Registration for the local event of Canstruction® Miami can be completed on the website. There is a registration fee to participate. This fee is used to support the event each year and all promotions of the competition as a sponsor. All firms are required to pay the fee. Firms supporting or acting as contributors to schools, youth groups, or churches will be responsible for the registration fee. If any of these groups does not know an Architect, Canstruction® Miami will find an individual to help mentor the group through the process.
This is a competition and as such there are some simple rules to keep the competition fair. These rules are part of the National Canstruction® organization with a few modifications that support Miami’s competition. In Canstruction® Miami organization will provide each team with a printing of each team’s sign for our local signage competition, an easel to support the sign, and stanchions to provide minimal security for each structure.
All Structures will be included in the competition and judged by a panel of community and design professionals. The following awards will be presented at the Awards Celebration.
National Award
– Most creative
– Best Meal
– Student’s Choice
Local Award
– Food Banks Award
– Other Awards as created by the Jury
– Special Sponsor Award (created upon request)
– Share Your Heart Award
– Super Intended Award
Local winners of National Awards go on to compete internationally through submission of digital photography to a panel of jurors convened at the SDA Annual Convention in the spring of each year. The local competition may give additional unofficial awards, however, those winners do not proceed to the international competition.
Canstruction® Miami will photograph the structures based upon the National criteria. These photographs are taken without signage and without stanchions usually on the day of the build.
STRUCTURE SIZE
– 8’l x 8’w x 8’h – maximum – must be built with a minimum of 1000 cans
– Please keep your structure within your taped-off space
TEAM SIZE
Any number of people can assist in the design and planning of the structure. Only 5 people will be permitted to build at one time. Teams may swap out members working on the building of the structure. Others may assist in organizing cans, cutting foam-core and other materials, etc.
It is vital that a team member is assigned to ensure the safety of other team members and venue patrons, by keeping the aisles clear and clean.
FOOD PRODUCTS
– Aluminum food cans of all sizes may be used. Some food manufacturers are switching to plastic. If using plastic containers make sure they stack and can take the pressure off cans from above bearing down.
– No glass containers
– No pet food
– No alcoholic beverages
– Soda and junk food are strongly discouraged. Depending on the composition of the jury, your entry could be ineligible for a National award for using non-nutritional items. Food banks need nutritional food, not junk food. Make every effort in designing a structure that uses edible, nutritious foods.
– Look at the Healthy Foods list at the department of agriculture website .
– Canned food must be full and unopened, no exposed food. (attracts vermin)
– Labels must be intact and legible. Labels cannot be covered over, stripped off or altered in any way.
– Boxes and bags – strongly discouraged. The name of the competition is Canstruction® Miami. Jurors prefer to follow the name of the competition and in recent years many structures with boxes and bags did not make it through the elimination process for that reason.
– Props – strongly discouraged. Jurors prefer pure food structures. Solve all design challenges with food items. All things equal, a structure with props will lose when judged against a structure with no props. (Example: a structure that has eyes. One structure uses black cans to make eyes; another structure has black circles made of paper and pasted on top of the cans for eyes. Once the jury sees that eyes can be made from cans or a food product, any entry that used paper cutouts is in disfavor.)
ADJUNCT BUILDING MATERIALS
Structures MUST be structurally self-supporting.
Permissible
– one-quarter inch thick foam-core, cardboard, masonite, plywood, plexiglass – for the purpose of leveling or balancing materials and not as load bearing. A structure where ¼” leveling material is not visible is judged superior to a structure where it is in plain view.
– ¼” Threaded Rod
– Cardboard tubes used as guides must also be limited to one-quarter inch thick.
– Velcro
– Tape, clear and double-faced
– High-tension rubber bands
– Nylon string
– Wire
– Tie-backs
– Plywood/masonite template for even flooring – essential if building on a carpeted surface or uneven flooring.
