Lego-style building blocks could be the future of architecture

Kite Bricks wants to create buildings more quickly and cheaply by using concrete blocks that slot together like Lego.

Aside from being one of the most popular kids’ toys of the past 50 years, Lego has even proved useful in the adult world, with the company’s Lego Serious Play program enabling product designers to come up with creative prototypes using the simple building blocks. We recently saw OLLA offer modular furniture for kids inspired by Lego, and now Kite Bricks wants to create real-life buildings more quickly and cheaply by using concrete blocks that slot together.

The foundation of the system is the Smart Brick, which is made of high-strength concrete and looks just like a piece of Lego. It has raised knobs on the top and recesses on the bottom that enable each piece to simply slot on top of the other. Instead of cement, the Smart Bricks are sealed together with a special adhesive, while steel rods can be slotted into place provide extra reinforcement, much like traditional concrete construction. Each brick has space inside for insulation and infrastructure elements such as plumbing and wiring, making it easier to fit out the building with amenities.

At present, the system is still in prototype phase (pictured above), but the company believes that the innovation will save time, energy and waste during construction and lead to more energy savings thanks to Smart Bricks’ thermal properties. Buildings can also arrive on site in a single kit, and Kite Bricks envisions quiet robots replacing cranes and other equipment during the building process.

Watch the video below to learn more about the company:

According to Wired.co.uk, Kite Bricks is looking for USD 3 million in funding to help bring the product to market. With modularity and flexibility gaining ground in the architectural world, could innovations such as this help make structures less permanent and more adjustable?