flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Are these LEGO-like blocks the future of construction?

Are these LEGO-like blocks the future of construction?

The company Kite Bricks may have just reinvented masonry.


By BD+C Staff | July 11, 2014

They're not really LEGOs—they just look like them. Smart Bricks (or S-Bricks for short) are a patent-pending innovation designed by Kite Bricks. Incorporating high-strength concrete, the blocks may make buildings more rapid, cheap and energy-efficient to construct.

Like the iconic Danish construction toys, S-Bricks come in a variety of forms for different functions and can all connect together. A special adhesive designed to come with S-Bricks eliminates the need of cement.

If a project is planned with Smart Bricks, the bricks are delivered to the site along with a combination of traditional doors, windows and many other building components to allow a quick and efficient construction process with minimum labor.

The bricks thermal properties can lead to enormous savings in heating and cooling and a smaller carbon footprint, according to the manufacturer.

Check out Kite Bricks' official website for more information.

Related Stories

| Oct 23, 2013

Architecture Billings Index hits seven-month high in September

AIA's Architecture Billings Index was 54.3 in September, the highest level since February 2013 

| Oct 18, 2013

Meet the winners of BD+C's $5,000 Vision U40 Competition

Fifteen teams competed last week in the first annual Vision U40 Competition at BD+C's Under 40 Leadership Summit in San Francisco. Here are the five winning teams, including the $3,000 grand prize honorees.

| Oct 18, 2013

A picture’s worth a thousand words… if you can find it

Photographs are becoming more essential to project communication and documentation. Recently, I sat in a local airport integration project meeting in which the owner outlined their expectation for construction documentation. One of the first requirements was to provide photographs throughout the building process.

| Oct 18, 2013

Researchers discover tension-fusing properties of metal

When a group of MIT researchers recently discovered that stress can cause metal alloy to fuse rather than break apart, they assumed it must be a mistake. It wasn't. The surprising finding could lead to self-healing materials that repair early damage before it has a chance to spread. 

| Oct 18, 2013

Call for submissions: AIA Emerging Professionals Summit essays

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is seeking essays that will address what role architects will play in society in 2033.

| Oct 16, 2013

5 secrets of successful entrepreneurs

If you’re on the outside looking in, successful entrepreneurship may seem mysterious. But it isn’t. Here are five patterns of behavior that are common to successful entrepreneurs.

| Oct 15, 2013

High-rise Art Deco courthouse gets a makeover in Amarillo, Texas

Recognized as one of the most significant Art Deco courthouses in Texas, the Potter County Courthouse is modernized and restored to its 1930s aesthetic. 

| Oct 10, 2013

Behind the scenes at the U40 Summit: See the $5,000 U40 Vision competition in progress [slideshow]

Sixty-five up-and-coming AEC leaders are battling for $5,000 in prizes today at BD+C's Under 40 Leadership Summit in San Francisco.

| Oct 10, 2013

Arthur Gensler to architects: Don't give away your ideas

The founder of Gensler advises dozens of up-and-coming AEC professionals at BD+C's Under 40 Leadership Summit in San Francisco.

| Oct 9, 2013

From power plant to office: Ambler Boiler House conversion

The shell of a 19th-century industrial plant is converted into three levels of modern office space. 

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Great Solutions

41 Great Solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors

AI ChatBots, ambient computing, floating MRIs, low-carbon cement, sunshine on demand, next-generation top-down construction. These and 35 other innovations make up our 2024 Great Solutions Report, which highlights fresh ideas and innovations from leading architecture, engineering, and construction firms.




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021