GRAPHĒ

Asking £3.5M, This Legendary Arts and Crafts Estate Started as a Simple Cottage

Designed by famed architect Alfred Powell, Long Copse grew from a four-room summer home into a sprawling retreat with stables, a guest house, and a barn with a theatrical past.

Location: Pitch Hill, Ewhurst, Cranleigh, Surrey, England

Price: £3,500,000 (approximately $4,669,000 USD)

Year Built: 1899

Architect: Alfred Powell

Footprint: 3,301 square feet (6 beds, 3 baths)

Lot Size: 8.63 acres

From the Agent: "Launching for £3.5 million, Long Copse in Ewhurst, Surrey, is one of the finest and rarest surviving houses associated with the Arts and Crafts movement, designed by architect, designer, and ceramicist Alfred Powell. Available for only the third time since it was built in 1899, the Grade II–listed home remains an extraordinarily intact example of one of Britain’s most influential design movements.

Originally commissioned as a four-room summer cottage for Mrs. Mudie-Cooke, Long Copse was conceived by Powell as an elegant country retreat, deliberately disguised as a modest Surrey cottage. As his client fell in love with the house, it was gradually extended into a larger family home, with each addition designed to appear as though it had evolved organically over centuries.

Powell was a leading figure in the Arts and Crafts Movement, which emerged in response to the industrial revolution and championed traditional craftsmanship and natural materials over mass production. Although perhaps best known for his work with Wedgwood, where he helped revive hand-painted ceramics, Powell’s architectural projects are exceptionally rare, making Long Copse one of the most important surviving examples of his work.

The house also features the work of Ernest Gimson, another influential Arts and Crafts architect and furniture maker. Described by architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner as "the greatest of the English architect-designers," Gimson designed much of the home’s existing oak joinery, original doors, fireplaces, fitted furniture, flooring, and timber detailing.

The craftsmanship extends throughout the house, from its Bargate stone exterior and leaded windows to exposed roof trusses, handcrafted oak staircases, original fireplaces, and bespoke cabinetry. Decorative sgraffito by Italian artist Cavaliere Formilli appears in the garden room, while a detached thatched guest cottage and timber-framed barn complete the property.

Long Copse has attracted architects and historians from around the world and was featured in Lawrence Weaver’s seminal Small Country Houses of Today. Set high on the slopes of Pitch Hill within the Surrey Hills National Landscape, the property enjoys breathtaking views across the Sussex Weald alongside beautifully established gardens, woodland, paddocks, and direct access to miles of surrounding countryside.

Lindsay Cuthill, co-founder of Blue Book Agency, comments: ‘The Arts and Crafts Movement was founded on the belief that good design enriches everyday life. More than 125 years later, Long Copse still embodies that philosophy. It isn't simply an important historic house; it’s a wonderfully comfortable family home where every beam, fireplace and handcrafted detail continues to serve exactly the purpose it was designed for.’"

Designed by leading Arts and Crafts architect Alfred Powell in 1899 for Mrs. Mudie-Cooke, Long Copse began as a four-room summer retreat made to resemble a modest Surrey cottage. As its owner's ambitions grew, so did the house, gradually evolving into the larger country home it is today. — Designed by leading Arts and Crafts architect Alfred Powell in 1899 for Mrs. Mudie-Cooke, Long Copse began as a four-room summer retreat that resembled a modest Surrey cottage. As its owner’s ambitions grew, so did the house, gradually evolving into the larger country estate it is today.
Photo by Freddie Ardley

The Arts and Crafts movement emerged in Britain in the late 19th century as a response to the Industrial Revolution and the perceived decline in craftsmanship and quality brought on by mass production. Championing traditional techniques, natural materials, and thoughtful design, the movement sought to improve everyday life for both makers and consumers. Alfred Powell and Ernest Gimson were among its leading figures, and their work at Long Copse reflects those ideals.
Photo by Freddie Ardley

See the full story on Dwell.com: Asking £3.5M, This Legendary Arts and Crafts Estate Started as a Simple Cottage
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Georgia O’Keeffe Lived Next Door to This $14M Santa Fe home

With room for horses and a serious car collection, Los Piñones once belonged to the famed artist’s neighbor and confidant, Juan Hamilton.

