Peter is Here
Environments & art direction for a Minecraft Education world recreating St. Peter's Basilica, built with the Vatican's Fabbrica di San Pietro.
Year
2025
Scope
Environments & Art Direction
Client
Fabbrica di San Pietro, Microsoft (with Minecraft Education)
Peter is Here lets students explore and restore St. Peter's Basilica across different points in its history, working from an AI-enhanced digital twin of the real building.
Challenge
The Basilica's intricate architecture, from its marble mosaic flooring to its true scale, had to hold up inside Minecraft's blocky grid without losing what makes the real building recognisable. Recreating that level of detail across every historical period shown in the game was the hardest part.
Solution
I directed the environments for every period of the Basilica depicted in the game, working from the digital twin data Microsoft provided and directly with Fabbrica di San Pietro on accuracy. I collaborated closely with the 3D art team on the character and object models, directing their look while I built out everything else the player sees.
Results
Launched March 2025 at a press event in Rome, with international press in attendance. I ran a hands on workshop with kids testing the game at launch, was interviewed by Microsoft about the process, and my work was featured in the Vatican's official magazine.
