In J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy world of Middle Earth, there are few structures that inspire more awe and wonder than the gleaming white city of Minas Tirith. Built into the side of a mountain, Minas Tirith was the massive capitol city/castle of Gondor, the land of Men in the south. It was made up of seven levels and culminated with a powerful citadel at the top. It was the main setting of Peter Jackson's third Tolkien film, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
A group of architects have launched an audacious crowdfunding campaign called "Realize Minas Tirith," and it aims to build a real, life-sized version of Minas Tirith in southern England. The insanely ambitious project is lead by a man named Jonathan Wilson, and hopes to raise £1.85 billion to make it happen.
Yes, £1.85 billion. That's more than $2.8 billion in U.S. currency.
Impossible? Yeah, it's never going to happen. But it's fun imagining what it would be like if it did.
"We're fully aware of the scale of our ambition, but we hope you realize just how special this project could be," Wilson writes on the campaign page. "We are an ambitious team of architects and structural engineers who are passionate about creating a beautiful, inspirational and fully-functioning replica of Peter Jackson's depiction of Minas Tirith, as seen in his Lord of the Rings films."
Should the project find a miraculous success, Wilson intends to allocate £15 million to purchase land, £188 million for labor, and £1.4 billion for materials. Any leftover funds will go into public services and maintenance, up to the year 2053.
Wilson estimates that it will take about seven years to build the entire city, with hopes to get underway next year and be done by 2023. The city would have a variety of properties that include both residential and commercial spaces, with goals being "sustainable growth," "high quality of life," and "the most remarkable tourist attraction on the planet." So this Minas Tirith replica would be part livable city, part theme park (but without the rides).
The Indiegogo campaign has twenty different pledge levels, ranging from £3 up to £1.72 million — the latter of which will get you a luxurious four-bedroom penthouse. Two different locations are being considered for Minas Tirith, both in southern England, but Wilson assures contributors that both will offer "splendid views."
With such a hefty goal to meet in only 60 days, the odds are stacked high against the project's success. At the time of this writing, the project is 12 days in but hasn't yet raised enough money to constitute even 1 percent of its goal.
What the campaign needs is more information. The Indiegogo page is remarkably sparse, providing very few concrete details about how the city will become reality. How about a video from Wilson's team, which would let investors see their commitment and passion? Or why not post some preliminary schematics or floor plans, to convey how serious they are about the project? Some background information on this "group of architects" would be nice as well, along with their credentials. As is, potential supporters know nothing about them at all.
To keep track of Minas Tirith's progress, follow @realiseminas on Twitter.
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