With room for horses and a serious car collection, Los Piñones once belonged to Georgia O’Keeffe’s neighbor and confidant, Juan Hamilton.

Location: 4010 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Price: $13,750,000

Year Built: 1920

Footprint: 9,326 square feet (8 beds, 8 full baths, 2 half baths)

Lot Size: 7.69 acres

From the Agent: "A rare legacy property of remarkable provenance, this 7.7-acre estate in Santa Fe’s historic Eastside neighbors Georgia O’Keeffe’s storied Sol y Sombra property and was once owned by artist Juan Hamilton, O’Keeffe’s closest companion and confidant.

Hamilton’s former art studio has been reimagined as one of the property’s two casitas, preserving the creative spirit and cultural history that define this place. The compound is anchored by a three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath main residence and includes six heated buildings, four additional support structures, a private home office, a pool and pool house, and a tennis court. Set against sweeping views of the Jemez Mountains and Sun and Moon Mountains, the property also has an archaeological easement tied to the historic Old Santa Fe Trail.

The property also includes three wells, adding rare utility and long-term value to the estate. With four kitchens, including an outdoor kitchen, the property is designed for effortless gathering across multiple indoor and outdoor living spaces. Ten enclosed garage spaces provide exceptional capacity, ideal for collectors, car enthusiasts, or those seeking significant storage and functionality within a private estate setting."

The 7.7-acre property sits in Santa Fe’s historic Eastside, next to Georgia O’Keeffe’s former Sol y Sombra estate, which Dwell featured in 2024. — The 7.7-acre property sits in Santa Fe’s historic Eastside, next to Georgia O’Keeffe’s Sol y Sombra estate, which Dwell featured in 2024.
Photo by Jenna Peffley

It was once owned by artist Juan Hamilton, O’Keeffe’s longtime companion and confidant. — The home was once owned by artist Juan Hamilton, O’Keeffe’s longtime companion.
Photo by Jenna Peffley

See the full story on Dwell.com: Georgia O’Keeffe Lived Next Door to This $14M Santa Fe Home
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Jeweler Karl Stittgen’s $1.2M Island Home Is an Ode to Frank Lloyd Wright

Decades after joining the fellowship at Taliesin West, the late designer and ceramicist built Halcyon Days with his wife, Nora, in British Columbia.

Decades after joining the fellowship at Taliesin West, late jewelry designer and ceramicist Karl Stittgen built Halcyon Days with his wife, Nora, in British Columbia.

Location: 3326 Port Washington Road, Pender Island, British Columbia, Canada

Price: $1,689,000 CAD (approximately $1,184,598 USD)

Year Built: 1994

Designer: Karl Stittgen

Footprint: Main house: 2,800 square feet (2 beds, 2 baths); Guest house: 650 square feet (1 bed, 1 bath)

Lot Size: 6 acres

From the Agent: "Presenting Halcyon Days — an enduring work of art born from fortitude and love. The late British Columbia–based artist Karl Stittgen designed and built this North Pender Island residence with his beloved wife, Nora, as a tribute to Frank Lloyd Wright.

Set high on a private six-acre property overlooking the ocean, the estate includes a 2,800-square-foot main residence, a tea house, a separate 650-square-foot guest cottage, an elevator, and two kilns. True to Wright’s principles, the house emphasizes horizontal lines, natural materials, an open floor plan, carefully placed windows, and an integration of architecture, furnishings, and landscape. Custom built-in furniture appears throughout the home.

The single-level main house is reached via natural rock steps from the driveway, with an elevator providing additional access. Inside, large windows—including a distinctive triangular one that projects outwards—open the living spaces into the view of the forest below and the ocean beyond. Extensive custom woodwork is paired with aggregate stone flooring, gray counters and tile, and a restrained palette of brown, gray, and white.

