Through the mentorship of Abel Design Group (ADG) associates, a can sculpture was designed by Booker T. Washington High School (BTW) students for the annual Canstruction® Houston competition held at CityCentre Houston on November 5, 2016. The BTW team won Jurors’ Favorite for a can sculpture based on Groot, a character from the movie Guardians of the Galaxy. The can sculpture will be on display at The Lofts at City Center until November 12. PODS Houston made an early morning delivery of approximately 3,000 cans to build the can sculpture. “It’s always an honor to work with Booker T. Washigton, and to be a part of Canstruction,” stated Dare Lovett, ADG Principal and Director of Architecture. This was the second time this year that Canstruction Houston brought ADG and BTW together.
In April of 2016, ADG partnered with Canstruction Houston, the students at BTW, and The Children’s Museum of Houston, for an exclusive Earth Day exhibition benefiting The Houston Food Bank. Through the mentorship of ADG associates, a special Canstruction project was designed by BTW High School students for The Children’s Museum of Houston and built on Earth Day, April 23. The canned goods used to build the structure were donated to The Houston Food Bank.
In 2015 alone, Canstruction Houston raised 118,765 pounds of food which provided 142,518 meals for the 2015 Holiday Season. 2016 numbers are yet to be released.
About Abel Design Group
Founded in Houston, Texas in 2001, Abel Design Group is a premiere architecture and design firm that offers architecture and design services for corporate, hospitality, restaurant, and retail clients, nationally and internationally. Abel Design Group received several 2016 award wins – Interior Design Magazine Rising Giants for the sixth consecutive year, the Houston Business Journal Fast 100 for the fourth consecutive year, the Houston Business Journal Best Places to Work for the second consecutive year, and the American Institute of Architects 2016 Interior Design Award.
About Canstruction
Canstruction is a non-profit organization in which teams of architects, engineers, construction firms and students compete to create giant structures made entirely out of canned food. After the event all food is donated to the local food bank. Canstruction was founded in 1992 by the Society for Design Administrators and has since raised nearly 30 million pounds of food for local communities around the world. Canstruction is one of the largest internationally recognized food drives of its kind.
About The Houston Food Bank
In fall 2008, the Houston Food Bank merged with End Hunger Network, a Houston-area food rescue organization, thus making more effective use of community resources by working together as one. In fiscal year 2014-2015, the Houston Food Bank distributed 74,000,000 nutritious meals. The vision for the future is to expand service to the community to 100,000,000 nutritious meals by 2018. Every dollar donated to the Houston Food Bank provides the equivalent of three meals for an individual.