Bloock ´Hood

José Sanchez; 2017; Videogame; Carlos Padial; 2024; Sculpture

Carlos Padial’s sculpture is a physical recreation of the towers that the user can imagine and create in virtual form in the videogame Block’hood, using the construction of a block of flats to invite players to strike a balance between human and natural resources in order to achieve success. 

Recently, videogames such as SimCity and Cities: Skylines have inspired designers to experiment by building virtual cities without the fear of suffering the consequences of the real world.

Along similar lines, Block’hood is a videogame and construction simulator which challenges users to create a functional community of programmatic 1x1x1 blocks. The interface presents graphical solids from an axonometric perspective and with visual effects reflecting the transition from day to night and vice versa.

Designed by the Chilean-born architect José Sánchez, Block’hood makes use of this simple desire to play with blocks, while raising the stakes by making these blocks vulnerable to the environmental conditions they face, created by the users themselves.

All it takes to start the game is to choose a block and place it on an empty level. However, each block requires and produces different resources, the proper administration of which is essential to maintain and expand the neighbourhood. A few examples: the trees need water and produce clean air; the windmills require money and produce electricity; the apartments require water and electricity, and produce employment, youth (sic) and community.

Project website: https://www.plethora-project.com/blockhood/?utm_medium=website&utm_source=archdaily.cl