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    Written By
    Nova Barlow
    Published
    3/20/20

    Build With It: Coral!

    Craft some colorful sea-nery

    For all the blocks in Minecraft that have no real-world counterpart (hello, prismarine), some of our most inspiring blocks are also precious in the real world. This is the case with coral, which isn’t that difficult to gather – as long as you are ready to spend a lot of time underwater.

    In Minecraft, coral poses some challenges as a building material. Since it generates naturally in parts of warm ocean biomes called reefs, it needs a constant source of water to survive! This may limit your building options just a little bit – or does it?

    Build a fantastic gateway to explore your imagination under the waves.

    Although we often take a lot of our inspiration from the real world, it occasionally happens in reverse. Thanks to our community, in 2018 the Global Coral Reef Alliance (GCRA) drew inspiration from Minecraft inspiration by installing six themed underwater structures in Cozumel, Mexico. Constructed with a material called Biorock to bolster damaged coral fragments, these structures are shaped like game characters, turtles, and even an axolotl designed by community members and high school students from Monterrey, Mexico. Through these designs, the community is helping restore a precious resource for marine life.

    Don’t bee afraid to get creative. Picture by MicahBeth.

    If the thought of building with coral is daunting, you could also play Minecraft: Education Edition (if you have it) and use MakeCode to code your own coral reef. It’s a great way to build with coral and level up your knowledge at the same time.

    Once you’ve spent a lot of time working with coral underwater, you might be eager to head to the surface for a bit. Let the ocean blues continue to inspire you and don’t let your imagination dry up. Why not think of ways to add some blue to your upcoming builds? We’re currently looking for lapis lazuli submissions and we’re eager to see what you can create with this lovely land-based material.

    Have you built something spectacular? Send your screenshots (and any other information we might find helpful) to FeatureMe@minecraft.net and keep an eye on future articles!

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