Some of you may have already seen the crowd-funding campaign set up buy a group of ambitious architects to construct a habitable replica of Peter Jackson’s representation of the city of Minas Tirith from J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. If you haven’t heard anything about it yet then check out their page here: www.indiegogo.com/projects/realise-minas-tirith.

I am a big fan of The Lord of the Rings so there is going to be some bias here. Let’s be honest though, the general idea of creating a fantasy city in the modern day world is pretty awesome. The design looks great and, providing that it was done right, it seems like it totally could function as a populated city.

I like this idea for several reasons beyond simple taking something that I love and turning it into a reality. This project addresses many problems that are present in England and probably in other countries too. Having a  Minas Tirith would be a massive draw for tourists which would bring much needed money and good will back to England. It also creates more housing in an interesting new way which is something that we will always need more of.

What is more though, and what really captures my heart with this project, is that it is just so damn creative and original. More and more, cities and towns are looking like carbon copies of one another. I can walk down the new housing estates that are five minutes from my house or visit one at the other end of the country and see the same design of houses and the same handful of shops. Our English villages were renown for their variation and picturesque appearance but we have lost this mindset and I fear that the country has suffered because of it. The new buildings are cheaper and more efficient sure. Don’t get me wrong, we need cheap housing. we couldn’t have a country built up from fantasy worlds, as much as I might like to, but we can have some wonders that spark imagination and keep our country’s sense of spirit alive.

If the project was somehow successful, it would also show that there is an alternative to government or corporate funding for large scale plans. The architects and engineers say that they “desire to challenge the common perception of community and architecture” and that is something that I would love people to get behind. It is a unique project in so many ways. However it plays out, it will be interesting to see the results.

As a writer, this is certainly my dream home. If I had the money then I would secure a house there in a heartbeat. I’m a graduate without a full-time job though so that isn’t going to happen, (unless any billionaires are reading this and fancy helping out a struggling writer *nudge nudge wink wink*). The money that they are aiming for is colossal but I do have faith in their goals and will throw what I can towards it in the hope of one day being able to walk those white stoned streets.

So good luck to the Realise Minas Tirith team. Check out what they have to say and if you like the idea and can spare some money, let’s try and make this a reality.