AIA-NJ’s 18th Annual ‘Canstruction’ Event Showcases Design Excellence While Collecting Food for the Needy

LIVINGSTON, N.J. (Oct. 25, 2016) – Crowds at the Livingston Mall met with the sight of creative structures made entirely from canned foods, as the mall recently hosted a “Canstruction” event to benefit the needy and showcase innovative design. Hosted by the Newark and Suburban section of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA-NJ), New Jersey’s 18th annual “Canstruction” saw roughly 26,000 cans of food donated to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey (CFBNJ).

The event is part of a national program that calls upon teams of architects and designers to envision and construct creative structures made entirely of canned food. This year’s Canstruction event, themed “Summer Athletic Games”, challenged teams to interpret their favorite athletic events, themes and imagery from the world of competitive sports. The colossal designs were constructed during an eight-hour “Build Day” at the Livingston Mall, and remained on display for ten days, after which they were dismantled by a crew of food bank volunteers and shipped to CFBNJ’s warehouse for donation to one of the hundreds of food kitchens they support.

Team members were responsible for designing their structures, procuring and bringing their own canned goods, and constructing their displays. This year’s event also invited the public to donate cans at the sculpture locations. Simon Property Group® generously made available its Livingston Mall as the venue for the event, while Goya Foods™ also sponsored the event.

The can displays were judged and awarded in various categories, including “Jurors Favorite,” “Structural Integrity,” and “Best Meal.” The five judges for this year were Natasha Suzansky, AIA, president of AIA-NJ’s Newark & Suburban Section; Ken Brennan, Office Furniture Partnership Rep; Alexandra Willis, Morris Museum Loan Coordinator and Assistant Curator; Tim Vogel, CFBNJ Director; and Mayor Alfred M. Anthony, Mayor of Livingston.

“Canstruction is a wonderful event in which architects are able to help the community by creating beautiful sculptures made entirely of cans and at the same time, raise awareness for poverty and hunger. At 26,000 cans of food donated to CFBNJ, Canstruction 2016 nearly doubled the charitable donations of last year’s event, which is a testament to the hard work put in by the event organizers,” said Justin Mihalik, AIA, president of AIA-NJ. “I am extremely grateful to everyone who gave their time for this important cause and made it such a great success, and we’re impressed by the creative designs that the teams were able to create with such limited materials.”

Following the judges’ deliberations, awards were handed out, including:

· Morristown-based NK Architects, perennial Canstruction participants and award winners, took home the “Juror’s Favorite” award.

· Gensler’s Morristown team took home two of the event’s awards, “Structural Integrity” and “Best Use of Labels.”

· The “Best Meal” award was given to Tricarico Architecture and Design of Wayne.

· The “Honorable Mention” award was presented to Burns & McDonnell of Morristown.

· Jersey City-based Theodora Boyadjis Designs was awarded the honor of “People’s Choice.”

About AIA and AIA New Jersey

Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the professional organization that helps architects serve the public’s needs and builds awareness of the role of architects and architecture in American society. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., its 300 plus local chapters represent 87,000 licensed architects and allied professionals. The organization’s local chapter, AIA New Jersey, has served as the voice of the architecture profession in the Garden State since 1900. Based in Trenton, AIA New Jersey has 2,000 members in six local sections. For more information, please visitwww.aia-nj.org.

About Canstruction, Inc.

Canstruction, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that coordinates annual design and build competitions in a way that combines the creative thinking of the design and construction industry with a community service initiative. This international community service project bases its service on the construction of structures made entirely out of canned food, raising awareness about hunger to show how “one CAN make a difference.” Canstruction is trademarked by the Society for Design Administration (SDA) after being conceived by late founder Cheri Melillo, a member of the SDA. Working in tandem with AIA and other members of the design and construction industry, Canstruction has become one of the largest contributors to food banks in the world. To learn more about Canstruction, visit http://www.canstruction.com/.

About Community Food Bank of New Jersey

The Community Food Bank of New Jersey, founded by President and CEO Kathleen DiChiara in 1975, is a charitable organization that distributes food throughout 18 of New Jersey’s 21 counties. CFBNJ is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest network of food banks, as well as a member of the New Jersey Federation of food banks, which includes its Southern Branch, the Food Bank of South Jersey. Its mission to fight hunger, poverty, and seek long-term solutions throughout N.J. has impacted over 900,000 low-income people and continues to grow. For more information please visit http://www.njfoodbank.org/.