TSA Gingerbread City 2024: Call for Submissions

Calling all makers and bakers! Get those ovens warming and those counters floured because the TSA’s fifth annual Gingerbread City is back for another year of delicious structures and edible creations! This community building event brings together architects, designers, and gingerbread lovers alike to create whimsical and unique edible creations that inspire and delight. 

Gingerbread City is a hybrid program, with both a virtual showcase on our website and a small in-person display at the Maker Bean Café (1052 Bloor St W). Whether you’re an individual submission or a team, Gingerbread City is open to all and free to enter, so we invite everyone to participate in this year’s festivities!

 


 

Excited to show off your creations? We’re bringing back our drop-in Meet the Makers event featuring some of the talented gingerbread architects behind this year’s showcase, so it’s a great opportunity to come meet the people behind the builds and learn about their gingerbread making process.

Looking to get the kids involved? The TSA is also hosting its annual Kids’ Main Street workshops as part of the TSA’s Gingerbread City, where the youngest designers in the family are invited to design and decorate their very own Main Street façades.

 

 

Submission Guidelines

Gingerbread City is all about having fun, so we won’t bog it down with a lot of rules. We only ask that all visible elements in your creations are edible! For In-Person displays, we also ask that you keep your creation’s bases to no larger than 2’x2’. 

 

For In-Person Display Submissions

If you plan to display your creation in-person, please send us an email or let us know here (ideally by Dec. 6) so we can plan for the exhibit! We have limited space for this in-person display, so submissions will be approved on a first-come, first-serve basis, and you will receive confirmation from the TSA Team if your submission is able to be displayed in-person. These submissions will need to be dropped off on Dec. 11 between 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM at Maker Bean Café (1052 Bloor St W). If you are unable to drop off your completed gingerbread structure on that day, please let us know by emailing us at tsa@torontosocietyofarchitects.ca. If you would also like your creation featured in our virtual showcase, in addition to in-person, please follow the below instructions.

Please let us know by December 6 if you wish to display in the storefront, and all completed submissions are required by December 11, unless you have gotten in touch with us about accomodations.

 

For Digital Submissions

No pre-registration is required – we’ll just need some photos for the showcase! Please submit by December 11, the below deliverables:

  • A completed Submission Form
  • A description of your creation
  • Up to 5 images (a mix of vertical and horizontal formats works best)
  • Optional: Want to send us something extra special? Your submissions can include up to two bonus elements. So whether it be a video, flythrough, architectural plans, instructions on how to replicate them or a whimsical collage, get creative and surprise us!

 

 

FAQ

Are there any size restrictions?

There are no height restrictions in our Gingerbread City! For physical submissions that will be displayed at the storefront, we ask that bases are no larger than 2’x2’ – this makes it easier for us to plan for the display layout! However, if you would like to make your gingerbread creation another size for in-person display, please let us know in the registration form.

If you are planning to submit only online, there are no size restrictions to your gingerbread creations.  That being said, if you are new to gingerbread we recommend keeping your creations to no bigger than 24”x24”x24” – this will make the spans a bit easier to deal with and make sure it fits in your oven! 

 

Can I only use gingerbread and do I have to bake it myself?

Not at all! Whether prefab or custom build, gingerbread or another sweet creation, the choice is yours! Whatever you decide to do, just make sure your creation is reflective of your design intent and that it is edible. We highly encourage material explorations so while gingerbread is a strong and reliable structural material, feel free to explore alternatives! 

 

I’m not an architect, can I still submit? 

Everyone is invited to take part—you don’t have to be a TSA Member (or an architect) to participate! 

 

Are team submissions acceptable? 

We’ve designed this year’s showcase for maximum flexibility, so whether you are an individual or a team (perhaps a studio or a family?), all submissions are welcome. Just make sure to let us know when you complete the submission form!

In-Person Display Registration Form
Submission Form

When Dec. 6 (Register and let us know you'd like to display in-person)
Dec. 11 (Deadline for all submissions)

Where Online & Maker Bean Café (1052 Bloor St W)

Duration Dec. 12 - Jan. 10 (In-Person Display Up)

Cost Free to submit

Host Toronto Society of Architects

Tips, Tricks and Resources 

First time making gingerbread? Or perhaps looking to level-up your edible construction techniques? We’ve put together a handy list of tips, tricks and resources (including some TSA-tested recipes) to help you when baking your gingerbread creations. Check out our handy Resources page!

Looking for inspiration for your gingerbread creations? Check out our Gingerbread City page to explore all past submissions.


Program Sponsor

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