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COVER STORY two bathrooms, an indoor pool and ample garage space. As for the response to the nontraditional building approach, Martinez said he has heard “reactions in the entire spectrum.” “Some people like it a lot and appreciate the ease of it,” he said. “Others have said it’s not strong enough, that the brick and mortar solution is stronger.” To get a grasp of the unique technology, imagine the future Martinez home clicking into place – piece by piece – as the blueprint develops into a building. The polymer joints form the framework that holds each concrete block in place while the elastic and compressive strength of the plastic grid enables flexibility and stabilizes the entire structure. The concrete blocks housed in those joints sit upon a traditional concrete foundation. “It’s a new take on old materials and coming up with new ways to build,” said Jordan Krebs, a sales representative with Central Pre-Mix in Spokane Valley that has supplied Martinez with the concrete cinder blocks. “Laz is a very energetic inventor. I’m excited to see where he’s going to take it.”
Photo by Mark Anthony A software engineer by trade, Laz Martinez immigrated to Florida from his native Cuba at the age of 33 on a diversity visa. He and his family moved to the Inland Northwest in 2019. He hopes to have his unique home complete by the end of this year. When finished, the structure will span close to 3,000 square feet and feature scenic views of North Idaho to the east.
Building Blocks –
LL home utilizes pioneering technology By Craig Howard Splash Contributing Editor
Laz Martinez doesn’t cringe when people refer to his home under construction in Liberty Lake as “the LEGO house.” After all, it’s simpler to talk about the world-famous interlocking plastic bricks found in a variety of shapes and colors than a complex
material like acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) polymer that forms the framework for Martinez’s unique project. The setting for the project is a picturesque bluff in the eastern portion of Liberty Lake featuring a stunning view into North Idaho. You won’t find mortar and grout on this site but you will find polymer parts – durable plastic “layouts” used as the footprint for the wall and “joints” that encase concrete blocks and bricks. When finished, the puzzle pieces will form a one-ofa-kind property that Martinez hopes to move into by the end of the year. The first phase of the work spans 1,800 square feet with the final layout closer to 3,000 with three bedrooms,
A native of Cuba who has been in the U.S. since 2004, Martinez first came up with the concept for the interlocking design while living in Miami. In the process of converting a garage at his home into a bedroom/ bathroom, he had to construct a new brick wall. While assessing the cost and time it would take to hire a master mason, Martinez ended up tackling the work himself using traditional brick and mortar. “It was an absolute disaster,” he said. “It took a week and required a skill I didn’t have. I remember thinking it would be awesome if there was some sort of interlocking system to install real concrete bricks. You could complete the work with the quality of a master mason at a low cost.” Martinez rolled up his sleeves and got to work on the idea, utilizing his skill set as software engineer. He used CAD software and a 3D printer to produce the first interlocking units, paying for the work from his own software company, IS Horizons, LLC. While the LEGO metaphor is accessible, Martinez says the better
The Splash comparison is an ancient carpentry procedure known as “dovetail” that inspired the intertwining pattern for his revamped garage. The approach works not only with concreate but other materials like glass and wood. From the sort of interior and exterior walls found at the Martinez home to columns, fences, stools, benches and more, the system appears to border on the ubiquitous. Century Mile Casino in Edmonton, Alberta utilized the Martinez method to construct walls made of glimmering glass blocks. “This is designed for large-scale production at low cost,” Martinez said. Martinez said he would also like to see the technique used to create affordable housing, including tiny homes and “pods” that come on a pallet that turns into the roof. The one-person shelter takes approximately an hour to build. Martinez adds that the turnkey mode of construction makes it possible for builders from all backgrounds, including professionals, DIYs, organizations, communities and nations “to have a level of quality and durability that you normally wouldn’t have.” His design/construction company, Sharp Wall Technologies, incorporated in 2018 and he now owns two patents. Krebs said he has been impressed by the way Martinez “refuses to accept failure.” “His system is flexible as he’s developing it,” Krebs said. “If there is a concern, Laz just sees it as an engineering challenge that can be solved.” Martinez and his wife Niurka currently live in Liberty Lake’s Rocky Hill neighborhood with their two children, Anthony, 11, and Amanda, 21. The project a few miles to the east, up Mission and across the rolling hills of North Idaho Road, has incorporated the entire family. “Everyone in the family is working towards this,” said Martinez. “We’ve moved 3,000 concrete blocks from pallets and polished them. Above all, I want to secure a house for my family first, then expand the business.” During the day, Martinez works for the city of Spokane in the Innovation and Technology Services