Gingerbread Adventures at OMSI

This wasn't quite what we expected, but it was still interesting.

We once went to a display that was fundraising for hunger. It featured elaborate gingerbread structures built through collaborations of architecture firms with bakeries and restaurants. This was similar, except with very little in the way of traditional structure.

The differences could be attributed to a focus on science. That was initially heard by us as focusing on earthquake resistance. I am thrilled with seasonal seismic safety, but this wasn't that either. So really it was science-fiction inspired, where the gingerbread mainly stood in for dirt. I am not sure how that related to science, but here are the individual structures.

Welcome to Portland, Mars, by SRM Architecture and The Nines/Urban Farmer: This depicts an airport for arrival on Mars. Then lots of red dirt and dust makes sense.

At that other exhibit (long ago at Pioneer Place), the McCormick and Schmick's (I think) one had a marzipan octopus (and a sleigh drawn by gummi dolphins), and this reminded me of that. I don't think Urban Farmer is known for their seafood, but for the home of the Departure Lounge an airport motif makes sense.

My favorite touches here are the Oregon-shaped Portland sign, the underground tram (I think it looks good, lots of airports do it, and if you are on Mars, a lot of things are going to be underground), and the little gingerbread man jauntily perched on the control tower.

Planet of Roses by ZGF Architects and Nel Centro: It shows an exotic garden and organic market.

I would not know there is a market if the sign hadn't mentioned it, so while very Portland, I don't think the execution was great. That being said, the terraces work as both a nod to the structure of the International Test Garden, and to remind me of how terraforming (which would not necessarily involve terraces, though you can use them to create micro-climates) would be a key part of Martian colonization.

This was not the only one that incorporated a tram, but it's a nice touch.

Portland Outpost Mars (P.O.M.) by MWA Architects and The Dessert Tray: This shows a yeti colony that pays tribute to their home of Portland.

If we get past yetis not originating in Portland - and no one else was going for realistic depictions of humans anyway- I like this one a lot. It reminds me of the Macy's building better than the one affiliated with the Macy's building.

That may not be intentional, as that shape could also be reminiscent of the KOIN Tower, but check out this Convention Center in-spire-ation.

The design was overall colorful and fun, making it a strong contender.

Ground Control to Santa Claus by LRS Architects and Nothing Bundt Cakes: NASA is helping Santa with a departure from Kennedy Space Center.

This is the one I ultimately ended up voting for. I liked the incorporation of Rice Krispie treats. I love the inclusion of the space shuttle with the external tank and rocket boosters, allowing the comparison and contrast with the position of the sleigh.

I also enjoyed the pen of backup reindeer. What really put me over the edge, though, was that there was a visible interior to the building, with licorice all-sorts as gifts. This won me over on both cleverness and attention to detail.

Marscape Superlife by Soderstrom Architects and Bon Appétit Management Company: This colony consists largely of domed living quarters, underground facilities, and tall communication towers.

 This one probably has the most realistic vision of how a colony would go, and it shows some ingenuity with the incorporation of rock crystals and apparently melted hard candies to give a colored glass effect. At the same time, it left me cold.

I think it was a combination of too much dirt, and some sense of it being off-balance. The gap between the two towers - both because of the distance between them and the difference in height between them and the lower structures - creates too much void. Appropriate for space exploration, I suppose, but it feels like this could have been better.

GingerTARDIS by Dangermond Keane Architecture and Délice Chocolate and Confections: Instead of future Portland, the Doctor comes to present Portland to battle Daleks.

This was another strong contender. While not very scientific, I thought it made the best use of gingerbread.

This came through in the rocky structures that don't necessarily look like a local part of Portland, but they are interesting and artistic. Maybe the fractured pieces stuck together is a concession to the difficulty of working with gingerbread, but they look good.

This was also true of the trees, and here we have the best Portland sign. Also, I just think putting a Dalek in a Santa hat is funny.

I'm sure someone will see it and be inspired to create a gingerbread tableau of weeping angels, which could be Christmas-y, I guess.

Gingerbread Adventures will be featured in the Turbine Room through January 2nd.

https://www.omsi.edu/calendar/gingerbread-adventures