Architecture Bake Off – The Winners

We’re delighted to announce the winners of each category of this year’s LFA (online) architecture bake off.

To vote for your favourite, follow the link below. Voting closes at midday on  June 30th.

[VOTING HAS NOW CLOSED]

Our judges this year reviewed 50 cakes across 3 categories.  Our judges this year were:

• Tamsie Thomson, Director of the LFA
• Carolyn Dwyer, Director of the Built Environment, City of London
• Tom Ravenscroft – Editor Dezeen
• Cesar Fernandez, Home Economist at Miele

What struck the judges was the fun that everyone had baking. We’ve put together this short video with some highlights.

You can see all the entries for the individual, kids and architects‘ categories.

We’re delighted to announce the winners and runners up for each category below. We’ll be putting these to a public vote next week – with the overall winner getting our prize from Miele.

Architects Category

Runner Up: The Colour Palace by Andrew Newell, Sybarite (LFA10)

Runner Up: Palace of Westminster by Kelsey and Flora, Pilbrow & Partners (LFA09)

Winner: No1 Poultry by Kate Edmondson, Penoyre & Prasad (LFA17)

Our Judges said:

“Great use of sponge mixture to replicate the building and amazing overview shot at the end where you can even appreciate the work done on the inside.”

“Incr-edible. Its as if the cake came first and the building was modelled after it. This has seriously got me wondering if that was Stirling’s inspiration – it would explain a lot! Everything form the laying to the confectionary detailing and the interiors [this had the interior right – delete if not] is perfect. A worthy winner.”

Kate said: 

“It has taken All-sorts to create this bake on James Stirling’s groundcaking PoMo treat – no.1 Poultry. It is a powerful statement against mainstream architecture and preserved in sugar

We know it’s not everyone’s Jam – but it gets the crumbs up from us. Just look at those sandwiched layers of coloured sponge sculpted to reveal those sweet curves, angles, and colonnades of this London icon. There is even a hidden triangular courtyard. An array of allsorts are quite literally the icing on the cake – picking out Stirling’s signature coloured windows, punched openings and that iconic clock tower. Seriously dough these details bake all the difference!”

Individual Category

Runners Up: Battersea Power Station by Emily Wilson (LFA30)

Runners Up: Palace of Westminster by Catriona Martin-Lennie (LFA65)

Runners Up: St Pauls Cathedral by Lucy Atwood (LFA77)

Winner: Colour Palace by Samantha Tse

Our Judges said:

Probably my favourite piece of the whole competition. Attention to detail in every single component, from the geometrical structure to the most accurate cylinders which is something [this judge] was checking on every single one of them

The only thing that could have made the Colour Palace better was making it edible, and Samantha has nailed it! Samantha took this challenge to another level. Not only does it look and like the building it was also constructed like the building. Perhaps this is how she achieved such an effective result!

Samantha said:

“The inspiration behind my LFA bake is the bold, bright and unique Colour Palace

The ginger biscuit frame (with a snap and good kick of ginger) is cemented together with caramel. This gives the cube structural integrity to hang off each individual panel

To replicate the explosion of colour and light shining through the timber panels; I’ve cut out the geometric pattern on each biscuit and used boiled sweets to create a stained glass effect, decorating with piped lines

Chocolate cake covered in red fondant make up the red cylinders, which thankfully has proved to be study enough to hold up the entire structure

I’ve loved every minute of the bake, even through the mishaps (there’s nothing caramel can’t stick back together it seems) and have enough offcuts to build a whole new entry!” 

Kid Category

Runner Up:  Colour Palace baked by Thea  (LFA24)

Winner: Battersea Power Station baked by Jasper  (27)

Our Judges said:

“A future architect for sure. Jasper has taken the buildings original form and updated it to create something modern, fun and fantastic. [Frank] Ghery would be proud.”

“Kudos for the hard work and effort using different bakes to create such a huge replica of Battersea power station.”

Jasper said:

“My cake has three layers of Victoria sponge with strawberries and cream between and chocolate icing. The chimneys are rice crispie cake and the cranes are gingerbread. It is delicious!”

To vote for your favourite, follow the link below. Voting closes at midday on  June 30th.

Vote