In a city increasingly defined by data, design, and digital connectivity, a new pilot project is giving some of its youngest residents a powerful tool for change – Minecraft.
As part of the Smart Docklands Pilot Call 2024 projects, Craft My Street addresses the topic of community development by delivering workshops to schools in Dublin. A total of 139 students participated and 54 ideas were designed in Minecraft.
This initiative was created by researchers from University College Dublin that uses gaming to amplify youth voices in city-making. Blending open-source geospatial data with interactive multiplayer crowd mapping, this project enables young people to propose real-world urban interventions, all while building their ideas block by block in a virtual version of Dublin’s Docklands.
The initiative is part of a broader effort by Smart Docklands, an innovation programme established by Dublin City Council and CONNECT, the Research Ireland Centre headquartered at Trinity College Dublin.
In 2024, the programme launched a €50,000 open call to fund pilots across four urgent themes identified through public engagement: environmental monitoring; urban greening; antisocial behaviour/safety; and community development. Craft My Street was selected for its focus on the latter and its potential to reimagine what participation looks like in the digital age.
“Craft My Street shows what happens when researchers meet young people where they are – in games, in classrooms, in their communities – and hand them the tools to shape the future. It’s not just about Minecraft; it’s about empowering the next generation to imagine and build a better city,” said Trinity’s Prof. Dan Kilper, Director of the CONNECT Centre.
“Young people are rarely included in decisions that affect the communities they live in,” said Ítalo Sousa de Sena, Assistant Professor in Digital Landscape Design at UCD and the project’s lead.
“The Smart Docklands Pilot Programme was a great opportunity to further develop the Craft My Street project and validate its impacts. The network of participation and expertise in engagement from the Smart Docklands team was essential to achieve the goals of the project. The funding was crucial to guarantee that all students could have the same experience with the project, by securing devices and the game for all participants, as well as to continue promoting the playful crowd mapping of Dublin in Minecraft!”
Through Mapathons, classroom-based workshops, and access to a public Minecraft server, participating students imagined new public spaces, proposed green solutions, and mapped safety and accessibility issues. The virtual environments reflected real data and spatial realities — but the creativity was all theirs.
Reflecting on the programme’s impact, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emma Blain, said: “Young people are an important part of shaping the future of the city, and it’s essential to involve them in the conversation. The Craft My Street project as part of the Smart Docklands Pilot Call 2024 projects is a fantastic example of how technology can make youth participation in decision-making more engaging and inclusive.”
“By reshaping their surroundings in a virtual Dublin through Minecraft, students created solutions in a fun and meaningful way. I’m delighted to support this initiative and to see the creativity and vision of young people come to life. I was particularly flattered to see my own avatar be brought to life.”
Karolina Anielska, Programme Manager at Smart Docklands, said: “Craft My Street proved that serious topics like city planning can be fun and engaging, especially when young people lead the way. Through Minecraft, they shared creative ideas for Dublin’s future and reminded us that play can be powerful. Their energy doesn’t just shape the city – it encourages adults to get involved too. This is just the beginning.”
While the outcomes are playful, the project is underpinned by serious intent. It supports the National Framework for Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-making and feeds into Smart Docklands’ long-term goal of making Dublin a testbed for smarter, more inclusive cities.
How to get involved
Teachers in the Dublin Docklands area are invited to run crowd mapping workshops with their students. And the broader community is welcome to join the public Minecraft server and contribute ideas to the digital cityscape. You can learn more at: www.craftmystreet.com
