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CIOB’s Minecraft housing challenge to ‘tap on shoulder’ of next generation
CM Staff
The CIOB has launched a new Minecraft competition aimed at exploring possible solutions to future housing issues.
The Future Housing challenge is hoping to tap into the next generation of construction managers by tasking entrants to design and build their ideas for a three-bedroom house, within limited sites and considering the environment and energy use.
The competition has been launched to mark International Construction Management Day on 14 March, while also coming up with innovative solutions to future housing needs.
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Entries will be judged on originality, consideration for the environment, and buildability in the real-world. The design will also have to be able to cope with varying weather conditions.
Ciaran Gallagher, CIOB competition organiser, said: “Minecraft is a great opportunity for the industry to tap on the shoulder of the next generation and promote a career in construction. Unlike Lego you can have direct interaction with the player and that is something the industry should explore further.
“The game has diverse applications and is being used to engage the public in planning built environment projects like Blockholm, a vision for the future of Stockholm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-doMZHCEm0
“Our competition last year attracted players as young as eight as well as those well into their construction career. We are expecting a range of ideas this year that should throw up some interesting solutions to the challenges facing housing,” he added.
Minecraft is a video game in which players create and stack various kinds of blocks in three-dimensional worlds. The competition is open to all ages and the winner will receive a 3D print of their design.
Launched in 2011 by Swedish studio Mojang, but acquired by Microsoft in 2014, the game has sold more than 70 million copies on PCs, smartphones, tablets and consoles.
A version suitable for use in schools, MinecraftEdu, has already been supplied to around 200 schools in Northern Ireland, as part of an initiative by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, part of the Northern Ireland Executive.
A video exploring the use of Minecraft in the classroom, with a visit to St Joseph’s Boys School, was included in the CIOB Building Tomorrow film.
The competition is open until 26 April 2016 and can be found at www.ciob.org/ICMD. Entrants will need a copy of Minecraft (PC Version) to take part in the challenge.
The January/February 2026 issue of Construction Management magazine is now available to read in digital format.
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