The 9th annual BSA Gingerbread Design Competition & Exhibition will take place this year—this time in a virtual format! The Gingerbread Design competition is a fun and tasty way to highlight great works of edible architecture while spreading holiday cheer. This exhibition raises funds for BSA community design programs while challenging designers to explore a sweet new medium.

The year 2020 has challenged all of us and now, the BSA challenges you to create a gingerbread masterpiece inspired by the theme "Escape 2020: Fantasyland." The theme invites you to leave your 2020 woes behind and explore your favorite fictitious and fantastical worlds through artistically crafted gingerbread creations.

It's free to participate in the Gingerbread Design Competition! Deadline to register is November 20, 2020 at 5:00 PM.

FAQs

Who can enter?

Anyone and everyone! This year, we are opening it up to anyone who wants to participate. Firms are encouraged to enter as usual but we encourage teams to participate in a way that respects social distancing guidelines. We also encourage individuals and families to enter and test out their edible design skills! The competition is free for all.

How do you enter?

Since it's an all virtual competition, we are not displaying models at BSA Space; instead, we are accepting photographs, videos, sketches, and renderings of your gingerbread creation as various forms of submission. Whatever way you choose to document your gingerbread masterpiece is how the judges will make their decisions and award prizes. Once you or your team registers, you will receive a welcome packet which will include instructions and information about the submission process. Only one person per team needs to fill out the registration form by November 20, 2020 at 5 PM EST.

Important dates:

November 20, 2020, 5:00 PM | Deadline to register

December 6, 2020, 11:59 PM | Deadline to submit completed entries

December 10, 2020 | Virtual exhibition and voting opens

December 20, 2020, 11:59 PM | Online voting closes

December 21, 2020 | All winners announced on architects.org and social media platforms (@BSAAIA)

Awards

Awards will be given for the following categories:

Golden Whisk for most amount of money raised
Silver Spatula for most number of votes
Chocolate-covered Rolling Pin for judges' choice
People's Choice Award for most number of votes on Facebook

All entries will be virtually judged by a panel of expert gingerbread architects who will bestow additional festive awards! Winners will be announced on on architects.org and on BSA social media platforms on December 21, 2020.

Competition and submission rules:

To be eligible for the competition, you or a representative for your team must complete the registration form by Monday, November 20, 2020 at 5 PM EST. Entries that are not registered will not be accepted to the competition.
We will begin accepting pre-registered submissions in mid-November. For each entry, we will accept up to five (5) photographs, two (2) videos, two (2) sketches, and one (1) rendering. Minimum submission must include at least one (1) image. More information on the submission process will be included in your welcome packet.
All visible elements on your gingerbread creation must be edible.
Voting will begin on December 10, 2020 when the virtual exhibition launches. Everyone will be encouraged to vote, both with their dollars and their "likes."
Please remember that this is a family friendly competition! The BSA reserves the right to not display an entry considered to be inappropriate.

Why donate to the BSA?

This festive exhibition supports serious work. All of the donations we receive directly benefit the BSA's public programs, including our community design projects. These programs provide design assistance to neighborhoods and community organizations typically left out of architecture and planning conversations, working to bring neighborhood voices into larger design processes. In the recent past, the BSA Foundation has been involved in projects in Roslindale, East Boston, Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan, working on issues ranging from climate resiliency to healthy schoolyards to affordable neighborhood housing.

Additional questions?

For any additional questions you may have about this year's Gingerbread Design Competition & Exhibition, please email [email protected].

The Gingerbread Design Competition, a program of the BSA, was launched by the Community Design Resource Center (CDRC) in 2012.