The smack talk among Canstruction teams is undeniable. But, it’s now walk the walk time. Saturday, architects converge in the National Building Museum to build their cansculptures.
Sponsored by the Washington Architectural Foundation and the Society for Design Administration, Canstruction is an annual design competition in which cans of food are used to construct cansculptures for the public to marvel at. When taken apart, or decanstructed, the food is then donated to the Capital Area Food Bank.
For many teams, tomorrow will be a true test of nerves. And for others it will be a welcome relief given the amount of work put into these projects thus far. Judging by the design concepts that teams displayed on their fundraising pages, project managers and builders alike have put in countless hours in preparation for tomorrow’s build.
And why is there such meticulous project planning? Because these teams stand a chance to take home major bragging rights by winning one of the five awards handed out next Tuesday night. In particular, the team that packs their Canstruction full of nutritious food stands to win the Best Meal Award.
Briefly consider that. Designers are not just simply thinking about their foam core boards withstanding the weight of a thousand cans, they are also seeking ways to serve those in need struggling with chronic, diet-related illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Thus, they have been scouring Safeway’s inventory looking for protein rich, high in fiber, and low-salt products that meet their design plans. This is no easy task by any stretch.
And by building with foods that are nutrition rich, such as canned beans, canned fruit, or canned vegetables, there is no question their canstructions will transcend from monumental marvels to healthy nourishment for the Washington metro area.
Canstructions erect tomorrow and will be on display until Saturday, September 7, 10:00 a.m.
Stay tuned here for further Canstruction updates, including pictures of canscluptures. And keep us abreast of your Canstruction news by Tweeting us at @foodbankmetrodc with the hashtag #Canstruction.