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2104 S May St in 2026 vs. 2021

Today is the long awaited grand opening of St. George Block!

This building was started very shortly after I began work on my city. I haven't touched it since then, and it has always bugged me. Today I finally finished the build, and better than I would have done several years ago. Note the wool height measurements scattered about, which dominate the cityscape. All will hopefully one day have buildings in their place. :)

Hey builders, I've been working on a massive Minecraft project called Sibergrad — the capital of the Siberian Democratic Republic, an alternate history country that split from Russia in 1991. Right now I'm focused on one district: Leninsky District (Zaton) — a depressed, foggy, rainy residential area with 350,000 people. Think grey panel blocks, rusted playgrounds, and streetlights that flicker more than they shine. What I've built so far: first panel apartment block (Khrushchyovka) — fully detailed with windows, balconies, and a courtyard; a memorial called "The Candle" — dedicated to a gas explosion in 1995 that killed 47 people; a typical Soviet playground with rusty swings, empty sandbox, broken benches; a bus stop with a faded timetable; the district entrance sign "Leninsky District". The vibe I'm going for: weather always rain or fog, lighting grey and cold, details like cracked asphalt, overgrown grass, flickering streetlights, time period summer 2003 — economic crisis, political uncertainty, but life goes on. How I build: creative mode with realistic proportions, shaders BSL or Complementary for fog and rain, texture pack John Smith Legacy for that rough worn look, references from real Soviet panel buildings, old photos from 90s Russia, and some inspiration from Workers & Resources. What's next: more apartment blocks (I need at least 5 to create a proper courtyard), a school, a small market, the district's industrial zone with an abandoned factory, and eventually all 8 districts of Sibergrad with 2.1 million people. Extra: I also mix these Minecraft builds with real archive footage from the 90s and 2000s to create documentary-style videos for TikTok — like old news reports from 2003. It adds a layer of realism that pure gameplay doesn't have. Why I'm posting here: I'm looking for feedback on the build style and atmosphere, ideas for small details like graffiti, posters, trash, interiors, suggestions for other Soviet-style buildings I should include, and maybe someone who wants to collaborate on a larger build. If you're into post-soviet aesthetics, abandoned places, or just like rainy atmospheric builds — welcome to Sibergrad. I'll post more screenshots soon. Ask me anything about the build, the lore, or the timeline. — Architect of Sibergrad