SINGAPORE: World-renowned and award-winning integrated design firm WATG hosted the second edition of its popular Great Architectural Bake-Off in Singapore on 29 September.
Following the incredible success of the inaugural competition in 2017, WATG’s Great Architectural Bake-Off returned to Singapore in partnership with Archifest with a theme of “Asian Icons.”
Guests gathered at the buzzy new co-working space the Hive Carpenter on Saturday afternoon to watch as Singapore’s top design firms put their skills to the test and competed head-to-head to create some of Asia’s most iconic buildings entirely out of cake.
The team from URA were crowned this year’s winners with their creative entry of the Prada Aoyama in Tokyo. Their design particularly impressed the judges due to their innovative efforts of 3D printing the glass crystal panels for their structure.
Wilson Associates came in second with their culinary rendition of The Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, Japan. The team’s efforts saw them flying out to Bangkok specially to get the edible gold leaf foil used for the temple.
The honour of tastiest building went to JTC Singapore with their delicious rendition of the Jurong Town Hall in Singapore.
After the competition and hours of hard work, participants deconstructed their creations for the crowds that had gathered who were then able to taste the cakes for themselves.
“We’re thrilled to have returned for the second year of the competition in Singapore,” said Bill Reed, Vice President and Senior Project Leader, Singapore. “Each team has showcased their undeniable skill and creativity offering a beautiful and delicious array of entries for the judges and guests to enjoy.”
Other entries this year included WATG’s The Hill of the Buddha, last year’s champions DP Architects with the Wisma 46 in Jakarta, SAA’s adaptation of the Fujian Tulou earth houses in China, RSP Architects with Singapore’s own Changi Airport and Surbana Jurong with their take on China’s CCTV Headquarters.
The edible entries were judged by a world-class panel of industry experts including Mario Cittadino, Executive Chef at Mandarin Oriental Singapore, Christina Thean, Director of Park + Associates and SIA Council Member & Co-Chairperson, Joseph Sergentakis, Executive Chef at Ce La Vi, and Chan Kiat Ng, Food & Beverage Manager at Park Hotel Group.
WATG is one of the world’s leading integrated design firms with 73 years of history continually operating as an independent firm. WATG’s interior design firm, Wimberly Interiors, was recently ranked 18th by Interior Design Magazine in their 2017 Hospitality Giants survey.
In 2017, WATG and Wimberly Interiors designed over 240 projects in 52 countries on four continents on behalf of distinguished brands such as Bellagio, St Regis, Hard Rock, Nobu, Six Senses, Four Seasons, Fairmont, Ritz-Carlton, Viceroy, Belmond, Rosewood and Hyatt. In addition, the firm designed numerous mixed-use and urban projects on behalf of institutional and development partners in Dubai, China, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Since the firm’s inception in Hawaii in 1945, WATG has grown to offer integrated design services comprising strategy, planning, architecture, landscape and interiors for urban, tourism and resort destinations.
WATG and Wimberly Interiors have offices in Irvine, Beverly Hills, Seattle, Chicago, New York, London, Miami, Dubai, Singapore, Shanghai and Honolulu, and are best known for creating internationally acclaimed destinations in more than 170 countries across six continents. WATG’s projects are renowned not only for their design and sense of place but also for their bottom-line success. For more information visit: www.WATG.com
Initiated by the Singapore Institute of Architects in 2007, Archifest is an annual festival for the city to celebrate architecture and the built environment. Celebrating its 10th edition this year, Archifest is a platform for all walks of life to discuss, debate and deliberate architectural issues. Participants will find themselves engaging in uninhibited dialogues, creative collaborations and a constant exchange of ideas.
Archifest aims to provide an opportunity to breed a vibrant design culture and consequently a design conscious society by encouraging and guiding the public and design professionals of all fields to interact in a fun and free atmosphere.