At the heart of the living area is the library, where custom shelves, a built-in study, and seating are lit by a geometric skylight. A central stone fireplace separates the sanctuary from the living area. Above it, the white wall is engraved with the Latin phrase Voluisse mihi, satis est: ‘To have wanted, for me, is enough.’

Born in Bad Dürkheim, Germany, in 1930, Stittgen arrived in Vancouver in 1952 and established himself as a watchmaker and jeweler in West Vancouver. He became a key player in Vancouver’s active midcentury art and design scene as his bold, architecturally inspired jewelry gained international recognition. In 1962, he stepped away from jewelry design for a time to join the Frank Lloyd Wright Fellowship at Taliesen West. He later opened stores in Calgary, San Francisco, and New York, and in 2009 received a British Columbia Creative Achievement Award of Distinction for his ‘profound and lasting impact on applied art and design in British Columbia.’

After retiring from the jewelry business in 1995, Karl and Nora turned their attention toward what would become their ultimate collaborative work: their own home. Karl meticulously developed Halcyon Days around Wright’s ideas about architecture and daily life while continuing his own creative practice in ceramics.

Following Nora’s death, Karl spent his remaining years in the property’s compact one-bedroom guest cottage, using it as both his residence and studio. Although small, it makes effective use of space and contains a more recently upgraded kitchen, a bathroom, and a living area with a woodburning fireplace. Near-finished pieces, unfinished ceramics, and raw materials from Karl’s practice remain untouched in the guest house today.

An extraordinary sanctuary for an artist or collector, Karl and Nora’s legacy awaits its next steward."

Karl Stittgen and his wife, Nora, built Halcyon Days on six wooded acres on North Pender Island after Stittgen retired from his jewelry business in the 1990s. — After an internationally recognized career in jewelry, Karl Stittgen turned increasingly to ceramics, receiving a British Columbia Creative Achievement Award of Distinction in 2009. He and his wife, Nora, built Halcyon Days on six wooded acres on North Pender Island, decades after Stittgen joined the Frank Lloyd Wright Fellowship at Taliesin West in 1962.
Photo by Nicole Eastman, Sotheby's International Realty

Photo by Nicole Eastman, Sotheby's International Realty

The home was conceived as an homage to Frank Lloyd Wright, drawing on ideas including an open plan, natural materials, strong horizontal forms, and a close relationship between the architecture and its site. — Stittgen conceived the home as an homage to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian principles. It features an open plan, natural materials, strong horizontal forms, and a close relationship to its site.
Photo by Nicole Eastman, Sotheby's International Realty

See the full story on Dwell.com: Jeweler Karl Stittgen’s $1.2M Island Home Is an Ode to Frank Lloyd Wright
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What’s More Impressive—This Belgian Home’s Slatting, Floating Stair, or Construction Style?

The panelized CLT build also means the first level doesn’t have any interior walls.

Houses We Love: Every day we feature a remarkable space submitted by our community of architects, designers, builders, and homeowners. Have one to share? Post it here.

Project Details:

Location: Duinenkranslaan, Belgium

Architect: Vantieghem Talebi / @vantieghem_talebi

Footprint: 2,852 square feet

Structural Engineer: Util Structural Engineering

From the Architect: "Here skin, structure, and space are formed simultaneously. Built from structural and zoning constraints, a new construction is placed on top of existing foundations and is limited to the maximum allowable height. As such, the design grew out of the original coastal dune house foundation—an asymmetrical cruciform geometry where each structural bay of the cruciform created a ‘house of cards.’

"Each triangular bay was unique in geometry and prefabricated from CLT panels. Over the course of three days, the CLT panels were brought on-site, delivered onto the sand itself, hoisted up as four chapels, and bridged together via an off-center geometry. The result is a primary level free of structure, with each chapel as an expressed room.

