You know it, you love it, you fear it—Pumpkitecture! is back.

Start your Halloween festivities at the Center for Architecture’s seventh annual pumpkin carving competition on Wednesday, October 29! In celebration of Archtober's 15-year anniversary and in tandem with this year's festival theme Shared Spaces, this year's Pumpkitecture! is taking shape under the theme of public space. We’re asking carvers to create joyous pumpkin public places and spaces! What does the future of public space look like in a gourd-gous city? How can architects and planners connect communities like the webs of squash innards? Treat your pumpkin like a façade, a plaza, or gathering space that brings us together.

New York City-based firms will go gourd to gourd to once again compete for the Pritzkerpumpkin. Who will squash the competition? What firm will succeed in summoning the Brutal ghost of Marcel Booeuer or invoking the spirit of Michael Gravesyard? Will the Crowned Curibita be inspired by Frank-o-Lloyd Wright’s Guggengourd?

Come witness architects live-carve extraordinary structures and vote for the People’s Pumpkin. The carving will commence at 6:15 and run through 7:30. The competing architecture and design firms will briefly defend their designs, after which jurors will deliberate and pick the winning pumpkin. Enjoy spooky snacks and libations while you watch the competition (register here)!

Are you part of an architecture or design firm that would like to participate in this year’s competition? Register your firm here.