all projectsideation, development and launch of the EcoCraft Challenge for Polimi Graduate School of Management on Minecraft, challenging students to transform pixels into vibrant cities shaped by the values of the university’s sustainability manifesto.
together with the Polimi Graduate School of Management (GSoM), atopos has designed and launched the EcoCraft Challenge, a building contest that invites participants to turn strategic sustainability goals into interactive urban spaces, with the best creations receiving prizes and recognition at a final, physical event.
during the concept and planning phase of the project, the university identified 3 core objectives to achieve:
deepening the understanding of different sustainability dimensions (i.e., environmental, social, economic, spatial, and political) among an untapped audience: gamers
letting students test and implement creative, science-based solutions in Minecraft, encouraging active participation in tackling sustainability challenges
creating a meaningful touchpoint between participants and the School, positioning it as an appealing destination for future prospects
to achieve all of the project’s objectives, we designed a journey that unfolded into 4 subsequential phases:
to launch and amplify the initiative in a relevant manner, we involved popular Minecraft-focused creators like Marcy, Nico, Zeyxon24, TheMark, Bellafaccia and LolloLacustre and native communities that produced tailored content to engage their audiences, directing them to a dedicated landing page, the project’s central hub for information, registration, and GSoM’s lead collection.
challenge amplification through content creators
a promotional YouTube video by LolloLacustre, who was invited to create his own sustainable town
at the heart of the initiative is a whitelisted Minecraft server, where each participant receives a personal plot to build their vision of a sustainable city. guided by the five pillars of GSoM's sustainability manifesto and with full creative freedom, they are asked to experiment and innovate while keeping their designs aligned with the project’s core values.
a panel composed of POLIMI GSoM experts and content creators reviews all submitted “cities of the future,” assessing them against the 5 sustainability criteria outlined in the regulations. from this process, the 5most innovative projects are selected, along with special recognitions for outstanding performance in each sustainability dimension.
the EcoCraft Challenge concludes with a showcase at POLIMI GSoM’s Navigli Campus, where the five finalist projects are presented to the public. the overall winner and the five sustainability award recipients are announced, each receiving a study grant for enrolment in one of the School’s programmes.