"The project envelope considers the larger impression of the house as an abstract volume and is built as a timber rain screen of chemically seasoned Douglas fir battens. The roof, considered a facade element due to the steep pitch, uses the same timber batten construction technique as vertical surfaces. Assemblies and details carry forth the abstraction holistically: timber battens were prefabricated to avoid visible screws or nails and streamline construction on-site, while gutters and drainage elements are concealed behind the rain screen with minimal impact on the exterior surface.

"The project’s fusing of structure and volume is expressed explicitly; the CLT serves directly as interior finish. In the primary level living area, four CLT floor panels express the structural bays in the ceiling. On the upper level, the CLT panels remain exposed in the pitched chapels of bedrooms and the central hall, demonstrating the full extent of the triangular structural bays. Interior elements continue to highlight the opportunity that the column-free prefabricated CLT structure allows; a central staircase floats in the space, suspended within a wood floor grid spanning between the CLT bays. Within the house is a Type D central ventilation system with heat recovery and rainwater collection and re-use.

"The geometry of the house is reminiscent of historical beach house architecture in the area characterized by steep roof angles. The dune landscape was restored, with concrete retaining walls carving obliquely for pedestrian and car access to the house’s subterranean level. This site context, and the restrictions of the existing foundation, steered both the structural and architectural logic of the project."

See the full story on Dwell.com: What’s More Impressive—This Belgian Home’s Slatting, Floating Stair, or Construction Style?
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The Nobel Prize–Winning Physicist Who Named the Quark Lived in This $4.6M Pasadena Home

The midcentury home of Murray Gell-Mann features a copper-clad fireplace, colored-glass panels, and big exposed beams—and it’s one of architect William E. Blurock’s few residential designs.

The home is located on the edge of the Arroyo Seco, a piece of protected parkland in Pasadena.

Location: 1024 Armada Drive, Pasadena, California

Price: $4,599,000

Footprint: 5,307 square feet (5 beds, 5 baths)

Lot Size: 0.32 acres

Year Built: 1956

Architect: William E. Blurock

From the Listing: "Believed to be one of only a few private homes ever designed by William E. Blurock, this striking residence is quietly tucked behind mature landscaping within Pasadena’s storied, National Register–listed Prospect Historic District. The five-bedroom, five-bathroom home is anchored by an aspirational reverse floor plan that lifts the main gathering spaces to the upper level, which has soaring living-room ceilings, a copper-clad fireplace, and a bespoke midcentury light fixture stretching the entire length of the living room that washes the interiors in a welcoming, warm light. A dramatic open-plan stairway becomes a sculptural centerpiece for the home, animated by inset colored-glass panels and highlighted by cork flooring and an architectural railing wrapped in wood. Below, the floor plan opens around a zen-style garden and an expansive pool, with a private pool house/guest studio completing a resort-like retreat built for modern California living. Flagstone, stucco, and a subdued facade let the house blend in effortlessly among the district’s Craftsman and period-revival landmarks. The home carries a remarkable provenance as the longtime residence of Nobel Prize–winning physicist Murray Gell-Mann, who lived here during his most creative years at Caltech. The scientist who named the "quark" and reorganized our understanding of the building blocks of matter found his home in a house designed, quite literally, to lift its inhabitants toward the light and the view."

William E. Blurock’s architecture firm contributed to a number of landmark modernist civic and educational buildings around the word. — William E. Blurock’s architecture firm worked on a number of landmark civic and educational buildings around the word.
Photo by Michael McNamara

See the full story on Dwell.com: The Nobel Prize–Winning Physicist Who Named the Quark Lived in This $4.6M Pasadena Home
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What in the Name of Preservation Is Happening With Frank Lloyd Wright’s Sturges House?

Neighbors are convinced the famous Los Angeles home is falling apart. The owners don’t seem to know what they’re talking about.

