This past Saturday at Baton Creek mall, more than 25,000 cans were used to make these amazing structures and all this food will help nourish the hungry in Central Texas. Now it’s time to vote for your favorite! Be sure to proudly display your “I voted” badge (that you’ll receive after voting) as your avatar. More CANstruction photos are available in our Flickr album.  We will announce the winner of our online voting contest on Monday, November 21. You can view the structures at the mall until November 20.

Thank you to all of the teams, sponsors, and volunteers for your creativity, great design, and commitment to ending hunger. A special thank you to our hosts:Austin Chapter of Society of Design Administration and American Institute of Architects; and sponsors: Barton Creek Square Mall, Snackbox, Texas Star Document Services, Bronson Dorsey Photography, AIA Austin Chapter, KVUE Austin, Chick-fil-a, Starbucks, and Costco.

Starry Night – Vincent CAN Gogh
Team: Baer Engineering and Environmental Consulting, Inc.
Team Captain: Jayla Pine
Team Trivia: This is Baer Engineering and Environmental Consulting, Inc.’s first year. They won the 2011 Best Use of Labels award.

Rocket CAN: Blasting Hunger out of this World
Team: GSC Architects/JQ/SpawGlass
Team Captain: Jessica McLarty
Team Trivia: This team is the veteran of the group, completing its fourth CANstruction. They won the 2011 Structural Ingenuity award.

Home Sweet Home
Team: KGA Architecture, CJG Engineers, Lott Brothers Construction, Cunningham|Allen Engineers-Surveyors
Team Captain: Cathrine Cleavinger
Team Trivia: This team represents the largest collaboration in this year’s competition and is the winner of the 2011 Honorable Mention and Best Meal award.

MyPlate CAN Make a Difference
Team: The Beck Group and Encotech Engineering Consultants
Team Captain: Elizabeth Haynie
Team Trivia: This team made the giant armadillo sculpture last year and is the 2011 Honorable Mention award winner.

CANgress Avenue Bridge
Team: Atkins and Satterfield & Pontikes Construction
Team Captain: Kym Livingston
Team Trivia: This team returns as last year’s Best Meal award winner.

Feed Austin!
Team: Schneider Halls Design and Rogers-O’Brien Construction
Team Captain: Jen Konrad
Team Trivia: This team won the Juror’s Favorite in 2009 and won the 2011 People’s Choice & the Juror’s Favorite award.

W.W.M.D. (What Would Magnum Do)
Team: Sixthriver Architects
Team Captain: Jeff Langham
Team Trivia: Welcome to another first time team.

Join seven design and construction professionals for an epic battle of architectural design at Barton Creek Mall. On display will be fantastic sculptures from thousands of cans of food. Watch the structure construction on Saturday, November 12 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. At 4:30 p.m., and after some good-natured trash talking, the judging begins. This year’s judges include Addie Broyles, from the Austin-American Statesman, Stephen Sharpe from Texas Architect Magazine, and Ulrich Dangel Associate Professor at the UT School of Architecture. KVUE’s Bryan Mays will emcee the event. Be sure to vote for your favorite structure at the mall (suggested $1 donation per vote). You can enjoy these amazing structures through November 20 when the cans will be delivered to the Food Bank.

Through the generous support of CANstruction attendees and teams, this annual event has raised more than 70,000 pounds of food and $10,000 in the past three years to help nourish hungry Central Texans.

Thank you to the partners who made this event possible: Austin Chapter of Society of Design Administration, American Institute of Architects, Snackbox, Texas Star Document Services, KVUE Austin and Hello Kitchen Design.

Learn more.

STG Design, Spaw Maxwell – “I think I CAN!”
Team: Brittney Couch – Captain, Carrie Clemons, Ashley Elgie, Ashley Hargrove, Denisse Valle
Cans Used: 2,513

Last week we posted a CANstruction “Viewer’s Choice” contest for the annual CANstruction event. CANstruction brings together teams of design and construction professionals and students to build fantastic sculptures from thousands of cans of food.

This year, CANstruction collected 25,906 pounds of food—more than 6,000 pounds from last year’s event! Thank you again to all of the teams, sponsors, and volunteers for your creativity, great design, and commitment to ending hunger. A special thank you to our sponsors: Austin Monthly Home, Chick-Fil-A, MOVECORP, Barton Creek Square Mall, Society for Marketing Professional Services, Ridgways and Panera Bread. Your efforts helped provide more than 19,000 meals to hungry Central Texans.

Click here for pictures from the event.

More than 25,500 cans were used to make these amazing structures and will help nourish the hungry in central Texas.  Now it’s time to vote for your favorite! Be sure to proudly display your “I voted” badge you’ll receive after voting as your avatar.  More CANstruction photos are available in our Flickr album.

