GUILDERLAND, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The 12th annual Capital Region CANstruction competition is set to take place at Crossgates Mall from April 18 to May 1. During that time, structures made out of canned food will be on display.
This year’s CANstruction theme is “New York State of Mind.” All canned goods used in the displays will be donated to The Food Pantries for the Capital District, a coalition of more than 65 food pantries in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady Counties.
This will be the first in-person competition since 2020 and the first time it is being hosted at Crossgates Mall. Visitors are encouraged to bring canned goods to Crossgates for the food drive. Visitors can use their canned goods as ballots to vote for the winner of the People’s Choice award.
Participating teams
- AOW Associates with Envision Architects
- Creighton Manning Engineering
- CT Male Associates
- CSArch
- Hyman Hayes Associates
- kW Mission Critical Engineering
- Labella
- MJ Engineering & Surveying
- Mosaic Associates
- Ryan Biggs Clark Davis Engineering & Surveying
- Stantec
The Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York will also have a structure in support of Girls CAN Do, an annual program the scouts participate in that encourages STEM and service to their community. A jury of designers, local business owners, and local dignitaries will also judge the structures. Awards include Best Original Design, Best Meal, Best Use of Labels, and Structural Ingenuity. Additional awards include Largest Cash Donation and Best Signage.
“The Food Pantries is incredibly grateful for the support from the design community,” said Natasha Pernicka, Executive Director of The Food Pantries for the Capital District said. “CANstruction heightens awareness of the ever-present need to support those who are food insecure in our community, last year more than 69,000 people visited our food pantries and received food for more than 3.2 million meals.”
Since 2011, the CANstruction event has donated over 825,000 pounds of food and raised more than $320,000 to help fight hunger. CANstruction events are held annually in over 250 cities around the world including North America, Australia, South America, Europe, and Asia.
