Kapla Inventor Tom Van der Bruggen Dies at 80
- Tom Van der Bruggen, the Dutch creator of the globally popular wooden construction game Kapla, has died in France at the age of 80.
- Van der Bruggen, a former antiques dealer and piano salesman, conceived of Kapla – a name derived from the Dutch for “gnome planks” (“kabouter plankjes”) – while attempting...
- The game consists of simple, unadorned pine wood planks that can be stacked and arranged to create structures of any complexity, relying solely on balance and friction.
Dutch Inventor of Kapla, Tom Van der Bruggen, Dies at 80
Tom Van der Bruggen, the Dutch creator of the globally popular wooden construction game Kapla, has died in France at the age of 80. His wife confirmed to Agence France-Presse that he passed away on , after a year-long battle with heart problems and diabetes.
Van der Bruggen, a former antiques dealer and piano salesman, conceived of Kapla – a name derived from the Dutch for “gnome planks” (“kabouter plankjes”) – while attempting to build a scale model of a castle in southern France during the 1970s. He found existing building blocks too cumbersome for his architectural vision. “I discovered that blocks you can buy in a toy store, they’re too bulky to build with,” he explained in a 2012 interview with Dutch broadcaster KRO. “That’s how I got the idea that if you wanted to make a building toy, you had to do it with planks.”
The game consists of simple, unadorned pine wood planks that can be stacked and arranged to create structures of any complexity, relying solely on balance and friction. Boxes of Kapla, manufactured and particularly beloved in France where Van der Bruggen spent much of his adult life, have reportedly sold tens of millions of times worldwide across dozens of countries.
Van der Bruggen formally founded the Kapla company in 1987. Initially, the game’s success was slow to materialize, relying heavily on word-of-mouth rather than traditional advertising. However, it eventually gained a devoted following among children and architects alike, celebrated for its ability to foster creativity and ingenuity.
His passion for castles stemmed from childhood, and he ultimately realized his dream of living in one. He spent 16 years constructing his first castle in the Aveyron region of southern France, living there without electricity for six years and cultivating his own vegetables. The success of Kapla later afforded him a home in Monaco and a Rolls-Royce, according to reports.
In early November 2025, Van der Bruggen and his wife opened the world’s first Kapla gallery in Nice, France, after relocating from Monaco. Described by those who knew him as “intense” and “stubborn,” he was also a self-described “compulsive inventor” and a lover of classical music.
The impact of Kapla extends beyond simple entertainment. The game is often used in educational settings to promote problem-solving skills, spatial reasoning, and collaborative building. Its minimalist design and open-ended nature encourage users to explore their own creativity and engineering abilities.
Van der Bruggen’s legacy lies in a deceptively simple toy that has captivated generations and continues to inspire builders of all ages. He is survived by his wife.