The world's largest Rubik's cube in Calgary, Canada

A science museum in Canada has spent eight weeks creating the world's largest Rubik's Cube

TELUS Spark Science Center in Calgary, unveiled the supersize toy in August 2018 at a community event where people could attempt to solve it before applying for the record the following month. 

In order the break the record, the world's biggest Rubik’s Cube needed to be built from commercially available materials and function, just as a smaller cube would.

The giant cube in question is made primarily out of polystyrene foam covered with adhesive vinyl and measures a whopping 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) tall, 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) wide and 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) long, outdoing the previous record-holder which measured 1.57 m (5 ft 1.8) along each side.

Largest Rubik's cube in the world

The idea to break the record was first sparked while brainstorming décor for a community cubing event that would celebrate Erno Rubik’s Birthday. Over an eight-week period, the cube was designed, fabricated and tested by the team at TELUS Spark, starting with just a small prototype.

"This idea was sparked by curiosity - how does a Rubik's Cube work, what is the largest cube, can we make a bigger one, what would that involve?" Harpreet Dhanjal, Public Programmer behind these events.

It initially seemed like there might not be enough resources to make the giant Rubik's Cube come to life, but the team, spearheaded by exhibit tech Wes Nelson was determined to make it happen.

"Wes tracked me down, he had done some more thinking about it and taken apart a cube himself. [He] made up some drawings and thought we could do it and if we were going to do it, 'why not try to break the world record?'," added Harpreet.

Worlds largest Rubiks cube

TELUS Spark is committed to transforming their community by creating a culture of curiosity, risk-taking, and problem solving. 

Their mission was to bring people together to learn, play, and create with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) and by breaking this robust record, they were able to accomplish just that.

Harpreet added: "The Rubik's Cube itself is this amazing STEAM tool, there is technology, engineering, art, math, all involved in the construction and solving of a cube."