Gingerbread City
MOSS SUND initiated a Gingerbread competition in 2017 as a way to promote comradery amongst local architecture firms, increase the profile of architects to the public and raise funds for a great local cause.
In the inaugural year we invited our friends at Barry Goldman Architect to participate. Though we had fun coming up with crazy designs with the store bought kit, there were some structural failures that caused challenges. With great design and execution – BGA was the clear winner! Most importantly – we all had fun and agreed it would be a great tradition to continue.
In 2018 we invited more East End architecture firms to join in the fun and raise funds for a good cause. This time 5 teams participated and once again, a standard grocery store kit was provided. As was to be expected, participating firms got very creative and the submissions were all unique. It was wonderful to meet our architect neighbours; people who had been strangers at the beginning of the event, left as new friends. A great evening was had and $250.00 was raised for the Red Door Family Shelter.
In 2018 we invited more East End architecture firms to join in the fun and raise funds for a good cause. This time 5 teams participated and once again, a standard grocery store kit was provided. As was to be expected, participating firms got very creative and the submissions were all unique. It was wonderful to meet our architect neighbours; people who had been strangers at the beginning of the event, left as new friends. A great evening was had and $250.00 was raised for the Red Door Family Shelter.
In 2019, MOSS SUND once again invited Toronto’s East end architects to flex their creative muscles in a friendly gingerbread design competition in support of the Red Door Shelter.
The year’s theme – 2020: The Future is Now challenged each of the 11 participating firms to envision what the future of gingerbread design could be. Teams were provided with a standard grocery store gingerbread kit – this time a Star Wars version. Using it, and any other materials they wished, the teams once again rose to the challenge with amazing entries.
Our great sponsors – Ridley Windows, Engineering Link, Hind Engineering and Bell-Camp Modular and photography by Irfan Naqi, helped make the event held at the Avling Brewery a great success. $1500.00 was raised for the charity and we had even bigger plans for 2020!
With the 2019 event barely over, we had already started working on plans to expand the event for 2020. We had begun talks with the Toronto Society of Architects to see how they could help when, well … we all know what happened in March 2020. It quickly became clear that things were not going to go as planned.
Our wish to expand, combined with the TSA looking for a fun virtual event to replace their usual festive Bash – had the makings of a great collaboration!
We are so proud to be the creators of a fun event that has evolved organically from a local gathering to a city-wide event with the added goal of raising funds for charity.
The Toronto Society of Architects has formally launched the “Gingerbread City” competition and we invite all of you to join us this holiday season as we connect, create, have some friendly competition – all while supporting the City of Toronto’s COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund.
