24 things to build in Minecraft: building ideas for 1.21
Let these Minecraft build ideas inspire your next building project
Looking for ideas for things to build in Minecraft? We all know that Minecraft is filled with infinite possibilities, particularly when it comes to building. With the right types and quantities and structures of blocks, there's really no limit to what can be made. The trick is figuring out what to build next!
Below you'll find 24 amazing building ideas for Minecraft 1.21 to inspire you, ranging from small, practical builds such as bridges and storage rooms, to massive aesthetic projects like castles, towns, and skyscrapers. Have a browse below and see if anything cool captures your imagination!
Things to build in Minecraft
- Volcano
- Castle
- Modern Skyscraper
- Floating Base
- Bridge
- Ship
- Lighthouse
- Cathedral
- Museum
- Statue
- Aquarium
- Pyramid
- Famous Landmark
- Mountain Base
- Underground Base
- Underwater Base
- Farm
- Clock Tower
- Pixel Art
- Nether Hub
- Storage Room
- Fantasy Town
- Nature Reserve
- PvP Map
- Trading Hall
- Elven Village
Note: if you're after inspiration for your next house then be sure to check out our dedicated page for Minecraft house ideas!
Minecraft Volcano build
What better way to make an impression on your Minecraft server than to find an unassuming island in the middle of nowhere and turn it into a scene-stealing volcano dripping with magma? If you find the right mountain then much of the landscaping work will already be done for you - but if you want to create one from scratch, you can do that too! That's exactly how YouTuber "Shannooty" created the above volcano build, after all.
Minecraft Castle build
For architects who want to think big with their next building project, let this magnificent gothic castle build by YouTuber "Geet Builds" inspire you to embrace your inner medievalist. A big, bold, rustic castle is a builder's dream, with endless design opportunities in the battlements, the windows, the archways, and more.
Minecraft Modern Skyscraper build
Creating a modern-looking build in Minecraft is always an interesting challenge, as it forces you to think hard about the types of blocks you need to use. For those looking for the ultimate challenge, why not create a realistic modern skyscraper like those above, created by YouTuber "Alpine". Just make sure you get planning permission from others living nearby!
Minecraft Floating Base build
Floating bases aren't exactly a new concept in Minecraft, but they've stood the test of time because they're just so versatile. You can make a cute little floating island with a cottage like YouTuber "Rake" made (pictured above), or you can hop into Creative Mode and use mods like WorldEdit to create colossal floating mountain bases if you like (more on mountain bases below!).
Minecraft Bridge build
Ah, the bridge. Delightfully practical, but also a chance to create something truly beautiful. Like many other builds in this list, you can be as simple or as ostentatious as you like. If you don't want to get bogged down with a huge building project, a bridge might be a perfect mini-project for your latest world. The above bridge, by YouTuber "Zaypixel", can be completed in just a handful of minutes.
Minecraft Ship build
There's nothing quite as eye-catching in Minecraft as a magnificent ship on the horizon. The above ship was created by YouTuber "IrieGenie", and gives off some strong Pirates of the Caribbean vibes. And they didn't even resort to black sails! But you could with your ship, of course. It'd look incredible with the realistic water you get by installing one of the best Minecraft shaders, too.
Minecraft Lighthouse build
If you're looking for a similarly nautical build, there's a lot you can do with a nice tall lighthouse. The actual real-life function of a lighthouse is to be a landmark, so it's the perfect opportunity to put your own unique style into a build. Just as long as it shines at the top, you can do what you like. If you need some inspiration, check out YouTuber "Meddi"'s video on creating the above lighthouse.
Minecraft Cathedral build
Depending on who you ask, a cathedral can be even more grand and opulent than a medieval castle. A cathedral is a huge block of architectural splendour which gives you so many opportunities for interesting designs, patterns, and block choices. The above cathedral was built by YouTuber "Lanwan Builds", and it's a recreation of Winchester Cathedral, a building I've walked around many times and been inside once or twice as well. It's an incredible building, and such a build in Minecraft will be worthy of the blood, sweat, tears, and Diamonds you put into it.