Roughly a dozen years ago, if you walked up the steep incline of North Skyewiay Road in the upscale Brentwood Heights neighborhood of West Los Angeles, you might have seen Jack Larson’s dog sprawled on the deck of the actor’s brick-and-wood home soaring over a steep embankment. The richly-colored redwood structure leaned over a hilly yard ringed in ivy, and Dewey, a white shepherd, loved to lounge in the sunshine on what resembled the prow of a ship.

While the home, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Sturges House, was always considered a source of neighborhood pride, today, its condition and future are being called into question. Many neighbors have worried in recent years that it’s entered a state of disrepair, and some have even said they’ve seen coyotes on the grounds, though those claims have not been independently verified.

The Los Angeles Conservancy placed the home on its 2026 watchlist for endangered buildings and starting in late August, a series of stories about the state of the home, especially an Artnet piece, explained how the home, an official Historical-Cultural Monument (HCM), was at risk of what’s called "demolition by neglect." The Artnet piece and a number of additional stories raised the tenor of concern about the architectural marvel, one of eight in Wright’s exceptional Greater L.A. body of work, including the Hollyhock House, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

But the current owners of the home vehemently deny that the home is in some state of decay or poor maintenance. The property was purchased during an auction in 2016 by the All Right Now Foundation, a nonprofit set up by a group interested in preserving the home that includes Robert Brisco, CEO of online publisher Internet Brands. Foundation lawyer Wendy Giberti says the claims made by neighbors are all categorically untrue and defamatory. Why would a foundation spend millions of dollars to buy and maintain a property if they didn’t want to take care of it? "I can tell you there has been a considerable investment in the property," says Giberti. "The idea that we are being neglectful is a little bit insulting."

When I walked on the sidewalks on the perimeter of the property on September 29, it was ringed with a number of signs declaring the site private and the cantilevered, wooden portion of the residence showed its age. The wood looked weathered, and in a handful of spots, small gaps were visible between the planks.

Neighbors of the Frank Lloyd Wright’s Sturges House in Los Angeles say that the home is falling into disrepair. Photos from this year show a piece of the decking coming apart.
Photo by Daniela Velazco/L.A. Conservancy (left); photo courtesy Patrick Sisson (right)

When asked about the foundation’s investments, Giberti pointed to regular gardening and repair, an on-site caretaker, and "large expenditures, including planning for what is to come next and making sure the building stays safe until such time as a larger project is going to be undertaken." A statement from the foundation on September 2 also mentions "regular maintenance, upkeep, and inspections by licensed experts, including structural engineers, waterproofers, electricians, and plumbers."

This situation—preservationists and neighbors raising concerns that private owners of a historic property aren’t living up to their public duty, and the owners pointing out that they’re following the law and it’s nobody else’s business—isn’t unique. Preservationists have criticized Los Angeles’s preservation laws for lacking teeth and clear enforcement powers. As Barbara Gordon, executive director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, sees it, preservationists feel their hands are tied if ownership doesn’t meet the public’s expectations for conservation. "How do you enforce preservation rules moving forward if all the owners are getting small fines?" says Gordon. "How do you enforce it at a larger scale? Because I think it's not just this building. This is one of many."

Other such examples of landmark homes suffering from what preservationists have deemed insufficiently dedicated owners include the Walser House in Chicago, another Wright design, which entered a period of disrepair after the owner passed away, and the Wattles Mansion in Los Angeles, a Hollywood mansion that was at one point falling apart due to disrepair and poor city ownership. "It’s more common than not in L.A. because the consequences are just not stringent, unfortunately," says Jaime Rummerfield, an interior designer and cofounder of the preservation nonprofit Save Iconic Architecture. "People get a slap on the wrist."

All Right Now Foundation purchased the Sturges House in 2016 for approximately $1.85 million. The foundation, based in nearby El Segundo, California, won an auction held after Larson’s death in 2015; Larson and director James Bridges bought the house in 1967 from the original owners, Lockheed engineer George Sturges and his wife, Selma, who had commissioned Wright to design a home for them in 1938. Designed by Wright with construction supervised by architect John Lautner, the Sturges House was built around the same time as Fallingwater, and is recognized as a striking example of cantilevered architecture and Wright’s Usonian residential style.

