MINECRAFT : RETREAT
 - - click the pictures! :D

Some of you might be wondering if I’ll ever convert my architecture project for Minecraft. I didn’t have time due to Finals, the Crits, and all the people I had to spend time with before I left for break, but now I did.

I sketched this one pretty quickly on the train, but it’s manageable.

THE ARCHITECTURE:

As pretentious as this sounds (because architecture and art often sounds that way), the retreat itself is a study of spatial relationships and volume. The cube contains the original three planes, each made of wood to differentiate from the stone exterior. Then the edges of each interior plane is projected onto the cube and sections of the stone is removed as an extension of the interior (meaning edges all line up). This implies continuous rectangular volumes, etc. The spatial edges are then extended out onto the site. So basically, everything revolves around the central three planes.

The secondary focus for my project was discovery. Architects love the whole discovery thing because that’s something more thoughtful and less physical. It expresses control over a person’s psychology because it’s all suggestive. Very clever stuff, as is mine. Looking at the site plan (the big thing), we see that the only access point is through the initial landing area. Due to the 3-block high hedges, a guest’s view of the retreat is completely restricted, save for the fairly narrow path. The guest becomes curious, walks down the sandy path, and sees a fork in the road. Of course, you can’t resist the ever-so-inviting opening in the cube; the sand continues inside and draws your attention within. So you enter, following the groove, turning to left and out the side of the cube, led on by the interior plane that extends beyond the cube itself. That wall forms a rectangular volume, so you direct your attention towards the center of that space. You enter, that, turn back, and realize the wall is obstructing your view of the lake behind it. Once again, curiosity draws you underneath the wall and into a much more serene, calm, private environment.

So yeah, architecture has a lot of bullshitting involved, but once in a while, there’s a real psychological reason for certain design choices.

If anyone needs finer details, simply ask.

(Here’s a helpful Rhino render of the original project.)