Involving communities in the building of their environment is an effective way to engage potential residents with their surroundings and instill a sense of belonging and ownership. These are facts that the Swedish Building Services have recognised, and so to give communities a sense influence in how their areas are built they developed the Mina Kvarter (My Blocks) project.

Using the hugely popular world building game, Minecraft as a model, residents in residential areas surrounding major Swedish cities are being presented with geographically accurate, virtual models of their existing tower blocks and offered the chance to modify and customise them as they see fit.

The results will help the developers understand what people are looking for in their communities and deliver meaningful renovations.