Underwater & Floating City
The ability to build without land presents an entirely different sphere for living, where water becomes the landscape and townscape.
Underwater and floating development offers a sea of possibility, and the last few years have seen a proliferation of new underwater and floating architecture projects around the world. Underwater projects can be built on land and placed in the water once complete, or constructed while the water is temporarily held back from the site with dam-like structures. In either case, careful engineering is required to keep the structures strong and water tight. Floating structures have a longer history, but more recently have been growing in scale, with entire office buildings now resting on barge-like floats.
The Underwater and Floating City is at the cutting edge of water living, claiming new spaces for people and providing maximum proximity to the water.
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Sea Turtle Heritage Centre
Heritage Centre
AHMM
The Turtle Heritage Centre is formed of geodesic domes, clustered on the ocean seabed. They are designed to withstand drastic environmental changes, providing large spans of programmable space for visitors to observe conservation and take a closer look at wildlife. The centre’s main goal is to educate visitors about the depleting coral, endangered turtle species and human impact on the marine environment.
Established in 1989 with offices in London, Bristol and Oklahoma City, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris makes buildings that are satisfying and enjoyable to use, beautiful to look at and easy to understand.
Marsh-mallow haven
Wetlands
Bausager & Bouquet
Marsh-mallow haven is a bird habitat and wetland center constructed on floating manmade islands. The islands can adjust to rising water levels and are made from repurposed industrial materials found from the ex industrial zone. Some of the island can be accessed with bridges and a visitor center includes a rooftop garden that acts as a viewing platform for bird watching. The space as a whole is designed to encourage access and connection to nature and allow for the flora and fauna in the area to thrive.
Bausager and Bouquet is a landscape design studio based in London and Copenhagen. We are committed to creating artisanal and environmentally sensitive designs, with a strong focus on spaces that connect people to nature and wildlife. Our methodology is to take both in situ and abstract inspiration from the environments we interact with.
Fondant Flood Plain
Waterside Floodplain Park
BBUK Studio
An Ecologists Dream: The fondant floodplain draws inspiration from naturalised marshlands. This familiar landscape is complete with climate tree communities, tall grass wetlands, water dwelling halophytic plants. The remnants of a beached boat in the bog, providing its own special ecosystem. Visitors can spot unique bird and aquatic species from the hide and boats can navigate by the lighthouse.
BBUK is an award-winning landscape practice that has delivered transformative landscape design on a wide range of projects including public realm at large scale residential developments, civic masterplans, streetscape design guidance, public parks, private gardens, roof terraces and open spaces. We always seek to find the extraordinary in the ordinary.
Saltwater Taffy Sports Centre
Community and Sports Centre
Broadwater Farm Team and Local Residents, Haringey Council
Below the surface, a diverse community thrives and plays. Welcome to the Saltwater Taffy Sports Centre, where you can try your tentacles at scuba football, swimnastics on the reef bar park, rockpool climbing, tending to the aquaculture, or why not join a yoga class, gills optional. Co-produced with local Haringey residents and young people through Project 2020.
Haringey Council’s Broadwater Farm Team is a multi-disciplinary regeneration and project team. We work alongside local people to improve the estate to make it a better and safer place for the community to live, work and socialise. Our gingerbread structure was created with residents and young people, through Project 2020.
Illuminom-nom-nom
Lighthouse
Cundall
Surrounded by sugary sea, our gingerbread lighthouse helps guide the residents of the Floating City. A gingerbread bridge spans from the lighthouse to shore, allowing the lighthouse keeper easy access to their home when tides allow. At unusually high tides, a boat must be used instead, using the buoy to avoid colliding with the submerged bridge.
Cundall is a global, independent, multi-disciplinary consultancy delivering sustainable engineering and design solutions across the built environment.
Rainbow Aqua Park
Bidisha Sinha
Rainbow Aqua Park – Imagined as a series of floating islands within the water body each island can be visited through a network of wafer pedestrian bridges. The islands each have an unique theme which can be explored at leisure.
Siren Crispie Reservoir
Landscape
EPR Architects
What lives in the Siren Crispie Reservoir? Calming crispie hills, filled with fruitful foliage and tranquil streams. The waterfall tap guides down to the reservoir’s mysterious depths showing a pampered mermaid, one which would not go amiss in the exclusive King Street Townhouse’s tranquil spa (which EPR worked on).
