Sep 2014
B2C Ed Tech
Physical computing
Bringing bricks to life
Context
Industry project
In September 2014, during my time at CIID, we worked on an industry project in collaboration with LEGO. The prompt was simple yet ambitious: imagine a digital LEGO experience.
I partnered with my classmate Henriette Kruse Jørgensen to explore questions like: How can the pure brick be made popular again? Can we design a toy that is not gender-specific? How do we unleash creativity, support learning, and combine tangible play with digital expression? Could LEGO become a medium for sharing stories and emotions?
Approach
From bricks to pixels
Our answer was LEGO Pix, a playful tool for children to create pixel art with LEGO bricks. It consists of a special base plate connected to a mobile device. As bricks are added, the design is mirrored on screen. Finished images can be saved, or stitched into simple animations. Creations could live on smart watches and digital picture frames, or be shared in chats with friends and family. An online platform would allow the community to exchange inspiration and building instructions.
LEGO Pix was designed for children aged 7–12, though we also imagined curious adults enjoying it as a way to tell short stories, experiment with technology, and extend creative play beyond the physical build.
Kids know best
We built a working prototype using Arduino and Processing, and tested it with children aged 7–12 at Bjørns International School in Copenhagen. The sessions validated that children were excited to combine physical building with digital storytelling — reinforcing the potential of LEGO as a bridge between tangible play and creative technology.
Our testing surfaced several key insights. Children wanted to save and revisit their creations, and they enjoyed recognition from others through sharing. We learned to embrace different play styles, supporting both structured and free-form exploration. Tutorials proved essential, with kids asking for guidance at every feature, and they valued building instructions across all levels of difficulty. Finally, we were reminded that kids often have more patience than adults assume — willing to spend time tinkering and experimenting if the experience rewarded them.
