The BSA is excited to announce the 10th annual Gingerbread Design Competition & Exhibition. This exhibition will take place in a hybrid format which means that we will accept both physical and virtual submissions. The more gingerbread, the merrier! 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.

There will be multiple ways to view this year’s Gingerbread Design Competition! We will display the physical gingerbread models at BSA Space and we will showcase all virtual submissions in an online exhibition. In addition to that, all gingerbread submissions will be featured on the BSA’s social media platforms.

The BSA recently launched a new exhibition, Imaginations of Home, which focuses on housing models that are centered around ideas of affordability, sustainability, and accessibility and encourages viewers to think expansively about what home and housing mean to them. With this in mind, we are excited to announce this year's gingerbread competition theme, "Home Sweet Home," to invite more (this time, edible) explorations of home, housing, and domesticity.

Additional Information

Where do I register?

Registration is now closed.

Where can I find the Welcome Packet and the Family Guide?

Use the following links to access the welcome packet and family guide:

• Welcome Packet
• Family Guide

Important dates:

November 15, 2021 | Deadline to register

November 29, 2021 | Deadline to submit virtually or at BSA Space

December 2, 2021 | Exhibition opens at BSA Space and online, voting opens

December 13, 2021 | Online voting closes at midnight

December 16, 2021 | All winners announced on architects.org and social media platforms (@BSAAIA)
(Please note that due to COVID-related concerns, we will not be having an in-person reception this year.)

Awards

Awards will be given for the following categories:

• Golden Whisk for most amount of money raised through donation-based voting
• Silver Spatula for most number of individual votes through donation-based voting
• 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 gingerbread experts who will bestow additional festive awards!

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 15, 2021. 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) sketches, one (1) video, 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 (LED lights are accepted and encouraged).
• Voting will begin on December 2, 2021 when the exhibition launches (in person and online). 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.

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.