AG Architecture was one of thirteen teams to participate in the 2025 WisCANsin-themed Canstruction® event. Milwaukee-area architecture, engineering and construction professionals put their creativity and technical skills to the test by designing and building sculptures constructed with canned goods and non-perishable food items. Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM), Women in Design (WIDMKE), Wisconsin Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (Wisco NOMA), American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center (JCC) partnered for the second year in a row on this annual exhibit and charity event focused on raising hunger awareness.
For AG, as a first-year participant, the theme WisCANsin added to the excitement of the project. Representing the varied expertise at AG, the team included a mix of designers, architects and engineers. Kyra Orvis, Dave Manke, Megan Scott, Louis Vanden Bush, Melissa Torres, Chris Doerner and Mychaela Hassi guided the process from concept to completion. Director of Business Development Katie Miller was the mastermind behind gathering all of the cans in the exact color palette needed. And on build day, a few more team members supported the effort, including Lance Ultsch, Benjamin Chung, Marcia Zalenski and COO Mike Miller.
According to Orvis, “Our concept was developed by taking the WisCANsin theme quite literally with T-Pain as an iconic musical reference. Recently, Milwaukee named June 11th T-Pain Day, so he is already widely accepted as a local legend, including his annual Wiscansin Fest.”
For those who don’t know, there is a line in his song “Can’t Believe It” where he says: “Put you in a mansion, somewhere in Wis-CAN-sin”.
With T-Pain as the inspiration, the design process began. “I took photos from his Wiscansin Fest and turned them into pixelated images in Photoshop. We needed a palette of solid colors to work with as we figured out how to translate the image into a can sculpture,” describes Orvis.
Next, to assist with the translation and sculpture assembly, Manke developed the construction documentation to guide the build as the team started window shopping, online and in grocery stores, to look for color options. The challenge was working with the limited color variations between food brands while remaining cost-effective. After tedious color options were contemplated, selections were made, orders were placed, and cans were picked up at various locations.
The team invested time and energy in a few mock-up builds. “These attempts were insightful and allowed us to work through challenges within the comfort of the office,” says Orvis. “We learned where structural supports would best fit the shape based on real dimensions, as well as had the opportunity to accommodate for inaccuracies between can sizes. When one can that is three millimeters shorter than the other is stacked a few cans high, the difference is much more noticeable, and a shim of sorts is necessary.”
The final sculpture, comprised of 1,700 cans, showcased a T-Pain headshot on one side and The People’s Flag of Milwaukee on the other.
“The biggest takeaway is that this was a true team effort. Everyone brought something to the table, making this a success. Each one of us has a different background within the organization, so it was a true representation of AG,” describes Manke. “The most satisfying part of our design was that ‘ah ha’ moment people had when they put together the image, the words and the song—’OH! I get it; that’s cool!’”
This project offers a fun exploration of AG’s tagline—Bright Vision. Bold Communities. A commitment to a sense of community is at the heart of the firm, so this endeavor provided a great opportunity to contribute to a great cause.
“Even though AG works all over the country, we’re based in Milwaukee. Our roots are in Southeastern Wisconsin,” describes Miller. “Events like this are a great way for us to support the community our team calls home—and have some fun at the same time.”
During the awards ceremony, the direct impact of the teams’ efforts was shared. The approximately 39,000 items (nearly 25 pallets of food) donated as a result of the Canstruction event can positively support the Jewish Community Center’s neighborhood for almost a year.
The AG Team looks forward to tackling this creative challenge for a good cause again in 2026!
