Lizi: The Building Blocks of Creativity

A New Block System Designed by Li Xu

Lizi is a new block system that can be played in an organic and open way. The four forms with grooves and holes allow users to stack blocks up in many ways, while the structure looks like some parts are missing, allowing users to add their own stuff and enjoy the fun of finding items around them to enrich the system. By playing with those blocks, the user can train their focus on building creativity with everyday objects in a fresh perspective.

Lizi is a unique building block system that offers fresh opportunities for discovery. The shapes of Lizi blocks are incomplete, stimulating users to seek parts to fill them and build structures in unusual ways. Unlike traditional block systems, Lizi has no pre-programmed outcomes, allowing for limitless imagination. The cubes, cylinders, and sheets of Lizi use the formal language of hardware, electronics, tree branches, and stationery, incorporating the everyday material world that surrounds us. Users can enjoy the surprise of finding and incorporating everyday objects, enriching and customizing the system. Through extensive testing, Li Xu has developed four inter-linking structures that offer infinite possibilities to stimulate creative thinking.

Lizi blocks are made using walnut, pinewood, and maple. The woodwork process involves the use of CNC machines, table saws, chop saws, and bend saws. The blocks come in different specifications, including various sizes and shapes with holes or grooves. The sticks with grooves are also available in different lengths. The technical specifications ensure that users have a wide range of options to create their unique structures.

The inspiration for Lizi came from the need to address the decrease in imagination and tactility caused by excessive use of digital devices. Research shows that adults spend more than 11 hours per day engaging with media, leading to decreased creativity and increased stress. While building blocks can provide a solution, most existing options are aimed at children. Adult blocks often lack abstract designs and fail to inspire imagination. Li Xu's research showed that many people, as children, used to stack unassociated everyday objects and re-imagine their meaning. Lizi aims to tap into this innate ability and provide a building block system that inspires adults to play and create for the long term.

The design process for Lizi involved overcoming several challenges. Li Xu had to find a way to make the building block system durable and cultivate imagination. The open structure of Lizi allows for endless possibilities, and the incorporation of everyday objects as connectors and accessories adds to its uniqueness. Differentiating Lizi from the thousands of other blocks in the market was also a challenge, but the organic and open nature of the system sets it apart.

Lizi is a testament to the power of building blocks in fostering creativity and imagination. By encouraging users to think outside the box and incorporate everyday objects, Lizi provides a fresh perspective on building and play. The design has been recognized with an Iron A' Design Award in the Toys, Games, and Hobby Products category, highlighting its well-designed, practical, and innovative nature.