At Playwell Bricks, we talk a lot about bricks. But what we don’t always talk about (at least not outside our design chats) is what those bricks teach us about ourselves.

When we design a custom architecture set, whether it’s for a hospital opening or the retirement of a beloved CEO, we’re not just recreating buildings. We’re navigating complexity, balancing precision with emotion, and often, learning in the process.

“I had to eat a lot of humble pie.”
– Jason Pyett, CEO and Designer

Jason shared this while reflecting on his design process for 600 Fifth Street NW, a sleek new mixed-use building in Washington, D.C. He started out building an intricate, highly detailed model,only to realize the client needed something much simpler. “The final set is nothing like the original one I designed,” he admits.

As a designer, that’s a tough but necessary pivot. Sometimes, ambition needs to give way to purpose. The real artistry comes from knowing when to simplify without compromising the soul of the structure.

“I learned stability comes with time.”
– Garrett Gourley, Designer

This quote came from Garrett’s experience designing a microscale model of the Arthur M. Blank Children’s Hospital. It’s deceptively simple advice, but when you’re working with delicate panels that don’t interlock until the final roof piece is in place, it becomes literal.

More than that, it speaks to the patience needed in any creative process. In design, just like in life, some things don’t come together until the last piece clicks into place.

“In some ways, we learned just as much as the building represents.”
– Jason Pyett, on Boola Katitjin

Designing Boola Katitjin, an architecturally ambitious building with layered timber structures and angled roofs, was a steep learning curve for our team. Getting the timber frame look right? Not easy. Figuring out a brand-new hinged roof structure? Trickier still.

But the building’s name, which means “many facets and many levels of learning,” reflected our experience too. Designing isn't a static skillset, it’s something that grows and stretches with every new challenge.

Designing with bricks isn’t just about architecture, it’s about resilience, humility, patience, and growth. It’s about learning where to flex and where to hold firm. And sometimes, it's about letting go of our initial ideas in service of something greater.

If you’re interested in a custom Playwell Bricks set for your company, contact us today. Our designer will work with your branding, budget, and gifting goals to help you gift well, with Playwell.