For more than 90 years, the LEGO Group has shaped how generations understand design, structure, and imagination. For many professionals working in construction and digital construction today, early experiences with LEGO bricks were a first introduction to spatial reasoning, modular design, and systems thinking. This connection remains visible across the UK construction sector, where LEGO frequently appears on exhibition stands at digital construction events, encouraging engagement through hands-on interaction.
In 2026, the LEGO Group has extended this legacy with the launch of LEGO® SMART Play™, an interactive platform unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026. Described by the company as one of the most significant evolutions in the LEGO System-in-Play since the introduction of the LEGO Minifigure in 1978, LEGO SMART Play™ blends physical construction with embedded digital intelligence.
From a digital construction perspective, LEGO SMART Play™ mirrors many of the principles shaping the built environment today. The platform combines physical components with responsive technology, enabling structures to react in real time. According to the LEGO Group, children can bring creations to life through moments of surprise, discovery, and storytelling, without relying on screens.
At the core of the platform is the LEGO SMART Brick, supported by LEGO SMART Tags and LEGO SMART Minifigures. Together, these elements form an interactive system where models respond dynamically to movement, light, and sound. The SMART Brick contains a custom-made chip, smaller than a standard LEGO stud, and integrates sensors, accelerometers, light and sound sensing, an onboard synthesiser, and wireless charging.
Data-driven feedback
Developed by the LEGO Group’s Creative Play Lab team, the technology is intentionally invisible, ensuring the focus remains on physical building. This approach closely aligns with digital construction methodologies, where embedded intelligence, data-driven feedback, and interoperability enhance real-world assets without disrupting user experience. Importantly, all LEGO SMART Play™ elements are compatible with the existing LEGO System-in-Play, reinforcing modularity and scalability.
Julia Goldin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer of the LEGO Group, said: “As the world evolves, so do we, innovating to meet the play needs of each new generation. LEGO SMART Play™ is the next exciting chapter in our LEGO System in Play and something we are super excited about being able to bring to the world at this scale.”
Tom Donaldson, Senior Vice President and Head of Creative Play Lab at the LEGO Group, added: “The launch of LEGO SMART Play™ brings creativity, technology, and storytelling together to make building worlds and stories even more engaging, and all without a screen. We truly believe we are setting a new standard for interactive, imaginative experiences.”
For the digital construction sector, LEGO SMART Play™ offers an early glimpse into how future talent may engage with concepts such as smart assets, responsive environments, and integrated systems thinking. These are the same principles underpinning building information modelling, digital twins, and smart infrastructure.
Whether LEGO SMART Play™ directly shapes future digital construction professionals remains uncertain, but its integration of physical building and embedded technology reflects the direction of innovation across the sector.
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