The following are excerpts from a Wall Street Journal article: Journalist Joshua Foer is holding “Sukkah City,” a design contest seeking new interpretations on the sukkah.

Normally there are no limits as to how large a sukkah can be. But for the Union Square competition, there is an added rule: the city’s Department of Buildings defines a temporary structure as being no larger than 19 feet by eight feet.

Foer is organizing the competition in partnership with with Reboot, a group that aims to modernize Jewish rituals.

“The idea is to take this ancient architectural identity and reinvent it and really see what we can do with it, to really push the boundaries,” Foer said in an interview with The Architect’s Newspaper.

The competition’s website offers some, er, innovative ideas for would-be competitors: “A whale may be used to make a sukkah’s walls. Also a living elephant.”

Another: “A sukkah may be built on top of a camel.”

A panel of architects, artist and designers will judge the entries. Registration must be submitted by July 1. The dozen sukkot selected will be displayed in Union Square Park from September 19-21.

The winning entry will be known as the official sukkah of New York City.

(Source: WSJ)