Thank you to all of the teams, sponsors, and volunteers for your creativity, great design, and commitment to ending hunger. A special thank you to our sponsors: Austin Monthly Home, Chick-Fil-A, MOVECORP, Barton Creek Square, Society for Marketing Professional Services, Ridgways and Panera Bread.

STG Design, Spaw Maxwell – “I think I CAN!”
Team: Brittney Couch – Captain, Carrie Clemons, Ashley Elgie, Ashley Hargrove, Denisse Valle
Cans Used: 2,513
Thank you Royalty Clearinghouse, Ghostland Observatory,  Wommack Associates, Austin Fit Magazine, Senior Financial Securities, El Arroyo, Dynamic Reprographics, Cory Morrow, J Black’s Feel Good Lounge, Butterfield & Shore Custom Homes and our STG Family.
Winner: Jurors Favorite

SHW Group – “A Cornucopia of Sweet Taste”
Team: Emily Potts – Captain, Audrey Marcella, Alison Bin Ford, Rory Estes, Megan Wetzel
Cans Used: 1,624
Thank you to our other team members, Scott Wilcox, Benedict Kim, Edward Napier, Ryan Dellinger, Citizen Schools, Beth Hannon, Garry Davis, Jasmine Martin.  Thank you to our sponsors, Shah Smith & Associates, 4b Technology, Architectural Masonry Products, Cunningham Allen, DBR, Flynt-Phelps/American Standard, JMK/HG Rice Food Facilities Planning & Design, Panel Specialists, Inc., Ramming Paving, CMTA Consulting Engineers, Interface Flor, Studio D Consulting, Maxwell, Locke and Ritter, LLP, Coleman and Associates, Ridgway’s.

PBS&J an Atkins company, Satterfield & Pontikes Construction – “Princess and the Can of Peas – Let’s Give Hunger a Fairy Tale Ending”
Team: Stacey Gould – Captain, Lauren Alexander, Kristen Klein, Kym Livingston, Bob Rowe
Cans Used: 4,019
Thank you,  Sal Baeza, Karissa Basse, David Buzan, Kathleen Canavan, Janice Hillenmeyer, Logan Imbornone, Drew Isaak, Lynn Isaak, Ann Kelly, Marty Livingston, Keith Monnerjahn, Debbie Moore, Lisa Ruth, Cindy Scott, Brad Shearer, Tara Snell, Ben Wagner.
Winner: Honorable Mention – Best Meal

KGA Architecture & Workman Commercial – “Let Them Have CANcake”
Team: Cathrine Cleavinger – Captain, Tracy Guthrie, Luma Jaffar, Tara Kammouna, Audrey Wernecke
Cans Used: 1,725
Thank you to our other team members, Nick Bergman, Michael Engen, Graham Mendel, Bethany Shields.  Thank you to our sponsors, C & Z Enterprises, LLC & Cunningham Allen, Inc.
Winner: Best Use of Labels

Encotech Engineering, The Beck Group – “Keep Austin Fed”
Team: Katie Harris – Captain, Elizabeth Haynie, Brian Miller, Brady Van De Wiele, Eric Zissman
Cans Used: 3,336
Thank you to our other team members:  Dwayne Dow, Rachel Hawkins, Jamil Hossain, Mark Hutton, Bryan Jones, Ali Khataw, Christin Menendez, Miguel Morales, Steve Nguyen, Brandi Reger, Marcus Sandoval, Paul Sexton, Vinayak Sharma, Keith Simon, Ryan Therrell, and Joanne Torres.

Schneider Halls Design – “Put a Lid on Hunger”
Team: Katie Marchand – Captain, Elizabeth Clarke, Kelly Halls, Julie Schneider, Jeff Schneider
Cans Used: 1,500
Thank you Rogers-O’Brien Construction Shropshire Construction, Rockford Business Interiors, Flynn Construction, Furniture Marketing Group, Bridget and Stephen Harris

CJG Engineers & PBK Architects – “Lonestar of Texas”
Team: Sarah Willis – Captain, Jenny Beckman, Brian Bowden, Tyler Grote, Luis Salazar
Cans Used: 3,800
Thank you Ross Eubanks (CJG), Luke Esser (CJG), Kerri Ranney (PBK), also ESA, HEB, Daltile, Randall’s
Winner: Structural Ingenuity – Lonestar of Texas & Peoples Choice

Hardin Construction Company, LLC, Bury+Partners, Inc., Structures PE, LLP – “Rock ‘CAN’ Roll”
Team: Scott Hanyzewski – Captain, Sarah Gentry, Marcus Edwards, Chris Randazzo, Shane Tanner
Cans Used: 3,025
Thank you to Nations Roof;  Keenan, Hopkins, Schmidt & Stowell; A.J. Kirkwood and Associates and Fun N Sun Pools of Austin for their generous donations.