The home sits in the Brentwood Heights neighborhood and was built in 1939.
Photo © Michael Freeman

The foundation, according to Giberti, remains committed to maintaining the home, who adds that it will always, primarily, be a residence. "It’s not going to be a museum or open to the public or any of those other things," she says. The website maintained by the foundation has a Tours section, but it remains blank except for a single photo (it also recently posted a number of interior photos marked fall 2026). Architect Joshua Moratto, who was listed as a member of the foundation’s board in its 2024 tax return, declined to comment on the story. (On his Instagram, there are a pair of posts from last year partially captioned with "an addition to an Usonian").

The foundation has yet to announce its plans, despite more than a decade of ownership, and in the same September 2 statement the foundation sent to media, noted that the board, which "consists of private citizens who prefer to focus their resources quietly on the work of preservation rather than engaging in public debate," were still coming up with a long-term plan for the property. The statement went on to say the issues with the wooden exterior were "cosmetic," and that the "functional condition has improved from when it was acquired."

So far, according to Gordon, the foundation hasn’t reached out to the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. That’s odd, says Gordon; the community tends to be tight-knit, and the nonprofit can offer extensive resources around the restoration and maintenance challenges of Wright’s work.

Giberti argues that it’s simply nobody else’s business but ownership. "It has been our experience that when they are left in the dark or feel they’re not getting information that they think they’re entitled to, they resort to other means," she says, in reference to what she calls disgruntled neighbors who have complained about the foundation’s work. "I can’t control their desire to be involved, or their desire to control, especially the timeline. But they have made it clear they intend to continue attempting to insert themselves into the process, and I will continue to insist they shall not be inserted into the process."

According to the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), the home was issued what’s called an "order to comply" on August 24, which directed the owners of the building to repair and maintain the existing wood balcony and the existing historical building. A LADBS spokesperson said "the related portions of the building have been deemed unsafe." The property is still listed as "under investigation" on the department’s website and the spokesperson reiterated on October 5 that the issue hasn’t been resolved.

Giberti says the foundation paid the requisite $300 fine, that the basis for that complaint was a "drive-by by an inspector," and that they obtained a structural engineering report saying it wasn’t unsafe, and was "probably more safe than what current code is for new homes." She said the deck is structurally sound, the report that says so was provided to a city inspector, and assumes the issue is resolved. (Numerous attempts to contact the city inspector listed on the LADBS site have been unsuccessful).

Some neighbors have repeatedly complained about the state of the house, arguing that what they call disrepair and desertion is a safety issue. Nearby resident Lisa Chadwick, who reached out to Gordon, sent images to local media, and has brought up the building’s conditions to the city and L.A. councilmember Traci Park, believes that more pressure is the only thing that will get the owner to do something. "I think the more attention it gets, the more pressure he’s going to have, either to sell it or to do something," Chadwick says.

The residence, pictured here in 1962, is an example of Wright’s Usonian style homes.
Photo by Julius Shulman, © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10)

See the full story on Dwell.com: What in the Name of Preservation Is Happening With Frank Lloyd Wright’s Sturges House?
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Former NFL Coach Mike Tomlin Is a Total Lighting Snob

The first episode of his "Minecraft" YouTube series, which has gone viral, reveals some surprisingly considered interior design decisions.

The private lives of professional football players have long been their own spectator sport. Their faces populate advertisements, their relationships make headlines, and their extracurricular pursuits attract nearly as much attention as their performances on the field. But what about their coaches? Unless you’re former Patriots honcho Bill Belichick, it’s rare you get a spotlight off the field.

