Celebrating Flaco the Owl at Canstruction New York 2024: A Symbol of Resilience and Community

Meet Flaco, a larger-than-life representation of the famous Eurasian eagle-owl who captured New Yorkers' hearts after his daring escape from the Central Park Zoo. “Fly Free” was inspired by Flaco’s resilience and independence, our Canstruction project at Brookfield Place brings this feathery icon to life, constructed from 1,588 non-perishable cans. The cans were used in Flaco’s creation representing more than just an element of art; each can will soon become a meal for someone in need.

This year, Flaco stands as a testament to both the strength of the human spirit and the power of community to come together in the fight against hunger. And we’re not alone—this year’s Canstruction event drew 23 teams from top engineering, architecture, and design firms with teams having donated countless hours and food into crafting unique, larger-than-life structures, all in support of the cause of hunger relief.

Hatfield Group Engineering joined forces with In Studio Architecture to bring our 2024 vision to life! Led by the talented team of Becky Zang, Chloe Shipley, Danny Zhavoronkin, Doosun Shin, Michael Gaspar, Sara McMonagle, and Ulysse Colle—planning for Flaco’s construction began this past summer. The team dedicated countless hours to preparing detailed drawings and models, refining every element to ensure our tribute to Flaco the Owl would be as inspiring as his story.

The Heart of Canstruction: Building for a Cause

Canstruction® New York is a 501(c)(3) Corporation founded by the Society for Design Administration (SDA) to mobilize the architecture, engineering, and construction industries for good. Through competitions in over 100 cities each year, Canstruction transforms design concepts into gigantic, breathtaking structures made entirely from cans. Not only are these displays stunning feats of engineering and creativity, but they also serve a vital purpose: at the close of each event, all cans used in the builds, along with donations from the public, are given to local food banks to feed families in need.

Since 1993, Canstruction New York has donated over 2 million pounds of food to local food banks, and more than 1.2 million pounds have gone to City Harvest since 2006. Globally, the Canstruction movement has provided nearly 82 million pounds of food to hunger relief organizations. Each can not only fuels creativity but also fills plates in communities facing food insecurity.

City Harvest: Feeding New York, One Meal at a Time

This year, as in years past, City Harvest will be the beneficiary of Canstruction New York’s efforts. As the city’s largest and most established food rescue organization, City Harvest collects high-quality food that might otherwise go to waste, distributing it across the five boroughs. In the past 40 years, City Harvest has rescued over a billion pounds of food, helping ensure that New Yorkers facing food insecurity can access fresh, nutritious meals. By reducing waste, this food rescue work also prevents significant amounts of CO2 emissions, making City Harvest a leader in sustainable hunger relief.

The Canstruction exhibition was held at Brookfield Place from October 31 - November 11, 2024.