When game developer Chris Yee heard that Christchurch Cathedral was set to be demolished, he decided to rebuilt it. In a video game.
The cathedral, which was partially destroyed in an earthquake that hit the New Zealand city of Christchurch on February 22, was then slated for demolition. To commemorate it, Yee decided to rebuild the landmark in the sandbox game Minecraft.
Yee writes on his blog:
Now, I’m not the first to actually try this. A team of NZ Minecraft enthusiasts did this about 11 months ago, the only difference it seems is that they did theirs entirely in survival mode. That means they had to make their materials. They took about 48 hours to finish and raised $US1600 for the Earthquake Appeal, so props to them ^_^. Here’s the site if you’re interested to see their build.
I’m not looking to be recognised for this though. This is for the remembrance of an icon that has been a part of my life for the best part of… well, since I can first remember. I passed this place every day in my youth, when I walked through town, even at my last job when we were based in town. That day, February 22nd was a surreal day indeed, and when we all gathered in the Square, the realisation just hit, and hit hard.
Whether they manage to keep it and strengthen it, I don’t know. A part of me wishes to keep it, but another says we need to bring it down. It’s just not safe anymore, and will never be in her state. I do hope they preserve as much of the fascade as possible so that they can be integrated into the much stronger and stable design in the future. As long as we remember, then no catastrophe, no matter how large a scale will erase it.
Remembrance, Part 1 [WOFT via @jokay]
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