Tommy Blocks: a modern redesign of the classical children's building blocks

Abstract

In this paper we present Tommy Blocks, a low-poly (polygon mesh) magnetic construction set. We set out to redesign the classic building blocks, some of the most used (and loved) toys by children of all ages. Tommy Blocks is composed of various types of blocks of different shapes and sizes that can be joined together thanks to magnets on the inside. The blocks have irregular low-poly shapes. This is the main difference between Tommy Blocks and other regular and well-known building blocks sets. Triangular faces invite the player to build completely different constructions than the traditional squares. We also explored how technology can contribute to the creative development of children and added some electronics to the main component of the set to make the game more challenging. Moreover, a small story-telling component is included, giving personality to the actual toy. In this paper we describe the design process and present the latest prototype of Tommy Blocks.