Minecraft Museum build
What better way to show off everything you've collected over the course of your Minecraft journey than to store it in a museum? Much like castles and cathedrals, the grandest museums are tourist attractions in the real world, and so they're bound to attract attention on your Minecraft server. You can check out the interior of the above museum build by watching this video by its architect, YouTuber "MegRae".
Minecraft Statue build
Minecraft's default blocks offer so many different types of stone that you don't even have to use any of the best Minecraft texture packs to create a truly phenomenal statue. Statues are a great thing to build in Minecraft, because you can make a statue of just about anything, and it can be as realistic or as abstract as you like. Check out the above dragon statue build by YouTuber "thebigbaron" for some inspiration. I bet you could make a similarly awe-inspiring statue out of Netherite to give it some extra sleekness.
Minecraft Aquarium build
There's a lot more going on in the sea in Minecraft nowadays than when I started playing. Kelp and sponge and fish and blocks of wild and wonderful colours. Put all that together, house it in some glass, and you've got yourself an aquarium! Of course, there's more to it than that if you want to design a really good-looking aquarium such as the one above, built by YouTuber "Blorg The Saint".
Minecraft Pyramid build
A Pyramid is a fantastic template for an awe-inspiring Minecraft build. Its shape makes it easy to create complexity just by introducing and repeating patterns around the pyramid, which is how you can go from a regular old desert pyramid to a towering behemoth like the one above, built by YouTuber "FallenQbuilds". You can make life easier for yourself by using certain Minecraft commands (or better yet, WorldEdit), but there's nothing stopping you from getting stuck in building a massive pyramid in your survival world instead!
Minecraft Famous Landmark build
When you're thinking about Minecraft builds, it's always best to take inspiration from real life architecture. The truly spectacular creations are often the landmarks that are known all over the world. Places like the Taj Mahal, recreated above by YouTuber "Vexel Design". Or the Eiffel Tower, or Stonehenge, or the Statue of Liberty. Hell, why not the Grand Canyon if you're in the mood for some landscaping? You could even try recreating the Library of Alexandria (although that would take a lot of books)!
Minecraft Mountain Base build
If you're looking for a new thing to build in Minecraft, why not create a new base somewhere? An outpost from which you can explore new lands. And what better place to make one than to embed it into the side of a mountain, so you can see and scout for miles around? There are all sorts of wonderful ways that you can build into the side of a mountain or cliff. The above build is but one of the ideas showcased in this video by YouTuber "Tentango".
Minecraft Underground Base build
An underground base is something we've probably all made at one point or another in Minecraft. Digging down and setting up a subterranean camp is one of the easiest ways to keep yourself safe from surface-dwelling mobs on the first night. But why stop with just a camp? Why not turn it into a sprawling underground base filled with everything you could ever need to survive, like YouTuber "Spudetti" made above?
Minecraft Underwater Base build
As I mentioned before, aquatic life is much more interesting nowadays in Minecraft, which makes the idea of an underwater base all the more appealing. There's nothing much stopping you from building an underwater base; just make sure you bring some ladders with you so you can stop to catch your breath every so often! The above build from YouTuber "Zaypixel", who also created the above bridge build, combines underwater and mountain base ideas by building into the side of an underwater mountain.
Minecraft Farm build
A good farm is a wonderful sight in any game, Minecraft included. There's something so satisfying about rows upon rows of neatly organised crops. If you're after a more practical build then why not set to work making a new farm that can house all the carrots, potatoes, and wheat you could ever hope for? There are plenty of tutorials on creating compact farms in Minecraft, like the one above made by YouTuber "disruptive builds".
Minecraft Clock Tower build
Just look at that clock tower. Isn't it a beauty? It was made by YouTuber "IrieGenie" (who made the ship build higher up in this list) and it tells you everything you need to know about why a clock tower is the perfect thing to build in Minecraft. Cross a skyscraper with a cathedral and you've got a clock tower - and the best part is that you can make it in any style you like. You want to lean into the Steampunk side and fill the tower with gears and pistons? Go ahead! Or do you want a dark gothic clock tower that would look at home in a Tim Burton film? Who's stopping you?
