Can we build full-size buildings using LEGO-like bricks?
The short answer
While actual LEGO bricks are too precise, weak, and expensive for real buildings, several modern construction methods use interlocking, LEGO-like blocks made from earth, foam, or composites to build strong, efficient structures faster and with less labor.
The long answer
For over a century, steel frames, concrete slabs, and wooden beams have dominated the construction industry — but building with them requires lots of labor, specialized skills, and time.
What if construction took a page from playtime?
"Old timer structural worker2" and "Six Bricks Model" by Lewis Hine and SixBricksBrent are licensed under the public domain and CC BY-SA 4.0, respectively.
Today, several building methods are seemingly inspired by LEGO® bricks. Let's dive in (and hope we don't step on a *Lego while we're at it).
Method #1: Interlocking compressed earth blocks
Humans have been using raw earth to construct buildings for thousands of years. But we've recently put a spin on this ancient technique by pressing the blocks into interlocking shapes and adding a special ingredient.
Source: The Better India
Interlocking compressed earth blocks (ICEBs) are made by compressing soil with a bit of cement, forming bricks that don’t need mortar. Oftentimes, this method uses soil straight from the construction site, cutting down on material costs. When cement is added, it allows the soil to bond and provide significant structural strength.
While there is a risk of water absorption, research has found that introducing bacteria to the mix adds self-healing properties. The bacteria brings on calcite crystallization which continuously covers any cracks that form.
Method #2: Insulated concrete forms
The next method looks more like a Lego but requires a bit more concrete than your typical Lego set.
"Bloc coffrant isolant" by Ohda47 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Insulated concrete formwork (ICF) uses hollow polystyrene foam blocks that stack like giant Legos. Once assembled and reinforced with steel, the blocks are filled with concrete to form sturdy, insulated walls.
One design and construction firm leaned into the Lego-ness of ICF and used colored foam blocks to create a Lego-lookalike house in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Source: ICFSpecialist
Cullum Homes built the Lego-like house to support Special Olympics Arizona. Unfortunately, the Lego appearance was only temporary and the home has since been covered in stucco and painted over with much less fun colors for the current homeowner.
Method #3: RENCO blocks
Of all these methods, RENCO blocks come closest to real Legos. As CEO and president of RENCO USA Kenneth Smuts puts it, "They're like adult-size Legos on steroids."
RENCO interlocking blocks, made from recycled plastic, resin, stone, and glass fiber, are assembled using a glue gun and mallet. The company says these composite material blocks are 23x stronger and 75% lighter than concrete.
Source: RENCO USA
Workers follow color-coded instructions showing which RENCO blocks go where, stack them into place, pound them with a rubber mallet, and apply a special adhesive to fuse the blocks together. There's no need for complex tools, specialized labor, or much heavy or loud machinery.
Source: RENCO USA
The blocks are used to build everything from walls to floors to roofs — fast. RENCO's first U.S. project used the blocks to construct a four-building, 96-unit apartment complex in Lake Worth Beach, Florida.
Source: RENCO USA
The project took just around eight weeks for 11 laborers to build while following the simple color-coded plans. Smuts claims a similar project using conventional building methods would have needed 50 workers and twice the time.
Legos for the win.
🧠 Bonus brain points
Can we build full-size buildings using actual LEGO bricks?
Legos are made using a plastic called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, which can withstand compression better than concrete. A single Lego brick can support the weight of 375,000 other bricks before it fails.
No wonder it hurts to much to step on a Lego.
But this strength begs the question: Could you build a full-size building only using Legos? The answer is no.
I wouldn't step foot in a house with Lego beams. Source: James May's Toy Stories
Legos are an unsuitable construction material for many reasons:
They lack horizontal strength, so you could easily push down a wall or break a structural beam with little force.
Legos aren't water-proof, so you'd have constant leaks.
Legos are too precise to handle real-world imperfections, like a slightly uneven concrete slab.
Legos are too expensive. A $10 sheet of drywall would cost $2,000 in Legos—plus hours of assembly.
Look at you, you finished the article! Here's a Lego meme for your reading habits.
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Sources
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Barua, A. (2022, February 13). What a 10th Century Mud Building’s Strength Can Teach Modern Sustainable Architecture. The Better India. https://thebetterindia.com/275946/what-a-10th-century-mud-buildings-strength-can-teach-modern-sustainable-architecture/
Berg, N. (2020, January 8). It only took 11 people to build this Lego-like apartment complex in Florida. Fast Company. https://renco-usa.com/2024/03/20/it-only-took-11-people-to-build-this-lego-like-apartment-complex-in-florida/
Danielle, & Mat. (2021, November 22). Amazing Lego-Style HEMP BLOCKS Make Building a House Quick, Easy & Sustainable. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqLXXjvQXgI&ab_channel=ExploringAlternatives
Irwan, J. M., Zamer, M. M., & Othman, N. (2016, April 1). A Review on Interlocking Compressed Earth Blocks (ICEB) with Addition of Bacteria. MATEC Web of Conferences. https://www.matec-conferences.org/articles/matecconf/abs/2016/10/matecconf_iconcees2016_01017/matecconf_iconcees2016_01017.html
Junge Construction. (2024, March 1). What are insulated concrete forms (ICF) and why should you use them to build your custom home in Western North Carolina?. Junge Construction. https://jungeconstruction.com/blog/what-are-insulated-concrete-forms-icf
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Marketplace Homes. (n.d.). Building Homes with Life-Size Lego Bricks: The Future of Construction?. Marketplace Homes. https://marketplacehomes.com/blog/real-estate-trends/building-homes-with-life-size-lego-bricks/
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Muema, N. (2022, September 1). Interlocking Compressed Earth Blocks (ICEBs) vs Stone Blocks-Which fits your project?. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJGWBbPJnLo&ab_channel=PropertyNoma
Parsi, N. (2024, March 21). Building Homes with ‘Legos on Steroids.’ Pro Builder. https://web.archive.org/web/20240419210941/https://www.probuilder.com/utopia/building-homes-like-legos-with-composite-blocks
Villazon, L. (2023, July 12). Why aren’t large Lego bricks used to build full-size buildings? BBC Science Focus Magazine. https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/why-arent-large-lego-bricks-used-to-build-full-size-buildings
Yoders, J., & Judy, S. (2023, September 11). Real-Life LEGO Set: Putting Together a New Way of Building. Engineering NewsRecord RSS. https://www.enr.com/articles/57010-real-life-lego-set-putting-together-a-new-way-of-building
It’s like an American accent but with calendars.