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MINECRAFT BUILDS

DIRT HOUSE
DELUXE
Get ready to be wowed by dirt blocks!

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade –

or get mad and throw them back at life. No one
tells you what to drink. When Minecraft gives
you dirt blocks, build ugly bridges in the Nether.
Well, unless you're Robert, a.k.a.
Uknownymous. His recent creation, A Giant
Dirt Mansion, showcases the humble dirt block
in an unexpected way. Whoever thought dirt
could look so cozy? So majestic? Not me,
because even molehills would put my dirt
houses to shame, even more so because my
builds have never inspired a delicious dessert
(look up 'German mole cake' – you're welcome).

But before we delve into the deets of this

impressive mansion, let's get to know the
creator. Born and raised in Wales, Robert has
always had a passion for art and creativity, from
drawing and writing to singing. When he
discovered Minecraft at the young age of ten,
he was immediately captivated by the creative
possibilities: "It really struck a chord with me, as
a sandbox where I had more free will to not only
create, but also to explore within my creations
in first person," he explains.

He grew particularly fond of servers that used

Towny – a plugin that allows players to build
and manage their own cities. This experience
inspired Robert to focus on aesthetics rather
than just survival in his builds. He also enjoys
playing on a Minecraft RPG server with mixtures
of magic and dungeons, but creative mode is
where the real magic happens for Robert.

Fast forward a bit, and Uknownymous has

gained quite the following on Planet Minecraft.
It only takes one look at his page to see that
he's a versatile creator, so it's not surprising
that he managed to turn dirt into a gem. His
creations include majestic castles, steampunk
cities, and floating islands, among others. He's
particularly proud of Steampunk City and
Cyberpunk City: "It's not so much because
they're the best or the most refined, but rather
because they're the ones I've had the most fun
with and felt the most satisfied with how they
turned out.”

Going back to the star of this post,

Uknownymous's initial inspiration for the Dirt
Mansion came from the Hobbit houses in Lord
of the Rings – except, well… dirt-ier? Instead of
homely and tidy wooden houses, he went for a
more natural and primitive style to better suit
the material. When asked about the build's
potential residents, he said that he'd more likely
see a colony of creatures rather than humans
living there because it simply wouldn't be quite
up to human health regulations.

"I was thinking along the lines of tiny, cunning

creatures like Snaga, Goblins, and Kobolds,
[who are] known for grouping together in large
numbers and dwelling in huge caves that they
mine out themselves,” he says. “They're still
capable of artistry in their own ways, but it'd be
a struggle for them to make anything like
pickaxes, so a dirt mansion would suit them
really well." Regulations shmegulations, give it a
good sweep while I pack my stuff because it
sure beats my studio apartment!

The Dirt Mansion came into existence thanks to

an online challenge. Uknownymous has created
many builds for contests and challenges, from
smaller server ones like Build Battle, where
exposure is limited to only several players, to
Planet Minecraft building contests, where views
can exceed millions. The Dirt Mansion was
created for Minecraft Discord's Fortnightly
Building Challenge, where it attracted the
attention of thousands and even won! Not that
it's a surprise. I mean, just look at it!

Uknownymous had a pretty good idea of what

he wanted to create from the start: "A bridge
across a calm flowing ocean, an uprise of many,
many house-like pieces built atop each other
massively into the sky, and at times a few cliff-
sides marking that there were at least some
areas they couldn't pack up dirt in."

While it wasn't planned in much detail, the build

came together perfectly! The mansion towers
over the stunning crashing waves – and the
best part? With a bit of shader magic, this build
comes to life at night! Each unit of the mansion
lights up, and the waves give a stunning blue
glow. As if it wasn't impressive enough in the
first place!

Dirt is not the only unpopular block that

Uknownymous turns into art. Stating that "all
blocks can be used well, no matter how
peculiar they are". He seems to have an eye for
using blocks in unconventional ways. For
example, he's a huge fan of using sponge for
grassy terrain and its wet counterpart for rocks
or cliffs, tree trunks, and even leaves. To him,
the secret is focusing on the shape of the build
rather than the material, specifically going for
more lenient fluid shapes rather than cubic
ones. Depth also plays a massive role in the
appeal of a build because it gives it the
necessary layers to create patterns and
decorations. Still, if you ask Unknownymous,
it's essential not to go overboard. "While over-
detailing is just as tempting as a flat surface
may be, it can be hard to take it all in for the
eyes," he says.

When he's not following guidelines,

Uknownymous likes to get creative with leaves,
sea lanterns, and spruce planks in particular
because of their versatility. He also uses
redstone lamps often to give his builds an
appealing glow. But why take part in challenges
and not just build whatever your heart desires?
To Uknownymous, it's all pushing the limits of
his creativity.

"I find that contests help me delve into my

creative process because they give me the
ability to try out themes I may not otherwise
even consider attempting,” he explains.
“Whether I win or not, I also try to take a good
look at the other participants' creations,
ensuring I learn from what they've done.
Knowing that what I've learned was enough to
achieve a victory with a creation that people
enjoy is incredibly reassuring and motivating." I
bet! The only thing I ever won was a silly dance
contest, and I totally ripped off my local car
dealership's wacky waving inflatable arm flailing
tube man.

Whether it's part of a challenge or a personal

project, we can't wait to see what
Uknownymous has in store for us next! Why not
check out his work, or even take part in a
challenge yourself? Could you build a house out
of pumpkins, sponge, or even *gasp* diorite?
Only one way to find out.

Skrevet av Cristina Anderca

Publisert 23.09.2020

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