Architects Team with Bielefield Elementary & Help Hungry

Local architect Sean Donadio of Middletown and designer/job captain Chris Speeg, both from Bianco Giolitto Weston Architects of Middletown, along with several collegues, teamed up with teachers and 15 students from Bielefield Elementary School to participate in the 9th Annual AIA (American Institure of Architects) CANstruction design competition. Architecture firms and schools from across CT came together to fundraise money to purchase canned food items and transform them into sculpture. Although the amount of cans collected by the groups were visibly signifigantly less than the previous year, more firms than last year participated; an interesting event as many design firms across the state this year, are experiencing record lay- offs. Unemployment becoming cruel reality for some perhaps inspired more firms to participate even if as best they could. The efforts on display at the competition, like that of the Bielefield team are still outstanding achievements- all contributions in the thousands of cans! All food items collected by each participating firm/school team were then donated to the Connecticut Food Share to be distributed to the areas where the firms an schools are located; meaning the majority of the items Bielefield collected will stay within Middletown and likely be distributed by Amazing Grace Food Pantry. This year the competition was held May 15th in the gallery at the new Hartford Connecticut Children's Science Museum. The award ceremony which will announce winner's of awards such as "Best Use of Labels" and "Most Item's Collected." is May 19th and the sculptures will be on display through the end of the month to visitors of the museum.

The team raised through donation, fundraising, and B.O.E. contribution $3,400 and were able to buy and collect 5,195 canned items. New this year, students visited Amazing Grace Food Pantry, and were able to see where their donations went and helped to sort cans. The students, all of which are between 3-5 grade, learned that families are only allowed to go to the pantry every 30 days and how so many people depended on donations to this facility for survival.

The theme for this years sculpture was SHARING HOPE- GIVING RESPECT-HAVING- PRIDE, a motto at Bielefield School that all students try to abide by. Co-captain Chris Speeg compiled student sketches of their ideas of these concepts into a sinlge sketch and designed the flame. Teachers and designers met with students several times after school to teach them how come up with a 3D concept, to build safely, and work together. A ring of silver pea cans and blue tuna cans surrounding the inner flame made of red tomato cans and orange potato cans was designed to spell out these words. At the build, student's donned red tee shirts and hats to show team unity. During the build, I witnessed team co captain Sean Donadio and teacher Colleen Monnes recieve many compliments from other firm/school team leaders on how well behaved the Bielefield students were. Most other teams consisted of middle school and high school students. Students worked for 5 hours in 15 minute rotations of teams of 5 students with 2 adults at a time to complete the sculpture in a 10ft x 10 ft area. While 5 students built at a time, others worked together to pass cans into the build area, sort, and un pack boxes. Other students were in charge or making sure labels were facing the right way; no one was left with nothing to do! It was a beautiful & chaotic scene. Scupltures remain on display to visitors at the Children's Science Museum in Hartford through June. See the CT AIA.org website for more photos. Go Bielefield Bobcats!