Canstruction LI design competition in its 9th year: A/E/C industry/students to address LI’s hunger challenges

The 2014 Best Use of Labels, Best Meal and Most Cans winner, “Hunger Stops at the PumpCAN” by LKB Consulting Engineers.

Tracy Lobdell, Canstruction Long Island

Uniondale, NY In its ninth year, Canstruction Long Island, Inc.’s 2015 design/build competition will take place October 29^th to help fight hunger on Long Island. A total of 12 teams from the architecture, engineering and construction industry, as well as students interested in the field, are competing by creating colossal sculptures made entirely of non-perishable cans of food. Canstruction Long Island then donates the cans of food to local food banks at the conclusion of the event. This year’s recipients will be The Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN), Island Harvest and Long Island Cares, The Harry Chapin Food Bank.

This year’s competing professional firms are H2M architects + engineers, LKB Consulting Engineers, The Hart Group, John W. Baumgarten Architect, PC, Spector Group, Rosenbaum Design Group, The Interior Design Society Long Island Chapter/Nassau Community College Interior Design Students, and Lines & Designs 3D and Long Island reSound. The student teams are Temple Sinai Youth Group, Chi’s Martial Arts, Sacred Heart Academy and Friends Academy. Student Teams are mentored by professionals in the architecture, engineering, design and construction fields. This provides the middle/high school students with exposure to these potential career fields at an early age, and gives the college students an opportunity to develop relationships with professionals that they can possibly intern with in the future, or interview with upon graduation.

“We are thrilled to be holding our ninth Canstruction Long Island Design/Build Competition to help feed the more than 300,000 people in our area who face hunger every day,” said Tracy Lobdell, executive director, Canstruction Long Island. “This event is a way for the A/E/C industry to serve its fellow Long Islanders by helping to combat hunger while introducing the next generation of students to career opportunities in the field.”

The event takes place at RXR Plaza. While the teams build out the structures on October 28^th from 4 p.m. – 4 a.m., the Awards Ceremony takes place on October 29^th from 6 to 9 p.m. The sculptures are on display to the public from October 30^th through November 11^th from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission to the exhibit is a canned food donation(s), which will also serve as a vote for the “People’s Choice” award. For the duration of the exhibit, collection bins will be located next to each structure and visitors vote for the “People’s Choice” winner by placing their food donations in the bin next to their favorite structure.

Sponsorship opportunities for the event are still available. For more info about sponsoring Canstruction Long Island, attending the awards reception, or visiting the exhibit visit www.canstructionli.org.