GS&C/JQ/SpawGlass – “Roller CANster: Riding Hunger Out of Town”
Team: Megan Felker – Captain, Jessica McLarty, Franklyn King, Marcus Gibbon, Mark Harrington
Cans Used: 3,969
Thank you to our firms and other team members: Cara Salling, Meredith McKennedy, Scott Somerville, Trevor Maddy, Dennis Testa, and Mason Finley. Big thanks to our sponsors:  Dynamic Reprographics, CAD Supplies Specialty
Winner: Honorable Mention

By Emily Potts

The annual CANstruction event raises awareness for the Capital Area Food Bank and nourishes hungry central Texans. Ten teams, led by local architects, engineers and builders will have just eight hours to build their sculptures at Barton Creek Square Mall on Saturday, Nov. 13. Judging takes place at 4:30 p.m. and will be followed by an award ceremony at 6 p.m. during which the winners will be announced.

We at SHW Group are looking forward to this weekend’s CANstruction build!  A team of design professionals from our Austin office have been working with Austin students from Citizen Schools to show there’s more to architecture than just buildings.

Our SHW Group team, together with the students, will build a “Canucopia of Sweet Taste” sculpture made entirely out of canned foods. Students will work in small groups on the day of the build to construct the sculpture and serve as docents to any interested passersby.

The sculpture will be a large cornucopia bursting with a holiday dessert of berry pie and milk.  The amazing Citizen Schools students developed the clever idea for the pie and milk inside of the cornucopia. The sculpture will use almost 1,500 cans, all of which were donated from area sponsors and ourselves.

At SHW Group we strive to design schools that positively impact how students learn. During this project we were able to extend that philosophy through our volunteer efforts with the

Capital Area Food Bank. At the close of the CANstruction exhibition, all of the food used in the structures will be donated to the Food Bank to nourish hungry central Texans.

We hope you’ll come out to support our team and others as we “Can-struct” to fight hunger!

While $5 donation provides $25 worth of food, we also greatly appreciate healthy, non-perishable food donations.  Provide food from your pantry or shopping trip to the tables of a local family in need for the holidays.

1. H-E-B Holiday Food Drive
Now through November 23

Look for the white collection boxes at Austin-area H-E-B stores to donate non-perishable food items.  At select stores, you can purchase and donate a pre-packaged bag of food for $5.50.  Your donation will have double the impact; H-E-B will match the monetary value of your donation and present a check to the Food Bank at the annual Feast of Sharing dinner.

2. CANstruction
November 13 through 21 at Barton Creek Mall
Competing teams led by local architects, engineers and builders showcase their talents by designing and building giant sculptures made entirely of canned foods.  At the end of CANstruction, all of the food is donated to the Food Bank.  Look for donation barrels throughout the mall.  You can also donate funds to vote for your favorite structure!

3. Join Randalls – donate a frozen turkey
Now through the holiday season.

On November 16, Randalls is delivering 1,000 frozen turkeys to the Food Bank. Join them by bringing a frozen turkey to the Food Bank this holiday season and we’ll deliver it to a family in need. For safety, turkeys MUST be frozen the entire time. We cannot accept partially frozen or fresh turkeys. When you link your Randalls Remarkable Card with the Food Bank’s account number (#212), one percent of your purchase is donated to us.  It’s like giving twice!

4. Greater Texas Federal Credit Union “Give Hope” Food Drive
November 22 through December 13

KGSR and Greater Texas Federal Credit Union (GTFCU) join together to “Give Hope” to central Texas families in need.  Look for donation boxes at Austin-area Greater Texas Federal Credit Union locations. Come out December 11^th to the GTFCU on Lamar and donate for a chance at fun and prizes from KGSR.

5. Host Your Own Food & Fund Drive

Register online to start a Food & Fund Drive in your community.  We make it easy with a coordinator’s kit chock-full of helpful tips to make your event a success. For as little as $10 you can provide a traditional, home cooked, holiday meal for one of our neighbors in need. Think you can raise more than 500 pounds of food?  We’ll arrange to pick up your donation.

6. Sun Harvest Help Us Bag Hunger Food Drive
Now through November 30

Look for pre-packaged bags of food near the checkout counter.  What an easy way to donate!

7. Drop off your donation anytime.

You can drop off non-perishable food donations at the Food Bank anytime.  Look for the secure drop box at the entrance or speak with a Food Bank representative during business hours 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. We’re closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, November 25 – 26.

8. Walmart Fighting Hunger Together Food Drive
Now through November 22

Look for the white donation boxes at select Austin-area Walmart stores.

