How To: Improve Architecture and Style in Minecraft

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Minecraft is all about big ideas, but we all too often forget the details. Small changes in block type, positioning, or layout can transform builds from mundane to beautiful. 

Whether you missed this past Saturday's weekly workshop, or you're looking for some notes on what we went over, here are some things you should consider when trying to improve the style of your builds:

• What era of style do you want your build to reflect? This can be anything from modern to medieval to futuristic. You may not feel like you have much choice, but with some clever block placement and a decent texturepack the results can be stunning.

• How do you want the style of your build to reflect its nature? If you are building a house, do you want it to look homey? Do you want your potions lab to look like a mad scientist's lair or a cozy library?

Let's look at some examples in medieval style architecture. 

Here is a very simple stone tower. It's not very impressive and while it may suit its purpose, it can be vastly improved. 

Now let's tear it down and add more style to it. See how the tower is not just a rectangle of cobblestone with slits, but a stylized tower made by creating a cross pattern in the cobble. It is much improved.

Take a look at this window. It has some cobble stairs accenting the bottom, but it's not very inspired.

Below is a much improved medieval window. By replacing the glass with pane glass and adding both stone and cobble stone the window is much improved. The cobble stairs on top of the wall and in the window are an example of using a block in an unconventional way to great effect.

Here we have a medieval wall set up to keep creepers out. This wall is certainly more than just a line of cobble, but it can be improved greatly.

Below is the same wall with a lot more style added to it. Notice the stone slabs in the center and the use of both cobble and stone blocks.

The previous examples all have one thing in common: they utilize block patterns. This is the greatest piece of advice that can be given when trying to improve the look of your builds.

Try creating symmetrical patterns that fit the style and theme of your build. Continue to embellish them with different block types, adding for effect or subtracting as necessary. 

When you are working on a single building or a set of buildings, try to keep a similar motif throughout your work for best results. 

With enough practice and persistence, the results can be stunning.

Let's leave the past behind and take a look at some examples of modern architecture. 

Here is a long bay window in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright. Notice the creative use of stone slab and how different the effect is from previous examples of medieval windows.

Here's another example of a modern window set using wool this time:

Here I used a cloth and log combination for the interior of a cottage type house:

Here we used brick and stone to give this home a suburban look:

When it comes to giving your builds detail and depth, a clever usage of block types is key. Consider your build carefully, what is unique to the style you wish to replicate, and what block combinations you can use for the desired effect.

Scroll though the gallery below for some fantastic examples of architecture and style:

Style and architecture in Minecraft can be as vast as it is in the real world. By utilizing creative block combinations, texturepacks, and some creativity you can create some truly stunning stuff.

Remember to determine the tenants of the style you desire to build in, to stay consistent in, and to think outside of the box. 

Not impressed with what you see? Come by and show us your best architecture on our creative server!