Canstruction

The "Two-point CANversion" can structure from the 2010 Canstruction competition in Calgary, Canada displays structural ingenuity.

Architects, engineers, designers or contractors must play a pivotal role, either by entering competing teams from their firms or by instructing and leading teams of students, local businesses, clubs or civic organizations.[6] Competitions are spaced at least 50 miles apart and each competition should strive for ten or more entries.[7] Each team is totally responsible for procuring the canned food to be used for the structure.[7] Only 5 people at a time are allowed to actually build the structure.[7] There may be one additional person that assists with un-boxing cans. Team members may be swapped throughout the building process. The structure must be built within the time frame set by local organizers, but not to exceed one 12- to 16-hour day.[7] Minimal supplies outside of cans and boxed food can be used.[8] Cans must be full, unopened and with labels intact; a can with no label cannot be accepted at the food bank.[7]

Teams of engineers, architects, designers and students mentored by these professionals, compete to design and build giant structures made entirely from full cans of food in their local cities. The local panel of esteemed judges are chosen by the city chairperson and prizes are awarded for various categories, including Jurors' Favorite, Best Use of Labels, Best Meal, Structural Ingenuity and Honorable Mention/Peoples Choice.[9] Sponsorships and co-sponsorships for the competitions vary locally.[10] After the awards have been chosen the winners go on to compete in their category internationally through submission of photography to a national panel of jurors.[11] The local structures are displayed to the general public for up to a week in various exhibits. Visitors to the exhibit sites are encouraged to donate a canned good or non-perishable item as the cost of “admission.” All the food used in the sculptures, as well as the items donated by the public, will be delivered to the local food bank at the close of the exhibit.[10]

The Annual International Canstruction Competition held in May allows over 135 cities in the United States, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and South America to compete for the international titles in their respective categories.[5] The categories include Jurors' Favorite, Best Use of Labels, Best Meal, Structural Ingenuity, Honorable Mention and Most Cans. The International Canstruction Competition Convention is held in various cities every year. In 2010, the 14th Annual International Canstruction Competition was held in Las Vegas, Nevada.[12]

In January 2010, Disney partnered with Canstruction to build the largest canned food structure in history.[13] The structure was built at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA and officially broke the Guinness World Record on February 11, 2010.[14] The event was part of the Disney "Celebrate Family Volunteers" press event and the Disney "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" promotion used to inspire one million people to volunteer a day of service in their communities.[15] The structure consisted of 115,527 cans and when disassembled the cans of food were sent to food banks in Central Florida, Miami and Atlanta.[15]

Disney partnered with Canstruction to break a Guinness World-Record for the largest canned-food structure. 115,000 cans were used, enough to provide 70,000 meals to the needy.