Not Permissible
– 2×4’s
– half-inch plywood
– plywood placed vertically
– half-inch thick tubing
– sheet metal
– permanent adhesives
– hot glue
Information regarding the Day of the Build will be posted on the website. Instructions will be specific to the requirements of the venue and it is the team captain’s responsibility to inform all participants involved with each team’s structure. We are guests of the Youth Fair and we will be representing both Canstruction®Miami and the Food Banks of Miami Dade Florida. Team members should be familiar with the event to be able to answer questions that will come from both the general public and the media during the day of the build.
ACQUISITION OF CANNED GOODS
Canstruction® Miami has specific rules for receiving credit for charitable donations. Please see information under Reconciliation. The best solution is to instruct donors to take the contribution as a marketing/public relations business expense. Naming the contributors on your sign next to your structure will give them their marketing/pr exposure.
– Participating firms are responsible for obtaining their own supply of canned goods.
– Firms may solicit canned goods and/or financial donations from food manufacturers, grocery stores, business consultants, contractors, vendors, and employee/student food drives.
– Cans should be packed in sturdy cartons.
BUILD-OUT
– Try to do as much prefabrication of any templates, foam-core or other special materials you require prior to the day of the build out.
– If you have a chance to do a practice build in your office take that opportunity to lessen surprises at the site.
– Bring plenty of extra supplies (tape, scissors, foam-core, cardboard) – overestimate.
– Bring a ladder if you are building tall or to position spotlights.
– Bring plenty of food and beverages for the team if not supplied by organizers/host.
– Each team must have at all times one team member looking out for the safety of the team members and mall patrons. You may switch out throughout the build who is the designated safety person, but someone must be looking out for safety during the entire build.
– Make sure your structure is standing the next morning. Be prepared to go and fix immediately if there is a problem at the Mall. Each team will be required to provide an emergency phone number.
JUDGING
– To the best of our ability, the judging is done anonymously
– It might be a good idea to check your structure during the day of the judging. Be prepared to go to the site and rebuild anything that may have fallen. Ensure that everything is fixed and you have left the venue before 5:15 PM.
– Team members cannot be on location at the time of judging.
– Canstruction® Miami has a graphics/signage competition for each structure. Therefore signage is encouraged to be creative and informative. Be cognizant of any copyright infringements when designing your structure and your signage!
DE-CANSTRUCTION
The teardown of each Canstruction® Miami happens on April 8th and 9th, 2018 of the exhibition. ALL TEAMS ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE 5 PEOPLE TO DISMANTLE THEIR INDIVIDUAL STRUCTURES AND PREPARE THE FOOD FOR TRANSPORT BY THE FOOD BANK IN THE CONTAINERS PROVIDED BY THE FOOD BANK. Final coordinating instructions regarding the teardown will be posted on the website during the week of the event.
Participants are required to leave their designated site “BROOM-CLEAN”. Please be sure to pick up all trash and dispose of in appropriate containers.
SIGNAGE
Format
The designated size for all Canstruction® Miami Structure signs is 24” x 36” (either vertical or horizontal). You MAY bleed the image off the sides. The mounted signs will stand on provided easels, on the floor. You are NOT allowed to cut into the board or change the rectangular shape.
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Deadline
Follow the step by step process on the Signage Checklist on the website and upload your final sign design as a PDF (ready for high-resolution printing) to the FTP site indicated. Maximum File Size is 50 Mg. You will receive a notification indicating that your file has been approved or if changes will need to be made for approval. Final approved graphics will be due by the date on the Canstruction® Miami schedule.
Printing
All approved signage will go to the sponsoring Canstruction® Miami reprographics company for final printing and mounting. Signs may not be printed by anyone other than the sponsoring company. The signs will be delivered directly to Miami Print shop during the Build Event.
Required Information to be Included in Sign Design
– Name of Team Firm(s)
– Title of Canstruction® Miami Structure
– There are several sponsor logos that will need to appear on ALL signs. These can be downloaded from your team welcome page. Logos should be a minimum of 2” X 2”.
Be cognizant of any copyright infringements when designing your signage!
Optional Information and Graphics
– You may include your company’s logo, concept sketches, can or food descriptions and/or counts, your team sponsors names, etc.
– Be creative!