This activity is now fully booked.
Join MOCA this holiday season for our in-person Winter Programming from Tuesday, December 27 to Friday, December 30. In partnership with the Architecture Applied Landscape Design (AALD) student group at the Daniels School of Architecture, University of Toronto, this series of programmes will let children and youth explore themes of city-building, technology, and design through Minecraft.
Each day, the AALD Minecraft Camp will engage participants through play while exploring the building blocks of architecture and Minecraft. You will develop skills around design, teamwork, visual communication and creativity. This programme will merge the worlds of play and learning into a fun and memorable experience that helps you to better understand the way the world around you is built.
A laptop, charger and Minecraft: Java Edition is required for this activity. Information on setting up Minecraft will be provided to all participants who register. We encourage registration for the whole week, but participants can enroll in individual days if needed.
Minecraft is not only a game but a tool for design and education. This programme will give campers an introduction to the world of architecture through Minecraft, developing their design skills and ability to work collaboratively
Tuesday, December 27, 2022
The first day of the programme will feature introductory concepts and Minecraft levels that help establish a foundation for campers to build from in the coming days. You will start with the basics and quickly move on to some fun design challenges with lots of games and activities mixed in between!
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
The second day will build upon the foundational concepts laid out in the first day and will feature a more challenging set of design levels. These levels will give campers great opportunities to work collaboratively to make each other’s designs and visions come to life. You will also learn about the various impacts of architecture and how to design for others.
Thursday, December 29, 2022
The third day will introduce campers to the concept of real life cities, how they come about, why most people choose to live in them and what makes them unique. Campers will then be tasked with working together to build their own mini-city! You will be given a list of structures that a typical city needs to operate, like a city hall, a library, roads, homes, a park and much more!
Friday, December 30, 2022
The last day will build off of the concepts learned thus far encouraging campers to explore in more detail why, when and how cities expand. You will also be tasked with expanding your own mini-cities by building megastructures and skyscrapers! The camp will then conclude with an awesome Minecraft celebration to highlight the amazing structures that the campers worked together to build!
Please note that these activities are youth-friendly and geared ideally toward ages 8–14. Every activity can be adapted to suit the needs and capabilities of each participant.
About the AALD:
The Architecture Applied Landscape Design (AALD) is a University of Toronto student-based club that operates out of the Daniels Faculty. AALD utilizes a distinctive hands-on approach to foster student learning through workshops and academic assistance.
About the Facilitators:
Tarek Mokhalalati is an Art and Architecture student who graduated from the John H Daniels Faculty of Architecture’s undergraduate program in 2021. He is the lead developer of the Daniels Minecraft Camp curriculum and programming, and has just under a decade of experience in Minecraft. Tarek enjoys breaking down complex architectural concepts and making them understandable and applicable in new and engaging ways.
Follow Tarek on Instagram @tarekmokha.
Jason Zhang is a Cognitive Science student in his fourth year of study at the University of Toronto. He is the head of the University of Toronto Minecraft Club and is responsible for making sure that the server is in good condition to facilitate learning. He enjoys working with children to exercise their creativity and realize their ideas in the game world.
