Dutch designer turns classic LEGO computer brick into a working Mac mini case
Dutch designer Paul Staal has built a working desktop around one of LEGO’s best-known printed Space parts. His project, called M2x2 , scales the classic 2×2 sloped computer brick up by 10:1 and uses it as a housing for an Apple Mac mini with M4, a 7-inch touch display, front I/O, and functional top studs. According to Staal’s project page, the build files and assembly documentation are also available, with the printed shell designed around off-the-shelf parts.
Staal says the M2x2 is his primary computer, connected to an LG DualUp monitor, while the integrated front screen runs a custom Home Assistant dashboard. One stud on top works as a media control knob, using an IKEA Symfonisk remote, and the other hides a charging bay for an Apple Watch or AirPods. The printed parts, filament, display, hub, screws, and inserts add up to an estimated €75.22 before the Mac mini itself.
The M2x2 Project, Source: Watt IV
The roots of the design go back to LEGO Space. The printed part Staal references is cataloged as 3039p23, a 2×2 slope with a computer screen pattern that appeared in 1979 and became associated with Classic Space control panels. That gives the project a clear historical anchor. It is not using a generic wedge shape, but a part that many LEGO fans already recognize from late-1970s and early-1980s sets.
The M2x2 Project, Source: Watt IV
Staal’s own timeline ties the project to the original Macintosh, introduced in 1984, and the case includes small cues that reference older compact Macs, including an integrated rear handle. Apple’s current Mac mini design also makes this kind of project more practical, because the M4 version measures 5 by 5 inches, which leaves enough room to build a complete system into a much larger printed shell without turning it into an empty prop.
That is the main reason the project works. It combines three layers that usually stay separate: a recognizable LEGO element from 1979, Macintosh industrial cues from the 1980s, and a current compact desktop platform. To be honest, I’m surprised no one has made such a product yet, there are so many LEGO-compatible brick companies now and just as many brands making Mini-PCs.
Source: Watt IV M2x2 Project