9. Wildflower Center Holiday Luminations
Saturday and Sunday, December 11 and 12, 6 to 9 p.m.

Enjoy gardens lighted with more than 3,000 luminarias and 5,000 twinkle lights, listen to music of the season, create snowflakes, wreaths and ornaments in the Visitors Gallery, or stop by the café to order festive holiday items. Admission is free with two canned food items for the Capital Area Food Bank. For more information, please visit: http://www.wildflower.org/luminations/

10. 6th annual InStep Food Drive
Now through November 24

Stop by InStep for that perfect pair of shoes.  They offer a wide variety of women’s and men’s, fashion, comfort, everyday, orthopedic, orthotic friendly shoes and sandals for your soles.  Your soul will feel good knowing you helped nourish hungry central Texans when you receive 10 percent off your purchase with the donation of two non-perishable food items. Visit http://www.instepaustin.com

November is a busy time for our community events team with an increase in Food & Fund Drives and other special events.  It’s exciting to see old-time favorites like CANstruction and Austin Empty Bowl Project as well as some new faces. We want to give a special high-five to the University of Texas students as a shining example of how to create a compelling, creative and successful drive (and we have some tips to share, too).

1.  You don’t have to do it alone.

Find some allies to expand your reach and impact.  The University of Texas’ Fall 2010 Community Nutrition Class, Nutrition and Wellness Association, Nutrition Graduate Students Association came together to sponsor a Food Drive. This Food Drive runs from November 12 – 19 and is expected to raise several hundred pounds of food.

2. Make a statement and be bold.

Their drive, “This is Not a Supermarket: Food Drive,” uses imagery to drive home the reality of dumpster diving, urban foraging (or it’s alternative cousin - Freeganism). It’s a powerful message about what our social norms should be when it comes to food security and hunger.

3. It’s ok to be funny.

Community Nutrition Class students, Solomon Wang and Kirbey Krawczyk made this highly entertaining video, just perfect for their audience of college students.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn_SOqnV92M]

4.  Use a variety of online tools to promote your message.

In addition to the YouTube video, and the School of Human Ecology website , they created a  Facebook note on their page to explain the drive and the impact the donations will make. With the click of the share button, it’s easy for Facebook fans to spread the word.

5. Make it easy to participate.

This is where having a coalition of supporters for your drive really helps.  UT students provide multiple locations to drop off food by strategically placing food drop boxes (which we’re happy to provide for you for free) in high-traffic areas.  Don’t want to lug around cans? No worries.  They’re also selling cans throughout the drive.

For a no checks, no stamps, no hassle food  drive, consider starting a virtual food drive with us.  It’s easy and free!

Food drop box locations:

East basement of Gearing Hall
Gearing Great Hall
Gearing Hall, Room 105
Painter Hall, Room 5.56
Seay Hall, Room 1.440
Simply Fit Meals off of 24th and Nueces behind Starbucks.

Cans are sold in Gearing during the hours of:

For more tips on making a successful Food & Fund Drive and to register, click on the Raise Food & Funds link on the austinfoodbank.org home page.  Good luck, and thank you!

The Very Hungry CANerpillar by Hardin Construction, Bury + Partners and Structures!

Last week we posted a CANstruction “Reader’s Choice” contest for the annual CANstruction event. CANstruction brings together teams of design and construction professionals and students to build fantastic sculptures from thousands of cans of food.

This year’s CANstruction raised more than 19,000 pounds of food. Thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s event!

Click here for pictures from the event.

Did you miss the opportunity to vote your favorite CANstruction at the mall? No problem! From now through Sunday, Nov. 22, tell us which CANstruction you think is the best. Check out the pictures below, and click here to vote! We’ll post the CAFB Reader’s Choice winner on our blog next week.

The Capitol of Texas

The Very Hungry CANerpillar

Towering Over Hunger

Stomp Out Hunger

Drive Smart for Hunger

Raising Awareness on Hunger

Solution to Every Twist

Teams of design and construction professionals and students had only eight hours (8 a.m. – 4 p.m.) to defy expectations, logic and gravity as they built fantastic sculptures from thousands of cans of food for the annual CANstruction event on Saturday, November 14 at Barton Creek Square Mall. They brought their creations to life, knowing that their structures will raise awareness about the issue of hunger and feed hungry Central Texans.

Here’s a closer look:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVPzRNQmXeY&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

This year’s teams:

• Flintco Construction partnering with the UT American Society of Civil Engineers – Team Captain, Cynthia Amoles
• CJG Engineers – Team Captain, Sarah Willis
• HNTB Corporation – Team Captain, Sally Bittick
• Hardin Construction – Kristen Harrington
• Graeber, Simmons & Cowan partnering with Jaster-Quintanilla and Spaw Glass – Team Captain, Cara Sailing
• Workman Commercial Construction – Chris McMillan
• Schneider-Halls Design – Katie Marchand

The CANstructures are on display now through November 22. Swing by Barton Creek Square Mall and check them out. Don’t forget to bring a couple cans of food with you!