“Working together on a Canstructure for charity has proven to be one of the most effective projects a firm can undertake to build personal and professional bonds.”
Truly unique to the design and construction industry, Cheri Melillo, office administrator & associate with Butler Rogers Baskett Architects, P.C., in New York City, has authored a cookbook, managed a holistic health retreat, worked as a professional actress, and originated the clever idea of Canstruction® (a trademarked design-build charity competition), and runs the program as its president & executive director. In Canstruction®, architects, designers, engineers, and contractors compete to design and build self-supporting structures made entirely from cans of food, which are contributed to the local food bank at the end of the competition. Today’s competitions take place in 100 cities across North America and roughly 4,000 structures have been created since its inception resulting in 8.5 million pounds of donated food. Find out how you can canstruct your way to making a difference with your local food bank.
The path towards her current career: “Originally from Muskego, WI, I received a Bachelor of Science, Degree in Speech and Theatre from Northwestern University. My early years in New York City were as a professional actress, producer, and director. With a talent for business administration and experiencing a growing interest in natural healing, I left New York City in 1979 to become executive director of a holistic health retreat in Scituate, MA, and authored the cookbook The Best of Everything.
Returning to New York City, in 1985 I joined the architecture and interior design firm Butler Rogers Baskett Architects, P.C., and became their office administrator. I was named an associate in 1986.
Her current project and passion: “Canstruction® — it’s the most unique food drive in the world. A trademarked design-build charity competition of the design and construction industry where architects, designers, engineers, and contractors compete to see who can design and build the most fantastic self-supporting structures made entirely from full cans of food. All of the food used in the structures and donated by the public is contributed to the local food bank at the close of each competition for distribution to those most in need. Structures are juried in categories such as Structural Ingenuity, Best Use of Labels, Best Meal, and Jurors’ Favorite.”
Coming up with the idea: “In 1993, I first conceived of Canstruction® as a competition for the Society for Design Administration (SDA) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) New York Chapters. Borrowing from similar events held in the Denver and Seattle Chapters, I proposed the project in response to an initial request to create an event that would demonstrate that architects were caring and active members of the community.
After that first New York City competition it became my vision that Canstruction® could become an international community service project of the entire design and construction industry. Canstruction would have the natural ability to cross all national, political, racial and religious boundaries uniting the world around one concept everyone could agree upon — that no one should go hungry.
My vision of sharing Canstruction® with the world became a reality in 1998 when the United Nations hosted the New York City competition in their visitors’ lobby. Year 2007 marks my 15th year chairing the New York City competition and the 11th North American competition.
On what she loves most about this line of work: “I delight in the win-win that is Canstruction. Here we are coming together as an industry for a common purpose — to help feed hungry men, women, and children. At the same time that we are feeding millions of hungry people, we’re creating incredible works of pop art that showcase our industry’s talent while delighting the public and raising their consciousness. We’re introducing students to careers in our industry through the mentoring programs.”
Utilizing design-build: “Canstruction is a microcosm of a design-build project. Each team that enters Canstruction is responsible for their structure from design inception through to construction thus making it the perfect design-build project. A team begins by brainstorming on a concept. Finding just the right size, shape, and label colors in canned food, while paying attention to nutritional contents and determining how the building blocks will integrate and stack is a big challenge that incorporates all facets of design-build. Once the appropriate materials are chosen the team develops full CAD and 3-D drawings to determine the layering and thus the number of cans needed per product and how the structure will be engineered.”
Overcoming current challenges: “Reaching students while they are in elementary and middle school to develop the design and construction industry professionals of the future has become increasingly important. As the US labor pool shrinks and industries struggle to recruit an educated, trained workforce, recruiting is beginning at an earlier and earlier age. Television and movies have a powerful impact on children and the role models promoted there are predominately lawyers, doctors, and law enforcement personnel. The design and construction industry has no active media contact with students.
Canstruction provides the perfect vehicle to introduce students to careers in the design and construction industry in a dynamic, interactive, exciting way while teaching them the value of performing community service. It also fosters team building as everyone plays an integral part in making it to the finish line.”
Most memorable experience: “One month before our second competition in New York City (1994), I got word that John Kennedy, Jr., had accepted our invitation to announce the winners on opening night. He did those honors for the next two years. He was an absolute delight, so gracious and charming. He totally embraced the spirit of the event and patiently posed for photo ops that got Canstruction on the AP wire line. The media attention he brought to Canstruction helped launch us nationally.”
On her favorite canstructed structures: “I am naturally biased. My firm, Butler Rogers Baskett Architects, P.C., has entered the competition every year since 1993 and has produced some award-winning results, most notably American Espresso, a replica of the American eagle on the back of the silver quarter made entirely from illy espresso, right after 9/11; and a giant hot dog with ketchup and mustard bottles entitled An American Classic.”
Getting involved: “DBIA members can provide the professional mentors that will be needed to go into the classrooms once a week over the eight- to 10-week period required taking a structure from design concept through to construction. They can work at the local level to approach their school systems and get them on board, and join with other industry associations to mount a competition in their locale.
More and more project delivery systems demand that all parties to the design and construction process find ways to work together and problem solve in harmony for a successful outcome rather than ending in discord and enmity. Working together on a Canstructure for charity has proven to be one of the most effective projects a firm can undertake to build personal and professional bonds.”
INFO: Canstruction (www.canstruction.org)