Brief - Adam Drizen:

For many people in Boston, building a gingerbread house is a family tradition, but even those without the tradition will be drawn to the life-size Gingerbread Wonderland. The attractions of Gingerbread Wonderland encompass family, excitement, playfulness, and spontaneity. Located in Boston Common the Gingerbread Wonderland will be open to the public, and the hope is that it will motivate families and people of all ages to explore the park in the winter months. The house is a place for people to visit, explore, and help build.

The primary joy of making a gingerbread house does not come from eating it, but from the building and decorating. This house, large enough for people to walk inside, can be designed by the community using the available foam ginger panels, candies and other decorations. Inside the house hangs a swing that generates soap bubbles when people swing on it. Accessible scaffolding around the house allows users to reach higher areas to decorate. Two slides with candy-cane railings attached to the scaffolding offer alternate ways to return to ground level The Gingerbread Wonderland will make people come out into the city in winter, generating more fun for the children outside and a stronger community. 

Brief - Samantha Shapiro:

A life-size playground gingerbread house that incorporates hands-on foam decorating, a bubble machine swing, and two candy cane-themed slides to excite children and bring in families. The aim is to help families stay connected during a busy time of year as well as to promote play and outdoor activity in the winter. 

For many people, building and decorating gingerbread houses brings back memories of family and childhood happiness. By bringing a life-size gingerbread house into a Boston Commons playground, families will be able to relive these moments and create new lifelong memories. Gingerbread House offers a combination of hands-on decorating, swinging, and sliding to excite children. A scaffolding walkway around the side of the house enables guests to add foam decorations on two levels. In this one-of-a-kind experience, guests can not only slide down two hollowed candy canes but also swing on top of a human-sized gingerbread man triggering a bubble machine. This playhouse helps keep families active outside during the winter and aims to challenge the construct that play is just for kids. While at first sight, this attraction may appeal most to kids, adults will also enjoy the atmosphere of the space as well as the building and decorating aspects. As for Boston, this installation would bring in a new sense of energy. In Boston, often the coldest days are the dreariest. With this installation, these days would attract the most people and bring the most energy to this snowy city.