LaBella Wins Structural Ingenuity Award at 2026 CANstruction Rochester Awards Competition
More than 4,800 cans of assorted beans donated to Foodlink.
For the 17th consecutive year, LaBella’s Rochester team earned an award at the 2026 CANstruction Rochester competition, donating more than 4,800 canned food items to Foodlink!
This year’s theme, Oh, the Places You CAN Go, encouraged teams to draw inspiration from children’s books. Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, LaBella’s team worked precisely to design and build the Mad Hatter against a pocket watch backdrop using more than 4,800 cans of assorted beans.
The exhibit was on display from October 17 through October 31 at The Strong Museum of Play, where visitors viewed the structures and voted for their favorite to receive the People’s Choice Award. Judges recognized teams with awards for Best Original Design, Best Use of Labels, Structural Ingenuity, Best Meal, and Most Cans, along with two Honorable Mentions.
LaBella’s structure received the Structural Ingenuity Award for its creative application of engineering and architectural principles to overcome design challenges!
Congratulations to the entire team!
About Canstruction:
CANstruction is a global not-for-profit organization that addresses hunger globally. CANstruction Rochester is an annual exhibit and design competition that brings AEC professionals together to create structures built entirely out of canned goods. After closing the exhibit, all canned goods and food items are donated to Foodlink.
About Foodlink:
Foodlink is a Rochester-based nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger and building healthier communities by addressing the symptoms and root causes of food insecurity. They provide emergency food assistance to a 10-county service area through a network of foodbank members and community members.