Minecraft Pixel Art build
I don't know, this one looks sus... When it comes to the question of practicality, there's really no build less practical than a piece of 2D pixel art. But there's also nothing quite like logging onto your survival server to see that your friend has "griefed" you with a massive pixel art creation outside your house. YouTuber "RocketZer0", who created the above art, has put out multiple videos on different pieces of pixel art to inspire you.
Minecraft Nether Hub build
A good Nether Hub is a thing of beauty, combining the grand with the practical in a way that few other builds on this list can manage. Travelling by Nether is the fastest way to travel long distances in Minecraft, but it's also a very dangerous place, as you'll know if you ever tried to obtain ingredients for making Minecraft potions, or the items that you need to start a fight with the Wither. A Nether Hub should make you feel safe to travel for long periods in the Nether, but there's also no reason for it not to look fantastic, like the above hub designed by YouTuber "Kemit".
Minecraft Storage Room build
A storage room is just about the most practical build you could ever make. It's all about practicality, about organising your things so that you always know exactly where to go to find what you're looking for. Minecraft gives you lots of tools like signs and item frames to help with such a build, and if you're putting in that much effort then you might as well make the place look nice! Check out the lovely storage room build above by YouTuber "TheMythicalSausage" and let yourself be inspired.
Minecraft Fantasy Town build
If you're a Creative Mode player (or team of players) who is looking for a truly colossal building project, then one of the most satisfying and incredible things you can make is a full-size fantasy village or town. The above build is a recreation of the town Orario from the DanMachi series, and it was created by the "Varuna" design team. As builds go, it doesn't get much more breathtaking, does it?
Minecraft Nature Reserve build
Parks and nature reserves are some of my very favourite places to go in the real world, and both places make for great building projects in Minecraft. If you're tiring of big blocky creations and you're looking for a more landscape-oriented build, then a nature reserve is a chance to create a truly beautiful area of land, and then fill it with foxes, horses, and all other animals you'd like. Take a look at this video by YouTuber "Keralis" for inspiration.
Minecraft PvP Map build
For the game devs and level designers among us, it can be incredibly interesting and rewarding to design a Minecraft PvP map or arena that is specifically designed for players to fight inside. You have to think not only about how everything will look, but also about whether the sides (if there are sides) will be balanced, how much cover there is around, whether there are any traps or drops that it's impossible to jump out of, and so on. And you can make it any size or shape you want. The above build was made by YouTuber "Gamarudo", and opts for the traditional gladiator arena approach; but you can make a PvP map out of just about anything you want.
Minecraft Trading Hall build
For those of you keen on trading with villagers and acquiring the best items possible in Minecraft, why not build an actual trading hall for all of your business to take place? YouTuber "Nuvola MC" has done just that with this ingenious build that is both aesthetically and economically pleasing. The exterior of the building resembles a classical guild hall, while the interior is like a market, with villagers standing (one might even say trapped) in special stalls, ready to hawk their wares. There are also some interesting tricks utilised in this build to spawn villagers and a nearby zombie to facilitate better trades - perfect strategies for the enterprising Minecraft trade mastermind.
Minecraft Elven Village build
If you were one of the many cinemagoers enchanted by the glimpses of Rivendell and Lothlórien in the Lord of the Rings films, this incredible Elven Village build by YouTuber "JINTUBE" will be right up your alley. Dubbed "Elora : Tree of Amethyst", this build combines the best bits of all of the elven architecture featured in Tolkien, and fans of other fantasy franchises (World of Warcraft comes to mind) will also find much to like here, from the beautiful amethyst tree stretching out over the elven halls to the dragon boat floating in the harbour. Recreating your own elven village in-game might be a massive effort, but you can't ask for better inspiration than this.
That wraps up our list of cool Minecraft building ideas! If you're looking for the perfect world to house your new builds, check out our list of the best Minecraft seeds Alternatively, if you'd like more textures to play around with, be sure to check out our list of the best Minecraft texture packs.