canstruction

Helping Wear Out Can Openers Since 1992.

Canstruction® Calgary brings together teams of engineers, designers, architects and builders to create extraordinary structures out of non-perishable food items. The structures are judged, exhibited to the public and then de-canstructed, with food going to the Calgary Food Bank. Each year, there is a theme that teams must base their design around. Since 2006, this event has provided nearly 480,468 pounds of food to needy Calgarians. Canstruction® Calgary is the local chapter of Canstruction, a global anti-hunger project founded by the Society for Design Administration, an affiliate organization of the American Institute of Architects. The event is held in more than 50 cities across North America.

OUR 2022 Teams

Participating Teams

2021 Fast Facts

pounds of food

teams

number of cans

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is this going to cost?

The entry fee is $100 which is not tax deductible. This money supports the event itself. The remaining cost to the team is the cans of food (please see How do we get a tax receipt). If you decide to purchase the cans, estimate $1 to $2 per can. Other options are employee food drives, joint venture with other firms, employee “loonie” donations.

Can we practice beforehand?

Certainly. Some teams have to work out tricky structural challenges ahead of time. If you have food delivered to your office for a practice build, you will have to arrange for delivery of the cans to the venue.

Can we have more than five people involved?

Only five people can handle the cans at any one time during the build (within the official competition 10’ x 10’ area). These people can change or hand-off to fresh team members. We request that you designate a sixth team member to remove and place in the designated appropriate area any of your team’s: garbage, recycling, left over building materials and left over food items from your structure location. An unlimited number of people can be involved in the planning.

Ok, I’m in. Now what?

After you submit your $100 entry fee, start building your team and planning your design. Sculptures can range from about 1,000 cans to 10,000 cans. Think about colour and structural support. Tip: stacking single cans 8 feet high will not work. One single large-scale piece might work better than multiple smaller efforts.

Brainstorm some ideas. Or get inspired … google “Canstruction” to see all kinds of cool designs. YouTube offers many time lapse videos as well.
Plan your design. Create templates to assist with stacking.
Experiment. Pre-build difficult aspects prior to build day to ensure they work.
Challenge yourself and have fun. You will amaze your friends and coworkers (and you will be helping a great cause)!

Will this take a lot of time?

Not at all! Design teams can meet during lunch once a week to develop the idea. Materials (the cans) can be identified during trips to the grocery store. CADD drawings are helpful to further develop the sculpture. The build day is just that — one day. Some teams get together for a dry run prior to the event.

How do we find food for our team?

Look to vendors and consultants in your industry, and invite them to make a financial contribution towards your sculpture. Team sponsors can be recognized on your team signage, which is displayed during the exhibit. You can also approach food suppliers, food retailers and manufacturers for direct donations. Every team is responsible for acquiring the food for the sculpture.

How do we get a tax receipt for the food?

Keep all food receipts and a list of all cash and food donors. At the end of the event, submit both to the Calgary Food Bank which will issue a tax receipt. The cost of the entry fee, tape, cardboard and all other non-food items is not eligible for a tax receipt.

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Get In Touch

Contact Lynn Tipper by email or call 403-640-8813.