19th Annual Canstruction Design Competition Winners Announced!

Last night's <a href="http://www.sdanyc.org/canstruction/">Canstruction</a> Gala saw the unveiling of this year's winners of the competition. Twenty-six teams made up of architects, engineers, contractors and students proudly represented their giant structures built with canned goods, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/photos-canstruction-takes-over-the-world-financial-center-with-sculptures-made-from-canned-goods/">currently on display</a> in the World Financial Center. With so many witty designs, judges had a hard time choosing but finally settled on winners for the five categories: Best Use of Labels, Structural Ingenuity, Best Meal, Jurors' Favorite and two Honorable Mentions. Our favorite, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/photos-canstruction-takes-over-the-world-financial-center-with-sculptures-made-from-canned-goods/canstruction-31/?extend=1">the Brooklyn Bridge</a> by Skanska USA, took home the prize for Structural Ingenuity, and the clever <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/photos-canstruction-takes-over-the-world-financial-center-with-sculptures-made-from-canned-goods/canstruction-31/?extend=1">Quick Response Code</a> by Gruzen Stamton and the IBI Group won the Best Use of Labels.

Juror and master carpenter <a href="http://chipwade.com/" target="_blank">Chip Wade</a> and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/the-national-911-memorial-is-now-open-photo-gallery/" target="_blank">9/11 Memorial</a> mastermind Michael Arad awarded the Structural Ingenuity award to <a href="http://www.usa.skanska.com/Our-organization/Skanska-USA-Civil/" target="_blank">Skanska USA</a> for their risky and challenging "Suspending Hunger" design.

Skanska USA team's Suspending Hunger entry won the Best Structure category at this year's Canstruction Competition.

Juror and <a href="http://www.interiordesign.net/" target="_blank">Interior Design Magazine</a> editor Annie Block presented the Best Use of Labels award. Using simple black and white labels, <a href="http://www.gruzensamton.com/" target="_blank">Gruzen Samton</a> and the <a href="http://www.ibigroup.com/Pages/Home.aspx" target="_blank">IBI Group</a> created "QR-CAN: Link to Fight Hunger" whereby when you take a picture of it, you can scan the picture and it leads to the Canstruction website.

Members of Gruzen Samton and IBI Group stand with their award for Best Label at this year's Canstruction Competition.

Juror Richard Hayden presented an honorable mention to <a href="http://www.lera.com/" target="_blank">Leslie E. Robertson Associates</a> for their "Shedding Light on Hunger" entry. He was particularly drawn to the team's intellectual thought behind the design and their use of the candle as a metaphor for the issue of hunger. Next came Mary-Jean Eastman who presented the second honorable mention to <a href="http://www.gmsllp.com/" target="_blank">Gilsanz Murray Steficek LLP</a> for "NepTUNA the HippoCANpus Against Hunger." She noted the structure's exquisite form and great alignment.

Folks from Leslie E. Robertson Associates display the honorable mention they received for their Shedding Light on Hunger entry at this year's Canstruction competition.

Juror Ellie Krieger presented <a href="http://www.dattner.com/" target="_blank">Dattner Architects</a> with the Best Meal prize for their "<a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/photos-canstruction-takes-over-the-world-financial-center-with-sculptures-made-from-canned-goods/canstruction-31/?extend=1" target="_blank">Root Against Hunger</a>" design.

As author and host of The Healthy Appetite, Krieger appreciated the group's focus on quality, stressing that all too often when catering to the food insecure quantity becomes the main focus rather than the healthfulness of the meal.

Finally, Executive Chef and juror Wade Burch presented the Juror's Choice, the award that takes into consideration the most factors. This year's big award went to <a href="http://www.gensler.com/" target="_blank">Gensler</a> and <a href="http://www.wspgroup.com/en/Welcome-to-WSP-Flack--Kurtz/" target="_blank">WSP Flack + Kurtz </a>for their "Loaded Dice" entry. Burch commented on the group's use of over 5 tons of food that included 24 different food items, most of which were organic.

He was particularly struck by the variety that would offer food pantry chefs the options to craft an endless possibility of meals and vary the menu for over a month. The team's canned food contribution alone is enough to feed over 5,000 New Yorkers!

Eleanor Roosevelt High School received an honorable mention at this year's Canstruction Competition.

Her husband and son were on hand to present the award to students from <a href="http://www.erhsnyc.org/" target="_blank">Eleanor Roosevelt High School</a>, recognizing their risk, hard work and dedication to the project. The two were surprised to learn high school students had been behind the design.

The Canstruction Gala and unveiling of the prizes took place Monday night at Battery Gardens Restaurant.