Pearlridge Center ‘Canstruction’

It’s been a couple of years since I made it a point to check out the annual “Canstruction” competition and exhibit at Pearlridge Shopping Center, so the wife and I took a little drive out to Aiea yesterday just for the heck of it.

Sponsored by the American Institute of Architects, Hawaii Chapter, this is the seventh year that teams put together structures with cans of food, with winners advancing to the international level.  The sculptures were put together on Oct. 6, and the public can vote for their favorite (1 can of food = 1 vote) until Sunday, Oct. 21.

On that day, the structures will be taken down and the cans of food donated to the Hawaii Foodbank. According to AIA, the past six years have seen more than 204,000 pounds of food contributed (equaling more than 160,000 meals for the hungry.

Yep, that’s what they say on their website.

Anyway, we wandered around and took pictures. I have to say some of the structures looked pretty good. It wasn’t as much fun as the last time I went, for some reason … maybe the novelty of the thing has worn off with me. Maybe I’ve become more curmudgeony (curmudgeonier?) over the past couple of years.

Here are a half-dozen of the 14 entries:



Winner, Juror's Favorite Award
“CANmehameha: Hawaii’s Original Superhero"
By WATG

 

Winner, Best Meal Award
“Hosing Down the Flames of Hunger”
By Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company



Winner, Best Use of Labels Award
“We Can 1UP Hunger”
By Group 70 International Inc.



Honorable Mention
“Hulk Can Smash Hunger”
By Ushijima Architects

 

"Captain Ameri-CAN Hawaii's Hunger Avenger"
By Pankow

  

"Everyone CAN Be a Hero"
By ECC