Waterloo Architecture annually participates in Canstruction, a charity event in which teams build structures out of food cans.
The event is a fundraiser for The Food Bank of Waterloo Region. Teams of architects, engineers, contractors, and students compete to build large-scale structures made entirely of unopened cans of food. The whimsical, wacky, and unique sculptures then go on view to the public at Conestoga Mall in Waterloo. They are later dismantled, then distributed to those in need.
Last year, Canstruction Waterloo Region collected about 30,000 cans of food and more than $8,300 in donations.
During the competition, structures are judged in the categories of Best Meal, Best Use of Labels, Structural Ingenuity, Honourable Mention, Judges’ Favourite, and Most Cans. There is also a People’s Choice Award for the structure that raises the most in financial donations.
Waterloo Architecture’s 2010 team created “Parthenon — Building a Long Lasting Community,” which won the Best Meal category at Waterloo Region Canstruction, as well as at the international 14th annual Canstruction competition in Las Vegas. The team’s fourteen members recreated the Parthenon out of 19,000 cans.
Photo courtesy of University of Waterloo Daily Bulletin
This year, the Waterloo Architecture team has received full sponsorship from the University of Waterloo’s Community Relations department, and will be going full force into the competition.
// The first meeting will be:
Who: You, an enthusiastic group of students, a regional Food Bank representative, and the Community Relations associate director
What: Sign-ups, presentations, and team planning
Where: ARC 2026
When: Thursday, January 30 @ 1PM
Why: To raise awareness about local hunger and extend your creativity into the community
Michelle is a MArch ('20) and HBAS ('16) graduate from Waterloo's School of Architecture. She was an author & editor with BRIDGE from 2013-2019.
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