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Architects, designers, builders, engineers and students will join forces to create 16 innovative “go team” structures – including a Quidditch Field, Minions, Honey Bees and a Football – for feeding, not housing. Instead of using bricks, stone and glass, they are designing large-scale structures made entirely of canned foods for the Seventh Annual Capital Region Canstruction design/build competition to benefit The Food Pantries for the Capital District. This year’s participants are challenged to collect 105,000 pounds of food in addition to a monetary donation to support local food pantries.

A record number of 16 teams comprised of local architecture, engineering and construction firms, as well as college and university students, will transform tens of thousands of cans of food into larger than life art masterpieces inspired by this year’s theme, “Go Team”, at the 4^th floor of the New York State Museum. Participant teams include AOW Associates, CHA, Creighton Manning Engineering, CSArch, CT Male Associates, EYP Architecture & Engineering, Hyman Hayes Associates, kW Mission Critical Engineering, M.J. Engineering and Land Surveying, M & W Group, Mosaic Associates, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Ryan Biggs | Clark Davis, Spring Line Design/NAWIC, Stantec and Turner Construction.

This year’s “Go Team” themed sculptures include Honey Bees, a Quidditch Stadium, Olympic Games, Soccer, Albany Devils Goalie, Scooby Doo and the Mystery Machine, Minions, a Football, a Basketball and others. All “building materials” used in the displays were purchased from Price Chopper, the major event sponsor, and will be donated to The Food Pantries for the Capital District at the end of Canstruction.

Visitors are encouraged to bring canned goods (tuna, beans, canned vegetables) to the State Museum and participate in the Canstruction competition and food drive. Visitors can use their canned goods as ballots to vote for the winner of the Community Choice award. A jury of designers, culinary experts, and local dignitaries will also judge the structures made entirely from canned foods. Awards include: Best Original Design, Best Meal, Best Use of Labels, Structural Ingenuity, Honorable Mention. Additional awards given include: Largest Cash Donation, Best Signage and Team Spirit. In addition to the juried prizes, a People’s Choice Award will be bestowed on the structure that gains the most votes from visitors during Capital Region Canstruction from March 8 to March 22.

"Canstruction is an opportunity for us to support local food pantries to help provide services for the children and families who depend on them," said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. "I encourage children and adults to visit the State Museum, bring a canned good to donate, and help feed our local community."

“We are pleased to host Canstruction for the seventh year at the State Museum,” said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. “We thank the teams for dedicating their time and talent to create this unique display and providing much-needed support to local food pantries. I invite the public to participate in Capital Region Canstruction and support our community.”

“We are honored to be a partner again in Capital Region Canstruction,” said Mark Schaming, State Museum Director. “Canstruction transforms the fourth floor of the museum, showcases the creativity of the region’s best designers and architects, and most importantly provides support for our local food pantries.”

“This spectacular event has the potential to be our largest food contribution to date. We are challenging museum visitors to shatter our previous records by bringing canned goods to vote for their favorite structures. Our 16 talented teams have spent months planning their entries and are allowed one adrenaline filled evening to meticulously stack and color-coordinate their cans into ingenious feats of design. This event showcases the deep talent of local design firms and students, and ultimately donating tens of thousands of cans of food to feed our neighbors in need in our region,” said Sara Stein, AIA, LEED AP, President of Capital Region Canstruction and Architect at EYP.

Natasha Pernicka, Executive Director of The Food Pantries for the Capital District said, “The Food Pantries is grateful for this substantial design community support. This magnificent event heightens the awareness of the growing need in our community, last year 47,088 people visited our food pantries and received food for 2.7 million meals. This event plays an important role in helping to feed the hungry in the Capital District. The impact is more powerful than ever as we respond to the sustained high demand for food in our region.”

Capital Region Canstruction is supported by The American Institute of Architects’ Eastern New York Chapter. This year’s Canstruction is presented by Price Chopper/Market 32 with EYP Architecture & Engineering, and Ryan Biggs | Clark Davis. The platinum sponsor is Dataflow. The Hunger Heroes program is presented by KeyBank. Gold sponsors include The Bonadio Group, Eastern Contractors Association, Harbrook and Marvin Windows, Eastern NY CSI Chapter and Mazzone Hospitality. Silver sponsors are Greco Construction, Camelot Print and Copy Centers, CHA, Euro Tile & Stone, The Chazen Companies, and Rosenblum.

Last year’s event resulted in a donation of approximately 104,095 cans of food and $26,000 to The Food Pantries for the Capital District. Since its inception in 2011, the Capital Region event has donated approximately 360,753 pounds of food (180 tons) and raised more than $98,500 to help fight hunger. Capital Region Canstruction is part of the international program organized by the Society for Design Administration. For nearly 40 years, The Food Pantries for the Capital District has worked to mobilize resources in the community to alleviate hunger.

Canstruction events are held annually in over 250 cities around the world including North America, Australia, South America, Europe and Asia. Capital Region Canstruction is currently ranked #7 in the World for most food raised and meals donated. You can learn more about Capital Region Canstruction at:

Blog: http://capitalregioncanstruction.com/blog/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/capregcans

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapitalRegionCanstruction?ref=br_tf

Hashtag for Event: #thecansareback

The New York State Museum is a program of the State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located on Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Further information can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.