Northeast Collaborative Architects teamed with employees from Building Engineering Resources, Inc., Kasabian Construction Inc., and Veri|Waterman Associates to help fight hunger in Rhode Island at the 5th biennial Canstruction Rhode Island event.  The free exhibit and fund raising event was organized by the Rhode Island chapters of the American Institute of Architects and the Associated General Contractors. NCA’s team earned the 2014 Juror’s Favorite Award.

Canstruction is a unique charity that hosts competitions, exhibitions and events showcasing colossal structures made entirely out of full cans of food.  After the structures are built, the creations go on display to the public as a giant art exhibition.  At the end of the event, all food is donated to local hunger relief organizations. Canstruction’s mission is to feed and inspire the world one can at a time. Recognized for their commitment to innovation, hunger relief and collaboration, their work has helped raise over 21 million pounds of food since 1992.  Canstruction events are held in over 150 cities around the world including North America, Australia, South America, Europe and Asia.

Seven teams from Rhode Island participated this year and their sculptures were displayed at the Providence Place Mall .  Over 28,000 pounds of food was collected and all the food wass donated to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank following the exhibit. The Rhode Island Community Food Bank distributes over 8.5 million pounds of food annually to over 300 agencies seeking to provide nourishing meals to Rhode Islanders in need. Canstruction raises awareness about hunger and showcases local design and construction industries’ talents.

The team included the following members:

Northeast Collaborative Architects:  Andrea Torizzo , Jeff Caplin, Carmen Warner, Matthew Oest, Sean Donadio and Chris Speeg

Building Engineering Resources, Inc.: Daniel DiLeonardo

Kasabian Construction Inc.: Peter Kasabian

Veri|Waterman Associates: Michael J. Dowhan

Our sponsors include:

Platinum:  Carrier Enterprise, LLC – Northeast

Gold: ARC Eastern, Pella Windows & Doors

Silver: Evan Granoff, Kenvo Floor Company, Inc., Steven Martel, M.E. O’Brien and Sons, Inc., Stop & Shop #2702, USG Corporation

Aluminum: Jolley Precast Inc., Mueller Sheehan Sullivan Strother

Lighting Sponsors: Evelyn Audet Lighting Design, LLC, Jesco Lighting Group

NCA’s Team Sculpture is entitled DIS-SPELLING Hunger

The team describes their sculpture as, “We have our spell book out and cauldron boiling with the Dis-Spelling Recipe to make hunger disappear forever.   The recipe is simple; start with a team full of care; next add Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Aluminum sponsors to purchase a nutritional mix of ingredients, mix with a dash of creativity, bring to a boil of inspiration and inspire others to keep the momentum and spread the nutritional recipe.

Our bigger than life spell book is full of pages of corn cans, with a hard cover enriched with green peas, yellow kidney beans and black beans.   Into the center the boiling cauldron is on fire with bright red tomato sauce, colorful fruit gel cups and brown wood made of grillin’ baked beans.  The black bean cauldron rises topped with a smoking rim of grillin’ baked beans.  The spell is coming to a boil bubbling with fruit & gel cups.  Our sculpture exemplifies the spell to eradicate hunger with a nutritional blend of protein, fruits and vegetables for a balanced meal for those in need.

Step up and stir the cauldron to continue the momentum of the Dis-spelling Recipe ‘I CAN stop hunger ‘ by giving in your own creative way with nutritional donations to your local food bank.“