Everything You Need to Know About Green Building From Tetris

As we were watching <a href="http://vimeo.com/groups/27895/videos/6736261">this awesome video</a> of an ironic game of Tetris being played with old Soviet-era housing blocks, the resulting image looked oddly familiar. Could it be that a lot of what we know about contemporary architecture can be learned from a game of <a href="http://www.tetris.com/history/index.aspx">Tetris</a>? The benefits of modular block building are obvious -- from lowered manufacturing costs and reduced material use to the quick turnaround of complex forms that can be portable and highly adaptable. The concept of building from prefabricated components is rich with potential -- read on for a look at some of our favorite pixelated projects!

The Tetris <a href="http://vimeo.com/6736261">video</a> may be a tongue-in-cheek shot at grim Soviet-era buildings, but the imagery it conjures is one of a rich and vivid future for our built environment. The concept is clear -- you can build elaborate and beautiful buildings from simple modules. The future of building, especially <a href="http://inhabitat.com/sustainable-building/">sustainable development</a>, is looking toward prefab building and increased density to solve some of our greatest challenges. <br> The <a href="http://www.evolo.us/competition/living-bridge/">Living Bridge</a> by Marchi Architects came immediately to mind. This design won second place in the 2009 eVolo <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/07/23/registration-is-open-for-the-2011-evolo-skyscraper-competition/">Skyscraper Competition</a>, and it explores the idea of creating bridges as habitation.

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/2008/12/19/prefab-friday-puma-city-container-architecture/">Puma City</a> is a truly mobile modular store that has traveled the world. The extreme cantilevers and open passageways push the process of shipping container stacking to the limit.

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/03/28/2010-pritker-prize-goes-to-sanaa/">New Museum</a> by the Pritker Prize-winning studio Sanaa became a instant New York landmark. Its simple aesthetic of stacked blocks creates a striking effect upon onlookers.

Architects Nicholas Lacey and Buro Happold took advantage of the modular nature of shipping containers to quickly and easily erect their <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/06/08/prefab-friday-container-city/">Container City</a> in London. They also improved access and daylighting by staggering the units.

Sako Architects' <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2009/12/22/sako-architects’-jenga-like-building-provides-optimum-sunshine/">Bumps Housing</a> follows a similar form - it's an ambitious stucture that maximizes light for each living unit.

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/06/29/shipping-containers-and-cars-stacked-high-as-colorful-eco-sculptures/">Self Contained</a> by swedish artist Michael Johansson appears almost to be a game of Tetris formed from materials found on the street. Well played.

<a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/08/24/prefab-friday-keetwonen-container-student-housing/">Keetwonen Student Housing</a> in Amsterdam is a massive 1000-unit project that exemplifies prefab writ large. The complex is really a small town complete with shopping, offices, a sports complex and more.

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/05/14/60000-sq-ft-pre-fab-apartment-complex-in-philadelphia-to-be-completed-this-summer/">Modular Apartments</a>, soon to be completed in Philadelphia by Interface Studio Architects, is a five-story LEED apartment complex that is built entirely from stacked modular rooms.

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/06/30/view-tube-a-two-floor-lime-green-shipping-container-cafe-in-london/">View Tube</a>, a new cafe in London, looks like a Tetris game that just began. The reused shipping container based building is actually portable so who knows where we may see it next.

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/06/04/crossbox-beautiful-modular-container-home-in-france/">Crossbox House</a> by CGArchitectes is the pleasing result of two prefab units smartly stacked upon another set. The home is elegantly balanced and maintains a small footprint.

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/05/14/2-million-haitians-live-in-tents-they-still-need-our-help-rebuilding/">Green Container National Aid</a> takes advantage of thousands of surplus shipping containers to provide housing in distressed communities.This design for housing relief in Haiti packs in a lot of living quarters while keeping material use to a minimum.

The architects at <a href="http://lot-ek.com/">LOK-EK</a> must have spent a lot of time playing the seminal game, as many of their brilliant designs are modular in nature. A new high score!

Before Tetris, (and even before the PC) was <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2009/08/20/habitat-67-montreals-prefab-pixel-city/">Pixel City</a> - the seminal vision of Canadian architect Moshe Safdie. Built for the 1967 World Expo in Montreal as vision of how we will live in the future, the complex was decades ahead of its time as a concept. It had prefabricated units, a green roof, and was intended to contain an entire community. Now, over fourty years later, the game is just getting started.