“Ameri-cana” won the day at the 6th Annual International CANSTRUCTION Competition held May 8th in Charlotte, NC. The American Bald Eagle, United States Flag, New York Big Apple, Baseball, Converse Sneakers, and a classic American Breakfast were chosen as the winners from a field of 270 local winners from more than 50 participating cities that went on to compete internationally. Many of the entrants to this year’s competition designed powerful icons that paid homage to the tragic events of 9/11 or represented cherished symbols of Americana. 

 

CANSTRUCTION^® is quickly becoming the architecture/design/construction industry’s biggest international charity event to aid in the fight against hunger. Teams of architects, engineers, and contractors (and/or students mentored by these design professionals) compete to build colossal edible edifices out of cans of food. The stunning results are giant canned art exhibitions – admission is at least one can of food that is contributed, along with the exhibition “contents,” to local food banks.

 

1.15 million pounds of food and an additional $121,742 were donated to food banks as a result of the 45 competitive exhibitions held in cities throughout the United States and Canada this past year. That translates into 3,276,210 nutritious meals for people in need.

 

In addition to the annual competition categories of Best Meal, Best Use of Labels, Structural Ingenuity, Jurors’ Favorite, and Honorable Mentions, two special awards were created this year: Most Cans and Best Patriotic entry, the latter to acknowledge all those who memorialized 9/11 in their designs. 

 

And the winners are:

 

Jurors’ Favorite & Most Patriotic

“AmeriCan Espresso”

Butler Rogers Baskett Architects, P.C., New York, NY

An American eagle, made entirely of silver, red, and blue illy espresso coffee cans (a la the U.S. Quarter) perched on a branch with tail fanning out the back.

Jurors’ comments: “Wow! This is it! The best! Best holistic. Best structure. It sets a new design standard for the competition.”

 

Structural Ingenuity

“The American Flag”

Looney Ricks Kiss Architects, Memphis, TN

A giant rippling American flag.

Jurors’ comments: “The composition and placement of cans created a perception of movement.”

 

Best Use of Labels

“Pitch In To Strike Out Hunger”

Walter P. Moore, Houston, TX

A giant baseball glove with perfectly round baseball nested inside.

Jurors’ comments: “An All-American Icon with three dimensionality. Subtle variations of color and texture achieved through the choice of labels.”

 

Best Meal

“Sole Food”

Gresham, Smith & Partners, Nashville, TN

Bright red Converse sneaker.

Jurors’ comments: “A high level of refinement. Nice connection and consistency between design concept and choice of foods.”

 

Honorable Mention

“Breakfast is King”

McClure Engineering, St. Louis, MO

A complete breakfast including a giant box of Life cereal, milk carton, glass of orange juice, breakfast plate piled with bacon, pancakes, egg over easy, a banana on the side, knife + fork.

Jurors’ comments: “A well-balanced composition combining many different elements of the competition.”

 

Honorable Mention

“The Big Apple CAN!”

IBEX Construction, New York, NY

Two sections of New York’s Big Apple. One section held the NY Skyline with the World Trade Center towers and the other section held the American Flag.

Jurors’ comments: “Visually self-explanatory, symbolic, structurally interesting. The structure speaks for itself.”

 

Most Cans – 11,000 cans

“Firefighter Helmut”

DeBiasse & Seminara, P.C., Newark, NJ

 

The 2002 National Jury included:

 

Thomas Carlson-Reddig, AIA, Director Of Design/Senior Associate, ADW Architects, P.A.; Jeffery Davis, Board Member, Charlotte City Partners; Christa Faut, Christa Faut Gallery/Board Member of Arts and Science Council; Charles C. Hight, R.A., Dean, College of Architecture, UNC Charlotte; Robert Krumbine, Vice President of Events & Executive Director of Charlotte Arts Fest; Mark Richard Leach, Director of the Mint Museum of Craft & Design; Marvin Malecha, FAIA, Dean, College of Design, North Carolina State University, Raleigh; and Kevin B. Utsey, AIA, Associate Principal, Perkins & Will.

 

To check out this year’s local deadlines – or for information about starting a CANSTRUCTION chapter in your own city – visit www.canstruction.org/.

 

CANSTRUCTION® is a trademark event owned by the Society of Design Administration and sponsored in conjunction with professional affiliate organizations such as the American Institute of Architects, the American Builders and Contractors, the Associated General Contractors, ASID, and community outreach organizations such as the Junior League and America’s Second Harvest Food Banks.