Dirt House Deluxe

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.

"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!

"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.