The challenge is open to students aged between 12 years and 25 years from secondary schools, high schools, community colleges/schools, polytechnics, technical institutes, and universities. Students can design structures that address issues like environmental sustainability, architectural aesthetics, and population growth, or solve a specific engineering challenge. These designs can be in the form of any superstructure, such as a building, bridge, monument, park, train station, or airport.
With the world and its infrastructure facing many growing challenges, future engineers will turn to digital twin technology to manage them. Because digital twins are virtual representations of the real world, they can help combine and visualize data to optimize decision-making and enable effective planning and action.
“This challenge is continuing Bentley Education’s mission of nurturing future professionals for careers in engineering, design, and architecture,” Katriona Lord-Levins, chief success officer for Bentley Systems, says. “We want students to show their creativity using Minecraft and explore the potential of Bentley’s iTwin technology to tackle a challenge facing the world’s infrastructure. And, along the way, we want to inspire and encourage students to learn about infrastructure engineering as a possible career and expose them to the opportunities that lie ahead, with infrastructure going digital.”
When their design is ready, students will export the structure as a 3D model and place it within the real-world location using the Bentley iTwin platform. Students will also need to submit a short essay describing the concept behind their design.
