Ok so maybe this weekend I watched one too many kung fu movies. Between imitating Bruce Lee in Enter The Dragon and picking up a few new moves I became inspired to build one of those martial art training compounds like you see in many kung fu movies.
Besides, I have a work in progress building a Japanese castle complete with all of its administrative and associated buildings that service the main keep, and I need practice trying new architectural ideas. Really I wanted to try a few new roof shapes and try my hand at building outdoor pavilions and cherry trees.
My kung fu academy I've decided to name the Mui Faa Kwoon named after its signature plum blossom trees that are found throughout the campus.
First thing i had to do was scour the Minecraft map looking for a proper place to build my academy. Turns out that to complete the vision I had in my head would take a lot more room than I originally figured. So after a fewv false starts picking places like mountain top plateus that were far too small I settled on a wide expansive peninsula near a village. I figured the location worked out being next to the village because every good kung fu school needs a ready source of recruits and new students.
I started out building the foundation and running a pathway down the center. I quickly discovered that even this was too small a place for my sprawling compound and eventually as i expanded i did a lot of earth works building out the peninsula too as needed.
Next I started building the schools administrative centre. I envisioned this to be a regal looking courtyard building. First I laid out the timber framing.
Next I added the second floors to the wings on the administrative center. I wasn't exactly sure what to do with the second floors or roof. This whole build was going by the seat of my pants.
Eventually I decided to add a tower with a third floor on one corner of the building. I figure if this was the administrative building then the tower would be the Head Masters office where he could look out on the entire campus and observe which students aren't practicing hard enough.
I always wanted a courtyard with a koi pond so i started working on that next. I also decided halfway through that a bridge should go over the pond.
And then i added the water, fish and basic garden. I spruce it up a little later. This was also my first experiment with my Plum Blossom trees. I found that they looked too odd using just solid pink cotton and so I tried using various coloured glass to give it a more delicate look.
Front view of the administrative center. You can see the plum trees poking up through the courtyard in the center.
Shots of the interior. I managed to make rice paper screens to create dividers on the floor. The first floor has two sets of stairs on either side that lead up to the second floor where the instructors have their offices.
Opposite view looking back towards the courtyard.
Second floor and stairs leading to the Masters Office.
The second floor has two other offices for the instructors. On at the end of each wing. There is an outdoor portico or patio that connects them to the main building. I figure this is where the instructors can lecture students with potential over a few servings of tea.
Head masters office in the spire of the tower on the third floor. Its simple and unadorned. I made big windows so he has a good view while staring pensively down at the students while in deep thought about which ones need more horse stance and pushups .
My attempt at taking a screenshot that try's to show some detail of the exterior of the second floor and courtyard. Will never make a good photographer.
Next I turn my attention to the other side of the campus opposite of the administrative building. I figure every good kung fu academy needs a cultural building where people can meet to discuss the school and serve as a museum and library.
Initial framework.
And I forget to take more pics while building this side of the campus. But it too has a smaller more compact courtyard with a small garden. The second floor has a veranda that looks down into the courtyard.
Every kung fu school needs an epic entry to the actual training compounds so I build a small open gatehouse that leads to a flight of stairs into the training pavilion.
Next came the expansive pavilion where hundreds of students train in neat rows doing their forms while the Master looks on. The pavilion has two side galleries a fancy bell. And two additional upper level training quads that flank the entry house with stairs.
View of the upper training quads.
The framing of one of the side training galleries.
A view of the training pavilion at night. I hung lanterns along the galleries and at each gate.
Beginning framing and veranda build for the main training hall.
The main training hall along the back of the pavilion. I decided to try a new roof design here and I mimicked the architecture thats used on the Forbidden Palace in Beijing. I had to run a line of stone just so i could determine where the middle of the pavilion was. It was too big to just eye it alone. It gets deleted later once I dont need it anymore as a measure.
The training hall has a large open air veranda in front. I figure everyone deserves shade to train n particularly hot days or for when it rains.
Some views of the training pavilion.
From one of the side galleries
Last step architecturally is the entry gatehouse and front courtyard to the compound.
Having the campus built I then tried my hand at adding all the gardens and plum blossom trees throughout. Here is a brief tour of the final product sans any interior decorations like chairs, tables and artwork.
The front entrance gate.
View from just inside gatehouse. The front entry courtyard is through the door.
The front entry courtyard and stairs to main campus.
One of my experimental plum blossom trees.
Main campus courtyard
Front of the administrative building.
Front gate of the cultural centre.
Cultural centers little courtyard and miniature plum tree.
View looking out one of the cultural centre's doors.
Upstairs veranda for the building.
Training pavilion looking at training hall.
Looking back at the main campus.
Campus bell.
Pergola and garden to the side of the training hall. This is where the head master can walk slowly, arms behind back, lecturing student to not look at their own finger when watching the moon lest they miss all that heavenly glory.
Upper training quad looking all pretty.
And entering the other upper training quad.
Training mat inside main hall. I have a wooden training dummy (mook jong) in the corner.
View of the training hall looking out into pavilion.
Upstairs in the training hall. There is a balcony where instructors can look down onto the mat and observe things. At the end of the balcony is a private meeting area where the instructors can meet and discuss the students and syllabus.
Parting shot and aerial view of the academy.
Well, thats my weekend Minecraft build of a Kung Fu Academy. I think i got my curved roofs figured out and the verandas and pavilions. I'm not sure I succeeded with my plum flower trees which are placeholders for the eventual Japanese sakura cherry trees that will go into my Hijemi Castle build I'm currently still working on. All in I think this was a good experiment and that I'm more ready to finish off that castle now. Although it seems daunting to jump back into that project.
If you want to heck out my japanese castle build it can be found at the following link:
@hidave/himeji-minecraft-building-a-life-sized-japanese-castle
I'd like to thank my fiance 
Until next time wishing everyone at Hive health and peace.
Best,
-hidave
All pictures by hidave