It was the perfect Oregon scene: a technicolor sunset behind Haystack Rock and 4,000 cans of food ready to nourish families in need. This concept became reality through a partnership between Hennebery Eddy Architects and general contractor Skanska as part of the 2019 Canstruction Portland fundraiser for the Oregon Food Bank.
The team began work back in May, brainstorming the idea of “Sending Hunger Out to Sea” and designing and modeling the canstructure. As the September build day came closer, trips to WinCo fulfilled the need for a true rainbow of colors to depict the ocean, tidepools, sea creatures, and iconic Cannon Beach. Food items ranged from black beans and pumpkin to dried pasta, farro, and Kettle Chips. All of the “building materials” are donated to the food bank, serving families across the state.
Mission Statement: CANNON you imagine the perfect Oregon beach, full of well-nourished families with HAYSTACKS of food? Unfortunately, the majority of our coastal communities rank among the top third in Oregon for food insecurity by county. Donating a few cans can be a walk on the BEACH — let’s TIDE over the hungry and support the Oregon Food Bank!
Hennebery Eddy design staff member Andrew Milner helped canstruct the beach scene on build day. “My favorite part of Canstruction is the combination of something we love to do (designing and building) with something that truly helps those in need in our community,” he said. “I learned that 1 in 8 people in Oregon are considered food insecure, without access to a sufficient amount of affordable, nutritious food; 35% of those are children.”
Skanska – who is the general contractor for Hennebery Eddy’s Concourse E Extension project at Portland International Airport – proved an excellent partner for Canstruction as well. To learn more about the Canstruction program, visit www.canstructionpdx.org. or read about Hennebery Eddy’s award-winning canstructure from last year.
