Sweet City
Imagine a place so inviting that it would make Hansel and Gretel drop bread crumbs on their way there, a place so sweet that you develop cavities just looking at it and yet a place that inspires and speaks to how architecture can impact our health and wellbeing.
This is the Gingerbread City, a pop up exhibition hosted by the Museum of Architecture in London, England. This exhibition brings together urban planners and architects in a playful and festive way.
An entire city is built on a masterplan, by the firm Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design, and is split into four districts; the Old Town, the New Town, The Eco Town and the Energy Town, together forming a complete city.
Architectural firms such as Foster and Partners, Zaha Hadid Architects, Bell Philips Architects, HUG architecture and 45 others were invited to submit their own interpretation of what a healthy and thriving city, albeit made of gingerbread, would look like.
Set in a popup space in Kensington, London (27 Thurloe Street, South Kensington) until the 22nd of December 2017, the Gingerbread City will inspire both the urban and Christmas child in you in equal measure. The phrase delicious architecture has seldom been as appropriate.
I think all master plans should be realized in gingerbread
It was difficult not to get carried away when photographing this magical urban yulescape.
I’ve attached some of my favorite shots. It is clear that themes of urban renewal, walkable streets and social cohesion have been fused with spun sugar and a healthy dose of baked goods to create this most festive of scenes.
Chatting with a guide at the exhibit, I was cautioned that there wouldn’t necessarily be a link between the firms that were best at creating gingerbread houses and the firms that would be best at creating concrete and glass buildings but I would love this to be so.
Frankly, I think all master plans should be realized in gingerbread rather than AutoCAD - the world would be prettier and more fragrant for it.
This is only the second year that the Museum of Architecture has staged this event and for 3 pounds per person it is the best value entertainment for an urban nerd such as me.
But if they would add gingerbread cookies and a glass of mulled wine I’d gladly pay more: Especially since this event and others are staged to fund a permanent museum space.
Merry Christmas!
