Gallery: UNICEF’s Clever LEGO-Inspired Bricks Provide Food, Water, and ...


Providing food and shelter to victims of a natural disaster is one of the first priorities for emergency services, but the process can often generate a lot of unnecessary waste. To help tackle this problem, UNICEF has developed an amazing reusable LEGO-inspired brick that doubles as a food storage container and a building material, addressing multiple needs in one fell swoop. Read on to see more pictures of this clever object designed by Psychic Factory!

The bricks have two compartments – one that holds rice and another that holds water. Once these vitals have been consumed, the bricks are then filled up with soil and sand to give them weight and stacked just like lego bricks into temporary shelters that gives disaster victims relief from the elements. In the meantime, all of the packaging that might have been used to provide clean drinking water and food are spared, as well as the headache of sourcing and distributing them. And the best part? When this area recovers, the bricks can be re-used somewhere else!

+ Psychic Factory



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  1. Alejandra Zentella May 12, 2014 at 5:37 pm

    I have my doubts about it. I\\\’m not sure it really means less waste because it forces to distribute the food and water in individual packaging. Besides, where and how would they be filled?How are they produced? Is it easier and spears less energy than conventional packaging? How many bricks do you need for building a house? Would there be enough for all the damaged people? It is not a bad idea, but it needs work.

  2. tomy2t0ne April 18, 2014 at 10:47 pm
  3. cebra February 18, 2013 at 6:03 am

    So, how many rations need to be consumed until the poor family can build their shelter???

    The idea is appealing indeed, but it rather seems to be one of those theories that will never make it to the field.

  4. taz1122 March 6, 2012 at 9:35 pm

    hi how can i order them for my childs school .they are planing to do a fun rasire for unicef

  5. poland.jr November 26, 2011 at 9:30 pm

    What a great concept! I hope they make millions of them and get them distributed. The empty containers could also be sealed and used as flotation for flooded areas.Small bridges and/or walkways could be installed over them.

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