Celebrating the Winners of Canstruction Boston 2024
Posted on Oct. 18, 2024 / Events / Subscribe 0
AUTHOR: Alexa Prenovitz, Director for Outreach (Contact)
Canstruction Boston has once again showcased the incredible creativity and generosity of our community. This year's event brought together 12 talented teams who used their skills to build impressive structures out of canned goods, all for a great cause. Let's take a moment to celebrate the winners and reflect on the impact Canstruction has on the community.
The Winners
This year's competition was fierce, with many outstanding entries. Each year our judges are esteemed members of the AEC community, and this year we had representatives from AGC, the BSA, PWC Boston, ACEC, and SMPS Boston. People’s Choice was decided via a public poll where voters were allowed to make one selection.
Here are the winners in each category:
Best Meal
Recognizes the structure that uses healthy ingredients to create a well-balanced – and appetizing – meal. Judges reward structures that use the Food Bank’s most wanted food items: peanut butter; tuna fish; meals in cans (such as stews, chilis, or pastas); canned fruits, vegetables, and beans; soup. Judges deduct points if junk food is used.
Winner: Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) with their "State House of Hope: Cans for the Commonwealth"
Best Use of Labels
Recognizes the structure that uses labels to create details that enhance the overall appearance. Judges consider whether labels are turned the correct way throughout the structure, and assess whether thought was put into the appearance of leveling material and materials used to connect cans (rubber bands, nylon string, etc.).
Winner: Nitsch Engineering for "It’s-a Meal, Mario!"
Structural Ingenuity
The structure involves a high level of complexity, where the majority of support appears to be other cans, rather than other (permissible) building materials. Judges seek to answer the question, “Does the structure appear gravity defying but is stable?”
Winner: Annum Architects + Thornton Tomasetti with "Tunited We Stand, Divided We Trawl"
Best Original Design
Recognizes a structure that creates a lasting impression, is awe inspiring, and shows creativity in its use of cans, imagery, theme, or style. Judges consider structural ingenuity and use of labels, and reward structures that are creative and fun above all else.
Winner: Goody Clancy for "Happy Little Cans"
Most Cans
Recognizes the structure that results in the largest can donation to the Food Bank.
Winner: Goody Clancy again with "Happy Little Cans," contributing 3,955 cans
Honorable Mention
Recognizes another structure that the judges believe made a significant impact.
Winner: L.A. Fuess Partners for "Window to the Past"
Social Media Soup-er Star
Recognizes the team that posted the highest number of Canstruction-related Instagram posts, as defined by the competition rules.
Winner: Wilson Butler Architects with 73 posts at @wba_canstruction
People’s Choice
Recognizes the most popular structure, determined by the number of votes received on the official Canstruction Boston PollUnit during the window of voting (Sunday, October 6th through noon on Tuesday, October 15th).
Winner: Annum Architects + Thornton Tomasetti for "Tunited We Stand, Divided We Trawl," receiving 1,818 of 5,013 votes
The Impact on the Community
Canstruction Boston is more than just a competition; it's a powerful force for good in our community. The event benefits the Merrimack Valley Food Bank (MVFB), which has a significant impact on fighting hunger in our region. MVFB is a community-supported 501C-3 non-profit organization that provides nutritious food and personal care items to emergency feeding programs. They are one of four food banks in Massachusetts and serve food pantries, shelters, and meal programs that in turn, serve individuals and families. In FY2023, MVFB served an average of 65,859 people a month, distributed almost 4 million pounds of food, and partnered with over 100 organizations including food pantries and meal programs.
Kelly Proulx, MVFB’s Director of Communications & Public Relations, expressed gratitude for the Canstruction event: “We are so grateful for our ongoing partnership with Canstruction Boston, which has provided nearly 600,000 pounds of food (or nearly 462,000 meals) since 2011, in addition to significant financial support! Food insecurity rates are continuing to grow in our region, making the work we do more important than ever. The support from Canstruction Boston helps fill our shelves during the times of the year when food drives are infrequent, and we are so thankful that you share our vision to make sure no member of our community has to go to bed hungry!”
Together, the Canstruction Boston 2024 teams have raised 26,947 cans/items of food this year. This incredible achievement is a testament to the dedication and generosity of everyone involved in Canstruction Boston.
Get Involved
Inspired to do more? You can make a difference by volunteering, donating, or visiting www.mvfb.org for more information.
See the Structures
These amazing installations will be available for public viewing through Friday, October 25th in the lobbies of 280 and 290 Congress Street in Boston, MA. This event wouldn’t be possible without the support of Atlantic Wharf and Boston Properties, as well as the BSA Space. It’s thanks to them that we are able to build here and continue to inspire the community.
0 Comments