My neighborhood, inspired by Pokémon pixel art

My friends and I used to fantasize about moving into a mansion together after we retire. In 2017, we fast-tracked this dream into reality by collectively purchasing 5 units in a new development in Columbia City, Seattle.

The construction took over a year, and when I couldn't get the blueprints for my soon-to-be home, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I snuck into the construction site one night and nabbed the blueprints, which I returned after making photocopies. Pinned to the temporary plywood bulletin board was a sign that read "Empire Square", a name we took on as our own in this new chapter of our lives together as neighbors. More than 20 of us have lived here over the years, though not all at once.

Below is an illustration of our beloved Empire. I created these pixel by pixel, inspired by the Pokémon handheld videogames I grew up playing. There is a unique version for each of the changing seasons. Try to see if you can spot all the differences!