You'll forgive me if this is going to be a bit pretentious.
So, a while ago I wondered what to do to make Minecraft more interesting for me. After all, how many castles can you build? On the original multiplayer server I had really enjoyed linking up settlements by road - cutting them into hillsides, bridging ravines and waterways, passing through mountains. So I started a new map where I had the intention of building far flung settlements, and linking them up. The idea being that it would become more of a "world" - not just a few buildings plopped randomly down.
You've already seen my two first settlements in this world - the Saxon themed Heorot and Windmill Hill. Now I've struck out, inspired my Mangerman's city, and found an area I want to build a major, European style, town.
Now - obviously I'm heavily influenced by Mangerman here but before I started building I decided that I didn't just want to build an image of a building we see in our own towns - I wanted this one to mean a bit more, to symbolise something.
For me this meant the typical castles and cathedrals were out of the question - these are just hangovers of an oppressive past, in my opinion. I did not want to build that. But then what? I decided that if not oppression, then it should be something that symbolised freedom, so I decided I would contruct a Parliament. Again, this wasn't quite right... it sort of suggests corruption... not necessarily what I wanted. So I mixed it up with a bit of science.
Please note that unlike my other projects to date this was build with Single Player Commands. i.e. I spawned my resources.
So here's the start of the city. It's based on the Natural History Museum in London, and the Westminster Parliament:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
I'm really, really happy with this. This is the first building I have made that I don't have regrets over. I think technically I've also done what nobody in the community is done before - different interiors to the exterior - in this case, wooden panneled interiors hiding the stone exterior. I think it's worked excellently, and gives the entire thing quite an organic feel.
I welcome suggestions for the next building.