Around the Block: Minecraft as an Urban Planning Engagement Tool

Since it’s launch by Mojang Studios in November of 2011, Minecraft has become one of the most popular video games of all time. Just this year, the pixelated, sandbox game shattered previous records and hit over 300 million sales worldwide. Whether you play to win or just play to build, Minecraft offers hours of enjoyment to gamers of all ages and interests. And now, the experts are turning to Minecraft as an urban planning engagement tool.

In 2015, UN-Habitat published an article about their approach to using Minecraft as a means to encourage youth participation in urban design and governance. The effort began in 2012, when UN-Habitat partnered with Mojang Studios and produced models of public spaces within Minecraft. Then, youth participants were provided with computers and briefed on how to use the game. They were then given time to develop their ideas, building their vision for that space digitally, block by block. Participants had opportunities to present their designs to urban professionals, policy makers, and even government officials, using their ideas to spark discussion for future decisions. The effort was brought to twelve different counties and utilized in fifteen projects. For many participants, the experience was formative in their understanding of local governance, collaborative design, and social and political change.

By tapping into innate creativity and providing a platform for hands-on learning, Minecraft fosters an early interest in urban planning and design. As cities continue to evolve, empowering the next generation with the tools to understand and shape their urban environments is not just a game—it's a valuable investment in the future of sustainable and thoughtful urban development.