best colleague of many years, an unforgettable friend, the most loving husband, father, father in law and grandfather: Jens Nygaard Knudsen has passed away on 19th February 2020," Pedersen said in a statement, per Brick Fanatics. "Among all those who have worked for, built with, and generally known and loved LEGO over the years Jens should be known and remembered as one of the most important designers ever. He was the man who created the LEGO Minifigure, he was behind all the classic themes: Space, Pirates, Castle, Trains and countless more besides. He was a leader and an inspired builder. "Few have ever had as much imagination and creative power as he and no one who has got to know, or simply met Jens will be able to forget his amazing, lovely and positive personality. LEGO fans around the world should know that perhaps the most important ever creator of the LEGO Universe is no more. Honour his memory. His equal no longer exists." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/06/30/where-do-lego-minifigures-come-from"]

A Look Back at the Life of Jens Nygaard Knudsen

Knudsen was a set designer for The LEGO Group from 1968 to 2000. He was reportedly hired by the Danish toy brick maker after responding to a job advertisement for a model builder, which appeared in the local newspaper. During his years in service, he was tasked with building hundreds of small LEGO Town cars and basic sets, along with larger sets that incorporated several of his innovative ideas, including the Fire Station and Police Station.

The LEGO Minifigure

Knudsen designed the concept of the LEGO Minifigure in the 1970s. He created multiple prototypes before settling on the now legendary Minifigure design, with its interchangeable body parts, which allows the user to assemble the head, upper body and lower body, according to each individual's personal preference. The Minifigures were released in 1978 and have proven to be a huge success, collected by both adults and children worldwide.

A Tribute to Jens Nygaard Knudsen

Matthew Ashton, vice president of design at LEGO, expressed his condolences on social media, tweeting, "While I never met Jens,  what he created played such a huge part of my childhood as well as for many other millions of kids around the world. "Without him, I would have never been inspired to do the things I do today, without him I wouldn’t even have my job today! What an amazing man, and what an incredible legacy he leaves behind." In conclusion, Ashton vowed to "protect, care and nurture" Knudsen's little piece of toy history for as long as his LEGO career lasts. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

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