Catching a train I choo choo on into London and headed to Somerset House where I explored The Museum of Architecture Gingerbread City which consisted of over 100 buildings made by a number of architects.
On a complimentary basis I was invited down by Somerset House to explore the city of sugar and spice as well as creating my own train station to take home.
Museum of Architecture Gingerbread City
Museum of Architecture again brings to London it’s hugely popular Gingerbread City exhibition to Somerset House, which challenges leading architects, engineers and designers in creating a futuristic city made out of gingerbread and confectionery.
This annual exhibition, now in its fourth year, organised by the Museum of Architecture. This year’s theme explores the theme of transportation. With many architects, engineers and designers used their expertise to get their bake on and create a city out of gingerbread using their imaginative techniques to show new ways of moving around a densely populated cities.
Participants this year include Foster + Partners, PDP London, PLP Architecture, Turner Works, Phase3 plus last year’s winners Atkins Global and Grimshaw, KPF, Hildrey Studio and HKS. All of which will be going head to head to be crowned the winners of 2019. Question is who will win?.
Plus new for this year are a series of daily family friendly and adult gingerbread train station making workshops to get your creative juices steaming and a gift shop.
Visiting the Gingerbread City 2019
This year’s Gingerbread City organised by the Museum of Architecture is all focused around transportation and is held within Somerset House.
Immersing myself in the City of Gingerbread
Stepping through the doors of Somerset House I soon was immersed in a city of Gingerbread.
With over 100 buildings made out of sugar and sweetness I was mesmerised as I explored this mini, edible city which is all inspired by cutting-edge technologies and sustainable design ideas by architects.
Don’t forget to also peek through the windows of the buildings as there is plenty to see with mini gingerbread families having dinner or hard at work.
I also learnt that this Gingerbread City represented seven different areas (Research and University District, Gingerbread City Cultural Quarter, Sustainable Quarter, Gingerbread Waterfront, Castle Hill, Connected Quarter and London Quarter Island) each with it’s own character and age reflecting different parts of the city. Each with a different topography, relations to water, and transport opportunistic for its residents and visitors. Some have collections of older buildings, whilst others are newly master planned areas that have been used to intensify the city and bring in new residents, workers and visitors. Full details of each area can be read before entering the exhibition entrance.
Plus be sure to read more about the architects and designers who built this gingerbread city via the information boards dotted around the exhibition. I must also note that the boards are produced by Contour Direct who also designed my logo.
Plus the boards are made out of recyclable material as the Gingerbread City are also trying to promote about saving and helping the environment.
After taking in so much information and exploring my way around the city I don’t know how I resisted in not taking a bite out of it with the smell of gingerbread and other sugary confectionery. I wish I could have eaten parts but even though edible I must remember this is for display purposes only.
Each and every single building was mesmerising but for me personally these are the ones which stood out:
Gingerbread workshop fun
The next day I returned to attend the Gingerbread workshop in which I got to build and design my own train station.
Upon entering the workshop I notice two long tables in which are gingerbread walls, icing and sweets which are ready and waiting for us to start to assemble our train stations.
With a little guidance we are taught what to do but it was up to us to design the way we would like our station to look.
With a pipe there and a pipe here I soon got my train station up and running with my own gingerbread train.
My friend Bianca who met me even added her own creative flair to it by graffiti the back wall of my train station with the wording Love Pop Ups London.
I name my station LPUL Discovery.
However my station was not what you would call perfection and most likely a five year old probably could do a better job than me so with it looking like it was about to collapse a demolition was called for.
These are two of Gingerbread Train Stations which were made by some other adults during the masterclass I attended which I think were very impressive.
Gingertastic
I highly recommend both the exhibition of The Gingerbread City as well as the Gingerbread Masterclass as they are both such good fun.
I loved exploring and immersing myself through the Gingerbread City discovering little hidden gems whilst gazing through the windows as well as following the train along the tracks discovering many buildings which were fantasy or based on famous London landmarks. Question is how many famous landmarks can you find and name within this Gingerbread City of sugar and sweetness?
The Gingerbread Masterclass was a hoot, with a pipe here and pipe there, with my gingerbread walls falling in on me I will now always look at a train station and think about the time I tried to build one out of gingerbread. I highly recommend if you love getting handy with icing and sweets as this is so much fun. Think British Bake-Off but without Noel’s shirts or any soggy bottoms.
Book now
Somerset House
Lancaster Place, New Wing
London
WC2E 7EE
Somerset House Gingerbread City 2019
Visit The Gignerbread City exhibition from 7 December 2019 through to 5 January 2020.
Full Price £9.00 / Under 12s £7.00 / Under 3s Free.
Monday, Tuesday, Saturday & Sundays 10:00 – 18:00
Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays 10:00-20:00
Until 23:00 (last entry 22:00 on Sat 07 Dec 2019
Click here to book.
Gingerbread Masterclass
Family workshop (1 adult, 1 child) with exhibition ticket: £42.00
Family workshop (1 adult, 1 child) without exhibition ticket: £35.00
Adult workshop (max 2 adults) with exhibition ticket: £42.00
Adult workshop (max 2 adults) without exhibition ticket: £35.00
The workshop ticket covers the cost of making 1 gingerbread house for 1 child and their accompanying adult. All materials to make the gingerbread house will be supplied. Advance booking online is essential.
Gingerbread Ingredients: Butter, Ginger, Egg, Icing Sugar, Sugar, Golden Syrup, Bicarbonate Soda, Flour. Some of the candy contains: cows milk, wheat, soy and gelatin
The workshops run daily:
Families workshops
10:30 – 12:00
13:00 – 14:30
15:30 -17:00
Adult workshops (13 years+)
18:00 -19:30 (Wednesdays, Thursday and Fridays only)
Click here to book.
Thank you to Somerset House for inviting me down to explore the city of Gingerbread exhibition by Museum of Architects.
Plus a number of others went on other dates to explore the city of Gingerbread and release their inner creativity in building their very own Gingerbread Train Station. Click below to be redirected to read all their write ups. All our views are of our own honest opinions.
“I love going out discovering new and existing restaurants, theatres, immersive experiences and so much more but I also love staying in and discovering new gadgets, gaming and cooking.
