About LEGO proportions

[Yloquen]

I have been wondering sometimes - would it be better if LEGO was initially designed to have equal size in all three dimensions as opposed to the 5:5:6 ratio we have now? It would make SNOT a bit easier - using any number of bricks in any direction. Or maybe there is some hidden advantage? Does anyone know what stands behind this design decision?

[Eilif]

The LEGO brick is based on the kiddiecraft brick invented by Hillary Page of england. LEGO converted the brick to it's nearest metric dimensions (nearly the same, but not quite), and like the Kiddiecraft bricks, LEGO bricks dimensions are not of equal ratio. What I do not know is whether Kiddiecraft bricks are an exact 5:6 Ratio, but they must be very close, since the dimensions LEGO and Kiddiekraft bricks are so similar.

More info here: http://www.hilarypagetoys.com/

[Lasse D]

The 5:6 ratio makes SNOT'ing easier as it enables you to build sideways above studs.

To illustrate this, put an Erling on a plate (or similar with studs) and stick a brick sideways on it. With the 5:6 ratio this is possible everywhere, but if 5:5 was used, studs would be in your way. (They are still, technically, because of the LEGO logo on the top of studs)

[Yloquen]

The LEGO brick is based on the kiddiecraft brick invented by Hillary Page of england. LEGO converted the brick to it's nearest metric dimensions (nearly the same, but not quite), and like the Kiddiecraft bricks, LEGO bricks dimensions are not of equal ratio. What I do not know is whether Kiddiecraft bricks are an exact 5:6 Ratio, but they must be very close, since the dimensions LEGO and Kiddiekraft bricks are so similar.

More info here: http://www.hilarypagetoys.com/

So, for LEGO, it's a legacy. Still the question remains why Kiddiekraft decided on those proportions.

The 5:6 ratio makes SNOT'ing easier as it enables you to build sideways above studs.

To illustrate this, put an Erling on a plate (or similar with studs) and stick a brick sideways on it. With the 5:6 ratio this is possible everywhere, but if 5:5 was used, studs would be in your way. (They are still, technically, because of the LEGO logo on the top of studs)

This wouldn't be a real problem I think - you would just start building sideways by putting a plate, then going sideways. This approach would also allow you, to hide the studs you go over with a tile, if you want.

[Lasse D]

It would be a problem because because of studs. You would have to use tiles in order to support 1 stud wide bricks that are sideways if you used 5:5 bricks.

In general the 5:6 proportions is a way to get studs into the geometry, and to allow 1/6 brick precision. Bricks that are sideways is only an example.