2025 STEAM EXPO

The Judges Committee has awarded this submission EXCELLENCE IN ARCHITECTURAL CUISINE

PROJECT SUMMARY

Have you ever wondered what happens when architecture meets pastry? That's exactly what I wanted to do, an exploration of the iconic Chenonceau Castle... in cake form! We embark on a journey to unite the realms of food and architecture, with the goal of tempting the taste buds while opening our eyes to the wonders of design. I did my best to ignite a frenzy of creativity, inspiring interdisciplinary collaborations that combined art, culinary artistry and cutting-edge technology. From sculpting marzipan towers to integrating immersive experiences, our cake became more than just a dessert: it became a gateway to a world where imagination knows no limits.

WHY?

This project aimed to merge architecture and food, showcasing the Château de Chenonceau in cake form to promote appreciation of architecture in a novel way. It aimed to inspire creativity, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, explore techniques, and integrate technology for immersive experiences. Through this, it sought to blur boundaries between disciplines, encouraging innovative approaches to design and appreciation.

HOW?

After many difficulties and change of minds, the project began with meticulous research into the architectural intricacies of the Château de Chenonceau, then with the help of the teachers of Creative Building I started by making my scale model that took most of the time (3 weeks). After that, just within 6 hours I embarked on a culinary adventure to explore innovative techniques using the state-of.the-art machines that the school provides such as the Rational to cook the cakes, ultrafreezer and interactive elements to bring the vision alive. In this process the scale model had to be reduced due to the amount of food that it needs, but that was a well handled problem where I was able and excited to push the boundaries of a traditional cake design, aiming to not just replicate the château's façade but to evoke its spirit in every detail. The final product came being an authentic “Château de Chenonceau” made 100% of cake couvert with marshmallow fondant.

WHAT?

Through the project, we uncovered the dynamic fusion of food and architecture embodied in the Château de Chenonceau cake prototype. Employing traditional cake decorating techniques and innovative methods, I meticulously recreated the château's intricate design using edible materials. Even though it didn't come out being as good as I expected, I'm sure there's so many incredible possibilities and so much future to this project.

SO WHAT?

In our culinary journey, blending the Château de Chenonceau into a delicious masterpiece, I uncovered the enchanting harmony between food and architecture and the dedication, passion and effort that you have to put through it so that it comes to something beautiful. Through immersive experiences, I ignited a fervor for exploring architectural wonders in innovative ways, sparking curiosity and admiration. This trip showed me that when old ways mix with new ideas, there's no limit to what I can create. It made me feel more connected to where I am. Hopefully, my journey will encourage others to blend art, food, and design in new ways, making experiences that bring us all together and make our creative world richer.

WHAT'S NEXT?

To extend my project into new realms of innovation, we could collaborate with renowned chefs, architects, and technologists to create a larger-than-life immersive experience: a pop-up exhibition where guests step into a life-sized edible replica of the Château de Chenonceau, or if I had the opportunity to do this project again, I could make another cake with much simpler materials where I exploit the use and characteristics of each element, such as fruits for windows, cookie ceilings, etc.

REFERENCES & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank all of the teachers of the Creative Building that are in my school, teacher Luciano, Rodney, Jorge who gave many ideas to help me with the beginning of the project but specially to teacher Celeste, Bruno and Ruth who helped me through everything and supported me with my not so easy ideas and also encouraged me to follow through so that I can get to my goal and learn.

Château de Chenonceau. (2017, May 29). The history of the château | Chenonceau. Chenonceau. https://www.chenonceau.com/en/chateau/the-history-of-the-chateau/

Import, F. (2022, November 24). Architectural food plates. https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/architectural-food-plates

McSorley, C. P. (2003, December 17). Forming a culinary architecture. https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/items/d1928afa-3cc1-4e45-93e0-2bf53e040b25

Professionals called ‘Food architect’ – Southgate & Sarabia Architects. (n.d.). https://www.southgate-sarabia.co.uk/articles/professionals-called-food-architect/#:~:text=Food%20architecture%20is%20defined%20as,used%20to%20present%20any%20cuisine.

JUDGES FEEDBACK

I have to admit my taste buds were tempted just reading the project summary -- great copywriting skills, you really sold it! I love the choice of an iconic chateau with such a rich history. I am intrigued by the immersive experience - would that include eating the model?

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