The Can-petition Heats Up As Canstruction Returns to Brookfield Place This Fall

That can of chickpeas languishing in the back of your cupboard may not mean much to you, but to some of the city’s most talented architects, engineers and contractors, it could be the start of a truly spectacular work of art. Canstruction, a design competition that invites teams to create large-scale sculptures out of canned goods, is back at Brookfield Place (230 Vesey St.) starting October 31. The can-tastic displays will be on view until November 11, when they’re disassembled and donated to City Harvest to help feed the community. 

This year’s Canstruction at Brookfield Place will feature 23 teams from architecture and engineering firms. They’ll be competing for a slate of awards including Best Original Design, Best Use of Labels, Structural Ingenuity, Best Meal, Most Cans and two honorable mentions. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges on November 4. 

This year’s Canstruction has plenty of ways for visitors to get involved. On October 31, you can watch a live build of one of the sculptures as the DeSimone Consulting Engineering team brings it to life in the Winter Garden. The build begins at 10 a.m. and typically takes six to eight hours to complete. If you can’t make it to the live build, you can sign up for a guided tour of the Canstruction exhibition. Dates and times for tours vary, you can sign up through the website to secure your spot. You can also get involved by dropping off some canned goods to be donated to City Harvest, and by casting a vote for your favorite sculpture in hopes of helping it win that coveted People’s Choice award.