‘Canstruction’ at South Coast Plaza joins engineering, design firms in contest to can hunger

“Canstruction Orange County” — an eye-catching menagerie of sculptures crafted entirely out of canned and packaged food items destined for donation to the OC Food Bank — returned to Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza on Saturday.

Presented by the Community Action Partnership of Orange County, the design-and-build competition is now in its 15th year of bringing area architectural, engineering and design firms together to help the estimated 400,000 county residents experiencing food insecurity.

“It’s really the most fun, whimsical, creative food drive you could imagine,” Mark Lowry, director of the OC Food Bank said Tuesday. “But it’s also an opportunity for us to tell our story and keep the issue of hunger in front of people.”

Visitors to South Coast Plaza Saturday look at Disneyland’s Canstruction sculpture, “CANda Panda Make a Difference” composed of 8,450 cans of baby food to be donated to the OC Diaper Bank.

(Sarahi Apaez)

Thirteen participating groups worked on this year’s local campaign to bring to life eight monolithic figures, mostly inspired by popular movies, books and children’s characters, including a Tyrannosaurus rex, giant teddy bear and the Cheshire Cat.

“This is not the sort of thing your average layman could produce,” Lowry said. “It takes structural engineers and architects to figure out how to keep those things together without glue — that’s the challenge.”

While teams have had months to conceptualize their creations, the actual can-struction largely took place during a 12-hour period, from Friday night until the following morning. Visitors to South Coast Plaza’s Macys Home Store and nearby locations Saturday morning couldn’t help but be intrigued by the overnight art takeover.

“Peace CAN Be Achieved” by Perkins Eastman, Petra Structural Engineers, Salas O’Brien Engineers and WE O’Neil Construction is composed of 1,600 cans.

(Sarahi Apaez)

A panel of judges will select standout entries in several categories, including most cans used, best overall design and best use of labels, and hand out awards in a Sept. 20 ceremony at the Newport Aquatics Center.

Members of the public can also nominate a “People’s Choice” winner with $1 votes also benefitting the OC Food Bank, which in 2020 provided 63 million pounds of foods and served 500,000 individuals each month.

Gensler+Clune+Taber’s sculpture “We CAN CAN Help End Hunger” is composed of 13,100 tuna cans.

(Sarahi Apaez)

Held in conjunction with South Coast Plaza’s annual Festival of Children, “Canstruction” sculptures will remain assembled until the festival’s final day on Sept. 25, at which point their components will be donated.

The Food Bank will distribute the food items to clients and other families served by affiliate organizations countywide. Lowry said “Canstruction” is just one example of how an industry rallied together to make a difference in the community.

“Everybody has an option, whether its through volunteerism, financial donations or being involved in another event like ‘Canstruction’ to become engaged,” he added.

“We’re All Mad About Ending Hunger” was constructed by JRMA Architects Engineers for “Canstruction” at South Coast Plaza.

(Sarahi Apaez)

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