Inspired by a visit to the seaside, Jaymin is reconstructing a pier.
Jaymin's determined to secure the pillars,
fitting support blocks tightly together
and rotating them so the straight edges surround the support
whilst he holds it in place.
The straight edges of the pyramidal blocks
have been arranged for maximum stability.
The platform is carefully lowered,
eyes gauging the best position to catch both pillars.
But one pillar lets him down.
With a look of stoical resignation,
Jaymin realises he has a problem to solve.
He tries for better stability
by building the shapes up on top of each other,
his left hand carefully shepherding them into position.
A double check to the other side and he notices something.
The latest tower is too tall and some blocks must be removed.
Sizing up with the platform shows things are still not quite right.
The tower is now too small compared with the other side.
One more block should do it,
which a quick comparative glance confirms as he reduces the gap.
Problem solved.
Using the same strategy, Jaymin begins to develop the structure,
carefully placing a newly constructed tower of blocks
held securely between his spread fingers and thumb
so that it all stays in place.
The opposite tower is positioned at a good distance
and the platform can now be lowered.
But an adjustment is necessary.
One side is taller than the other.
As he takes a block away, he checks from side to side
to ensure they are now the same height.
Satisfied, he lowers the platform again.
Now for the section nearest the shoreline.
Learning from both the successful strategies for support heights
and pillar-to-pillar distance.
Perfect.
He collects blocks from the neat stack
and continues to construct a lower platform
with rounded, symmetrical ends.
Later, he told his teacher this platform was to be for children.
Remembering he had been told to hang onto his mummy's hand on the pier,
he designed this platform to be closer to the water.
Mummies could rescue the children,
reaching them if they were to fall in.
Jaymin is not initially successful with the narrow cylinder pillars
and large top.
Realising the pillars need shoring up,
he uses additional blocks, reverting to the strategy
that he experimented with at the beginning
and surrounding each pillar.
Each piece is precisely positioned to fill all the space around the pillar.
He tests the platform,
but its stability doesn't meet his quality threshold
and it's taken away.
This needs a radical rethink.
He takes a block from under another platform
and abandons the narrow pillars,
replacing them with wider-based uprights.
That works and the platform is stable.
Happy with his construction,
safety-conscious Jaymin makes the first visitor to the high pier
the life-saver, just in case anyone falls off.
The children can have safe fun on the lower pier.