These concrete building blocks are partly translucent, due to added glass or polymer elements that let light through. LiCrete launched in 2014 as an architectural building block for a wide variety of uses in interior design.

The blocks come in standard sizes of approx. 60mm x 150mm x 300mm and can be used structurally, as they maintain the strength of standard concrete. For transparency, various see-through materials are used, such as glass and plastics. Details are being kept secret to prevent copying.

Each block has a grooved profile on its sides, to allow for easy and safe stacking. In theory, this would allow walls to be built quickly and simply. At present, translucency is only possible through one axis of the block, though it is possible that this will change in the future.

Developed by Czech designers Gravelli, the blocks are produced by Beton Broz, also based in the CzechRepublic. The blocks come in standard sizes and patterns, but variations are being planned with different shapes and sizes of translucent elements.

Other variations in development are thinner tiles for use in translucent staircases and curved elements for lighting and so on.