FOODstruction

Photo booth

Piña can-lada

Every March, something a little unexpected takes shape in our studio. It’s not a new building or a fresh set of plans—it’s towers of black beans, pyramids of toilet paper, and the occasional ambitious structure held together by sheer determination (and a lot of painter’s tape).

It’s Food-Struction!

What started in 2020 as a creative way to stay connected during a very disconnected time has grown into one of our favorite traditions—and a meaningful way to support our community. The premise is simple: teams design and build sculptures using food donations.

Food-Struction supports Keystone Community Services, a non-profit organization serving the Saint Paul area with one of the region’s busiest food shelves. The need is real, and it’s immediate.

That kind of demand puts things into perspective. What might feel like a fun and creative team-building event is, at its core, a response to something much bigger.

We intentionally hold Food-Struction in March to align with the MN FoodShare March Campaign—a time when donations are matched, amplifying every pound of food collected. It’s also a critical moment for food shelves. Holiday donations have tapered off, and fresh, accessible options are often limited.

Growing the impact

What began as an internal effort has expanded into something even better. Over the past few years, we’ve been joined by partners who share our belief that good design goes hand in hand with being a good member of the community.

ERA, one of our structural engineering collaborators, jumped in two years ago. This year, Pope Design Group joined the mix. Together, we’ve turned a single event into a collective effort—donating roughly 2,800 pounds of food and hygiene products in the process. Not bad for a little creative competition.

The fun part (yes, there’s a trophy)

Of course, no design challenge would be complete without a bit of judging. Keystone staff evaluate each structure using a formal rubric, ultimately awarding the coveted Blue Can of Excellence.

What makes it stick

Food-Struction works because it blends what we do best—collaboration, creativity, and a willingness to take on a challenge—with a clear purpose. It’s hands-on, a little scrappy, and deeply rewarding.

And it reminds us of something we believe from our very first project to today: creativity has the power to change our community. Sometimes that looks like a building. Sometimes it looks like a sculpture made of soup cans.