Connecting! Block Town

teamLab, 2016-, Interactive Digital Installation, Wooden blocks, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi

Connecting! Block Town

teamLab, 2016-, Interactive Digital Installation, Wooden blocks, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi

Create a city where trains, cars, and various vehicles run, by placing connecting blocks on the table.

The same type of blocks can connect to each other, allowing vehicles to run along roads and train tracks created by the connections. The vehicles will evolve as you connect more blocks.

Background of Artwork

City development and transport

  • Transporting crops and goods from town to town was extremely important for human progress. In the past, roads were built and transport was carried out by people and horses. However, rivers started being used by ships with more transporting power than horses to transport goods. Through the linking of towns by the river, each town developed. In more modern times, humans desired a newer transportation method, which is why they built railways for trains, and roads for cars to be driven on, connecting towns.

How to interact with the artwork

  • 1

    Place a wooden block on the table to create a connection.

  • 2

    Place blocks of the same color on the table, and roads and train tracks will appear. Cars and trains run along these roads between the blocks.

  • 3

    By placing many blocks, long roads are created, and the town will become more advanced.

  • 4

    Observe the creation of a town that develops as you place more blocks.

Skills Nurtured

  • Creativity, Power of Expression
  • Pattern Recognition
  • Spatial Awareness
  • Logical Thinking