john st. 20th anniversary: Minecraft edition

The Eiffel Tower. Big Ben. The Great Pyramid of Giza. 172 John St. What do these structures have in common? Well, they have all been recreated in painstaking detail in the massively popular world-building game Minecraft.
As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, Toronto agency john st. recreated its office right down to the very last detail—including its distinctive 650-pound concrete reception bench and the staff’s favourite elevator-riding dog, Doug.
And with large get-togethers still discouraged, this Minecraft site also became the site of a virtual hang to mark the agency’s milestone anniversary. Yes, they had an office party in Minecraft.
“Our location has been very important to us – we’re named john st. after all,” said CEO Stephanie Hurst. “The experiences we’ve shared here – from sneaking chocolates from the reception desk to the random pigeons who like to visit the first floor – have helped form who we are over the past 20 years.”
The virtual recreation was made by Gamefruitpulp, a Toronto gamer and YouTuber who spent several years creating the ambitious Building Toronto Project, a 1:1 recreation of the city within Minecraft that includes instantly recognizable recreations of well-known buildings such as the Fairmont Royal York Hotel and the Flatiron Building.
Agency leaders kept the Minecraft version of john st. under wraps until July 23 (the agency’s official opening date), when it opened its doors for a virtual get-together to celebrate the agency’s milestone anniversary. For some staff members who were hired during the pandemic, it was their first time seeing the agency “in person.”
The online space was unveiled during the Friday Breakfast all-staff meeting and staff were then given the day to explore the space and explore various quests in teams.