It’s An Extrava-‘CAN’-za

Photo by Lawrence Tabudlo

There’s a massive amount of good that people “can” do when they set their minds, hearts and hands to it.

That definitely holds true with AIA Honolulu’s 20th annual CANstruction competition, a benefit for Hawai’i Foodbank that takes place Sept. 13-20 at Kāhala Mall.

Since its inception, the event has raised nearly 745,000 pounds of canned food and more than $110,000 for Hawai’i Foodbank — enough to make 612,000 meals for hungry people in the community.

This year, teams of local architects and their design and engineering partners will put their creative skills to the test. They will construct dynamic 3D structures — each made of thousands of cans of food that, following the event, will be donated to the food bank.

Serving as co-chairs of the competition are Tiffany Tabbal, principal of Manageability LLC and Lisa Nguyen, project manager of Constructors Hawai‘i Inc.

“This year marks AIA Honolulu CANstruction’s 20th anniversary, making it a special milestone for the event,” Tabbal says. “For the first time, the competition will be going mall-wide at Kāhala Mall, showcasing 10 teams.”

Not only does the event celebrate two decades of creativity, community spirit and generosity, she adds, but it will also turn design into a lasting impact for Hawai‘i’s families.

During the competition, observers will feast their eyes on a transformation of ordinary cans into extraordinary sculptures and captivating works of art. Previous larger-than-life entries have drawn inspiration from dazzling parties, glitzy galas and more. The 2025 creations will reflect the theme “ExtravaCANza!” — which mirrors the excitement surrounding the competition’s two decades of existence.

“We wanted a theme that captures the festive spirit of this milestone year and highlights the creativity and energy the event brings to the community,” Tabbal says.

CANstruction structures are built with anywhere from 1,500 to 13,000 cans and are created by stacking a variety of can sizes and shapes using the product labels as the color palette. The structures are all self-supporting, and the only other materials that can be used are 1/4-inch leveling, cardboard, tape, rubber bands and wire.

“Teams have creative freedom, but the process is designed to keep things fair and aligned with the event’s theme,”Tabbal says. “Each team develops a concept and submits a design to the committee, which reviews it to ensure it fits the theme and avoids duplication.”

She notes that once concepts are approved, teams decide which cans to use, paying close attention to the available colors and balancing their choices against their budget. Inspiration often comes from architecture, current events or the natural environment, which they transform into can structures.

Teams will have five hours to build the sculptures at the mall. Each team must be prepared to commit the time and effort required to design its structure, which is required to be at least 3 feet tall.

“In response to Hawai‘i Foodbank’s urgent need for donations, we ask that teams commit to creating a sculpture of approximately 2,000 cans and/or make a monetary donation to support the food bank,” Tabbal emphasizes.

The build-day for professionals to install their creations will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 13. Members of the public are encouraged to participate in CANstruction by voting for their favorite canned-food structures. Completed works will be on display for People’s Choice voting from Sept. 13 to 20.

The public can vote at aiahonolulu.org or by scanning the QR code at each structure. The CANstruction entry that receives the most votes will be named People’s Choice Award winner.

“It’s important to vote for the People’s Choice Award because each vote equals one dollar, and 100% of the donations go directly to the Hawai‘i Foodbank to help feed our community in need,” Tabbal explains. “ In the hands of the food bank, every $10 donation provides more than 20 meals, and just $20 can help feed a family for an entire week.”

New this year is AIA Honolulu’s partnership with ChefZone, a wholesale club featuring food and restaurant supply essentials, to source the canned goods for the competition.

“We are excited to partner with local distributor ChefZone for this year’s CANstruction. This partnership ensures that participating teams have reliable access to the cans they need, which will be exclusively ordered for the event,” Tabbal says. “By working with ChefZone, teams won’t have to worry about items being out of stock or unavailable as the build date approaches.”

Another highlight is Keiki Corner Build, which will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 13. It will feature students from University of Hawai‘i School of Architecture leading children ages 5-12 in building projects with hundreds of cans donated for their use. 

“The Keiki Corner is all about fun and creativity,” Tabbal says. “Kids can use cans to build their own structures, sparking imagination while celebrating community spirit.”

Tabbal first participated in CANstruction in 2009 and continued to join a few more builds in the following years while working at architecture/engineering firms.

“When I joined Manageability in 2019, I became more involved with AIA and learned that the committee was looking for a co-chair for the 2023 event,”she explains. “I stepped into that role and have been active with the committee since then. I love seeing the creativity and compassion that each team brings to the event to support the Hawai‘i Foodbank.”

For her part, Nguyen first participated in the event four years ago when she was at RMA Architects Inc. and co-captained the team for the firm for two years. After joining the CANstruction committee in 2024, she was asked to co-chair this year’s event.

“It has been a fun experience seeing both sides of the AIA CANstruction event as a participating team and on the committee side,” Nguyen recalls.      

“What amuses or excites me the most is seeing what the teams come up with or how they interpret the theme that the committee selects for the year. The committee reviews what each team is building for the year, but seeing something on paper is totally different from seeing the actual ‘canstructure’ in person. Especially seeing how the teams figure out their support to make sure the canstructure will hold up for a week.”

Summing up her feelings about the organization’s “can-do” attitude, Tabbal concludes, “It’s important for AIA Honolulu to support the Hawai‘i Foodbank through this annual event because it demonstrates how architects, design professionals and industry partners are committed not only to shaping the built environment but also to caring for the people who live in it. CANstruction transforms design talent into tangible support, helping the Hawai‘i Foodbank provide meals to families in need.”

For more information, visit aiahonolulu.org.