Photo by Zach Estrada/The Collegian
By Samantha Sutton/reporter
TCC students are competing against University of Texas at Arlington and professional architects by building structures out of cans at North East Mall in hopes of winning the People’s Choice Award and giving back to the community.
Canstruction, a competition created by the Society for Design Administration, helps architecture students practice their talents and benefits the Tarrant Area Food Bank.
Canstruction operations manager David Swangel said he loves getting to come out and talk with the teams about challenges and their plans for the finished product of the can structure.
“This competition allows students to put what they are learning into practice in a fun way that benefits not only themselves, but those in surrounding cities who are in need,” he said.
South student Andrew Olivo helped instructor Arnie Radman create the outline for what they would be building. Planning for the competition began in June. Rather than the finished product, Olivo said his favorite part is the process and watching it all come together.
“Overall, the most rewarding thing is that the practice we are getting is beneficial to people other than ourselves,” he said. “We get to practice. The Tarrant County Food Bank gets the cans.”
Radman has been leading students in this competition since 2002. He said 70,000 to 80,000 pounds of food from TCC have been donated to local cities. To prepare for the competition, Radman has to find sponsors. Campbell’s Soup is a major one, donating multiple pallets of soup for students to use in their structures.
The contest has different categories for awards such as Best Meal, Structural Integrity, Label and People’s Choice. Radman’s students have won many honorable mentions and even the People’s Choice Award in the past. As great as winning these awards is, Radman does not see it that way.
“The real winners are the people who get the cans after we are through with them,” Radman said. “That is what this whole thing is truly about.”
The team will find out the results later this week.