EPR Architects is an award-winning architecture bakery delivering exemplary architecture, masterplanning and interior design. We are committed to crafting excellence, with particular expertise in the workplace, hospitality and residential sectors. Our 300-strong team works across three studios — a central London headquarters plus offices in Manchester and the Polish city of Wrocław.
Jammy Jubilee
Gathering space
Foster + Partners
Welcome to the Gingerbread Atlantis, where sugar and spice meet the depths of the sea! This confectionery masterpiece is a sweet tribute to a world where gingerbread architects tackle the challenges of rising sea levels. Icing waves crash against marzipan shores, while candy fish swim around white chocolate coral reefs.
A global studio for architecture, engineering, urbanism and design, rooted in sustainability, which was founded in 1967 by @officialnormanfoster.
Frosted Wheat Subsea Retreat
Eco Lodge
Morrow + Lorraine
The Frosted Wheat Subsea Retreat is a unique eco-lodge designed to provide a tranquil haven for those suffering from eco-anxiety. Nestled in a pristine underwater environment, Frosted Wheat Subsea Retreat unites inhabitants from above and below the sea.
Morrow + Lorraine are a London-based architectural practice creating enduring, thoughtful buildings underpinned by sustainable design. Our baking team comprises of baking enthusiasts from across the company. Drawing inspiration from our architectural projects, we blend professionalism and creativity to sculpt innovative festive treats.
HUT’s Terrarium of Tasty Treats
Meringue Cave Coral Reef
HUT Architecture
An re-imagination of London’s landscape after the drastic effects of climate change and rising sea levels. Our built environment is left uninhabitable forcing the vulnerable ‘Londoners’ to begin a new life underwater in a human terrarium. Aquatic life thrives on the sunken metropolis creating a ‘vibrant Atlantis’ that has blossomed with coral and exotic sea life.
Learning in the heart of the wetlands
School
Metropolitan Workshop
Above the flooded landscape a timber primary school together with a dynamic collection of learning pods are connected by walkways hidden between the reeds and bulrushes. These classrooms, raised on stilts, offer students a unique environment within which they not only learn about nature but they learn from nature.
Jonny Allams, this plot’s designer and maker, is an experienced teaching and learning consultant and highly skilled playground designer/maker. This plot was a perfect opportunity to combine his passion for teaching, creative design skills and recent research completed by Metropolitan Workshop regarding the benefits of biophilic design in schools.
Wandering Waterfalls
Spa
PRP
Gingerbread people, like humans enjoy taking time to focus on their wellbeing; clearing their chocolate-chip pores in a volcano-heated sauna; cleansing their marshmallow gut by drinking candy cane concoctions, before swimming in a geothermal pool of boiled sweets, and finishing by re-awakening themselves in a chocolate encrusted bubbling mud bath.
Since 1963, PRP has been at the forefront of designing high-quality buildings that enrich the lives of users and their communities. Whether regenerating inner-city estates, masterplanning new neighbourhoods, designing commercial and industrial buildings or homes for older people, our ethos is always the same – intelligent, responsive and sustainable solutions, delivered with professionalism and total integrity.
The Kraken
Shipwreck
Purcell
Our site depicts the monster of the isomalt sea, The Kraken, attacking the gingerbread ship in an attempt to cause a shipwreck on the sugar shard rocks, where sea life resides in rock pools beneath.
We are architects, master planners and heritage consultants. Our designs evolve from a deep understanding of our shared heritage and respond to the qualities of each place. We work to improve the lives of those who use our buildings, and the long-term sustainability of each project.
Society for Underwater Glucose Applications and Research (S.U.G.A.R)
Research centre
Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design
S.U.G.A.R is a cutting edge research station that is exploring new depths and previously undiscovered species. Currently stationed here at the historic shipwreck, the gingerbread team are on the edge of an exciting discovery and will then no doubt be moving to new waters in search of their next breakthrough.
Tibbalds are an experienced team of architects, planners and urban designers, committed to making good places happen. Places that provide better opportunities for all who use them, and that draw on the best aspects of their individual character. We are motivated by creating genuinely successful places made for real people – to live and work in and to enjoy.
VOTE for Society for Underwater Glucose Applications and Research (S.U.G.A.R)
The Museum of Architecture is pleased to present the 7th edition of the hugely popular annual exhibition The Gingerbread City® at
Westfield London, White City
2nd December 2023 – January 7 2024
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
GINGERBREAD ACTIVITIES
TO DO AT HOME
Buy Creative Kits
BOOK YOUR EXHIBITION TICKET
Join one of our festive gingerbread house-making workshops taking place every day during the exhibition. Advance booking is essential.