But in September, former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin became another unlikely exception. He released the first episode of his own YouTube series, giving the world wide web a tour of an elaborate city he’s spent the last 12 years building—in Minecraft. Naturally, the internet exploded. The popular video game, which launched in 2009 and lets players build open-ended worlds, commented under a video on its own YouTube channel, "i'm honored to be here coach [two-hands-raised emoji]". Barstool Sports joked on X, "Imagine drinking beers with the fellas in the Mike Tomlin Minecraft speakeasy." Former Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell was less impressed, posting, "we were tryna win super bowls and coach T was on minecraft building cities [loudly-crying-face emoji]."

A view of the bay and the boutique hotel — Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has spent hours building cities in *Minecraft*. This one started around a body of water.
Screenshot: Mike Tomlin/YouTube

Tomlin spent 19 seasons at the helm of the Steelers, winning a Super Bowl and never recording a losing season, before stepping down in January of this year. For much of his professional life, he was an authority in one of the most scrutinized jobs in professional sports. But in Minecraft, which he started playing as a proverbial rookie more than a decade ago, he’s been able to quietly hone is craft, mining iron ore, evading exploding monsters (a.k.a creepers), and, yes, designing buildings.

When his kids were in middle school they were obsessed with the game. First released in 2009, players Tomlin says he began by watching them play, fascinated by what could hold their attention for such long stretches of time. He eventually picked up a PlayStation controller and started a city of his own. At some point, his kids lost interest. He did not. "I started small and, of course, over the course of 12 years, you develop neighborhoods and communities," he says in the video.

The Aquarium apartment building — Tomlin designed an apartment building that features an aquarium on every level.
Screenshot: Mike Tomlin/YouTube

In the nearly 20-minute first installment, ROOFTOPS, PENTHOUSES, AND URBAN LIVING [sic], Tomlin starts with the first building he ever built: a "boutique hotel" on a bay. Just off the lobby is the "executive spa"; across the way, a multipurpose space doubles as both a conference room and ballroom. And then there’s the basement: a stone-walled speakeasy whose pièce de résistance is a window looking into the swimming pool.

For all the fantasy Minecraft affords, Tomlin is equally attentive to the less glamorous side of running a hotel. The speakeasy has a kitchen and employee work area; elsewhere, men’s and women’s restrooms are complete with sinks and stalls, even if the game requires none of it. Unlike The Sims, Minecraft isn’t built around the logistics of human habitation. In Survival Mode—where players must source food and fend off zombies—nobody needs a toilet. And he doesn’t belabor the point: his bathrooms are relatively spare, not an excuse for some aesthetics-driven folly. "I was always really conscious of appropriate amenities," he says.

But Tomlin’s concern for realism goes beyond imposing real-world requirements on imaginary buildings. Some design problems, like lighting, are actually real within the game. "I was really lighting conscious," he says, explaining that when he started the city, illuminating interiors was a challenge. He added the glass ceiling in the hotel’s conference room mainly to let in light and "less for the architectural component of it." Down in the windowless speakeasy, he used Glowstone—Minecraft’s conspicuous, light-emitting block—not because he likes the look (he doesn’t), but because lighting, to him, is just that important.

Tomlin’s vision doesn’t begin and end with a collection of show-stopping structures with empty interiors, as many often do. From the get-go, he had a larger plan: a densely populated urban center, with high-rises clustered around bodies of water. (It’s unclear in the video if his city includes a football stadium, though there is an "MLS soccer stadium" and a baseball field.) Sometimes that required reshaping Minecraft’s randomly generated terrain. "I’d have to blow up mountains and hills and so forth and redevelop land around it," he says. "I would work areas around bodies of water and then over time the areas grew together." It’s actually a natural approach to urban planning; waterways, after all, have been shaping cities since ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt.

A bedroom in Tomlin’s aquarium apartment building — Tomlin walks us through his design decisions for one of the aquarium apartments.
Screenshot: Mike Tomlin/YouTube

See the full story on Dwell.com: Former NFL Coach Mike Tomlin Is a Total Lighting Snob
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