Since 1999 CANstruction has been an annual contest amongst the GTA design community. Companies build structures with canned or packaged foods for the benefit of the Daily Bread Food Bank. These structures are then displayed and judged before the food is donated.
Photos from some of the entries for this year’s competition:
below: Hunger for Sport, by HDR
Toronto is about to play host to both the PanAm Games and the ParaPan Games. These games are a celebration of individual triumph and collective national achievement. Food fuels the body and the mind and is needed for individuals to strive for their goals. But many go without.
below: Feed People not Trash, by Cannon Design
Canadians waste food, a lot of food. Expired food and uneaten leftovers become organic landfill. This sculpture is an oversized trash can overflowing with food; about 12,000 of these sized trash cans of edible food are thrown out in Canada each day.
below: Food for Thought, by rebanks pepper littlewood architects inc.
Hunger can have a profound effect on the brain and as a result, how we learn, behave, and make decisions. Healthy and energetic minds need complete and balanced meals. This sculpture represents the brain with each lobe being a different food group and in turn, each food group is different coloured can. Fruits and vegetables are green, grains are yellow, dairy is blue, and meats and other protein sources are red.
31% of food bank recipients are children. By feeding hungry mouths with good food we ensure that minds are nourished and the brain can focus on learning, developing, and growing.
below: Constructing Hope, by PCL Constructors Canada with Entuitive
Biomimicry uses nature’s patterns and strategies to find solutions to human challenges. Here we have a calla lily, a resilient and beautiful flower modelled from nature. In turn, society can learn from nature to work together using available resources to ensure the survival of all.
below: Can the Force Be With You, by GHD Inc.
below: On the Front Lines of Hunger, by Aercoustics Engineering Ltd.
“The war against hunger is truly mankind’s war of liberation.”
It’s a war with many fronts. Food inequality impacts 13% of Canadian households especially people with disabilities, single people, and single parent households.
“United we can stop hunger in its tracks.”
below: Oppor[tuna]ty by Ryerson University Dept of Architectural Science
The tuna fish is one of the most common sources of protein and other nutrients such as Vitamin B12 but it is still inaccessible and unaffordable for those who struggle financially. The completed head and tail of this structure represent those who live comfortably. The middle section, the “bare bones” of white beans, represent the nutritional issues faced by those who live on cheaper low protein foods.
below: Fortuna, by BA Consulting Group
Fortuna was the ancient Roman goddess of fortune and symbol of the random and unpredictable forces that control human life. This fortune cookie is made of over 9000 cans of tuna.
below: Shifting Perspectives, by Quadrangle Architects
Objects seen from different angles appear differently. So to with situations and challenges such as hunger in midst.
CANstruction was:
→ presented by Design Administration Canada,
→ supported by Consulting Engineers of Ontario and The Design Exchange, and
→ hosted by Cadillac Fairview Corp.
Information and photos from previous years entries on CANstruction website.
as I walk Toronto 