RSHP wins the Great Architectural Bake Off
15 June 2017
Roger Stirk Harbour + Partners has proved itself to be masters of cakeitecture for the second year in a row, winning the Great Architectural Bake Off 2017.
Roger Stirk Harbour + Partners has proved itself to be masters of cakeitecture for the second year in a row, winning the Great Architectural Bake Off 2017.
At the GABO this year, bakers were asked to produce architectural wonders of gastronomy that explored the London Festival of Architecture’s theme of ‘Memory’.
The competition was fierce between 14 architectural rivals, as each practice battled to be crowned the winning team of 2017.
RSHP chose the project Arenas de Barcelona, which the practice converted from a bullring to a retail and leisure complex, completing the project in 2011. The talented team wowed the judges with a complex bake utilising different skills to realise different aspects of the building. A tiered Spanish orange cake formed the inside of the bullring, with carefully ornamented gingerbread making the façade. Hundreds and thousands represented a layer of colourful spectators, and the matador and bull were formed of sugarwork.
The team spirit was raised by matching aprons featuring a bull and matador graphic drawn by associate partner Maurice Brennan.
The competition was fierce, but the preparation and hard work the team put in paid off and they were rewarded with the trophy.
The event was organised by WATG and Wimberly Interiors, and the judges included: Alice Rawsthorn, New York Times design critic; Rose Carrarini, founder of the Rose Bakery; Tamsie Thompson, director of the LFA; Harriet Thorpe, architectural journalist at Wallpaper*; and Daniela Puga, architecture curator at the Barbican.
Their scoring was based on innovative use of materials, creativity, realistic representation, and importantly taste. Extra points were awarded for incorporating ‘memory’ into the bakes.
