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Early chapters in architectural studies cover cross-sections and perspective drawings, and how buildings fit together. So, do architects and designers perform the way they do at Tetris because their minds have been programmed to build?
Nearly 40 years after young Russian programmer Aleksej Pažitnov invented Tetris, the addictive game continues to fascinate players of all ages. But some people are better at it than others—especially architects. A game that requires players to manipulate and arrange falling blocks of different shapes called Tetris requires logical thinking, dynamic spatial reasoning, mental flexibility, problem-solving skills, and a sense of visual balance. Who better than design professionals to play a game that’s basically programmed for what they do every day?
In the real world, Tetris architecture is a design strategy used to overcome constraints such as narrow plots and regulatory restrictions to create structures that can accommodate a maximum number of occupants despite a compact building footprint.
Like the game, Tetris architecture is based on stackable design types that maximize available space and minimize wasted space, making it particularly suitable for overpopulated cities where land is scarce and housing demand is high.
Let’s take a look at some of these Tetris-inspired projects where designers place their architectural tetrominoes into place to create space-efficient buildings.
Tetris Apartments | Ljubljana, Slovenia | OFIS Architects
Image credit: Tomaz Gregoric | OFIS Architects
Completed in 2007, this social housing scheme was developed on a narrow site measuring 58m long x 15m wide. According to OFIS Architects, the project got its name from the facade design when people began to associate the building with the game Tetris.
Since the building faces the busy highway, the apartments and their balconies are angled to open up to the quieter south side. The 650 apartments range in size from studios of 30 square meters to three-bedroom units of 70 square meters.
Maple Bear Kindergarten | New Delhi, India | Renesas Architectural Design Interior Design
Photo Credit: Vibhor Yadav | Renesas Architectural Design Interiors
The project, aptly called Tetris, transforms a dilapidated house into a modern kindergarten with a colorful Tetris look that attracts (and retains) the attention of preschoolers.
According to Renesa Architecture Design Interiors, which designed the school, the aim is to “elite reactions and responses from young people in order to allow them to learn from the external environment”.
To this end, the architects designed all the games to appeal to children of this age group and decided to integrate Tetris design elements into the building’s architectural skin. The gradient colors on the Tetris façade add volume and value to an already interesting facade.
Tetris House | Toronto, Canada | RZLBD Studio
Image source: borXu Design | RZLBD Studio
Reza Aliabadi of Toronto-based architecture studio Atelier RZLBD incorporates his fascination with the mesmerizing geometric shapes of the game Tetris into designing efficient spaces for clients. “If the space is structured like Tetris, there will be almost zero wasted space in the building,” says Aliabadi.
When faced with the challenge of fitting the client’s needs into a compact 12.2mx 33.5m lot while adhering to the strict zoning rules of Toronto’s infill projects, RZLBD set a design goal of “no leftover space” with one simple rule in mind: every An inch is a usable inch.
The 3,000-square-foot Tetris House is spread over three floors, and its compact footprint is still able to direct natural light throughout the house thanks to an invisible Tetris element—a central light well that runs from the upper level to the basement. The materials used on the exterior boldly expose the Tetris elements of the interior spaces, while the striking façade showcases the geometry of the Tetris game.
WAP Art Space | Seoul, South Korea | David Macullo Architects
Image source: Yousub Song – Studio Worlderful | David Macullo Architects
Built on an empty city block, squeezed between existing buildings, this 3,150 sqm Seoul building is planned as a residential gallery, with living spaces supported by production spaces. Designed by Davide Macullo Architects, the structure is an arrangement of floating cubic volumes, with the cubes (chosen for their symbolic strength and balance) serving as the main design element.
“It is a series of spaces, closed and open, full and empty, compressed and decompressed. It generates a perceptual map that translates into different moments of usability, but remains interconnected,” explained the architects.
Tetris House | Modular Housing Concept | Cosmic Architecture
Rendering credit: Universe Architecture
The falling geometric blocks of the game Tetris have provided creative inspiration for many design professionals, but Dutch architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars, founder of Amsterdam-based Cosmoarchitecture, has gone one step ahead and designed an innovative concept for a modular Tetris house. , can be applied all over the world.
Ruijssenaars’ Tetris House is a modular system made up of blocks that can be flexibly placed side by side or stacked to create a home tailored to the client’s needs. Each block is a steel structure and all exteriors are glass curtain walls, providing residents with extensive 360° views. Steel strips on the blocks allow balconies and blinds to be added. Once these modules are configured and in place, the house is ready. While a standard home measures 1,883 square feet, modular systems allow owners to expand the area to meet growing needs. These blocks can also be reconfigured in the future if needed.
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