Pass the tuna. Titanic rendered in canned goods by Robert Silman Associates for Canstruction.

Ever dreamed of recreating a Richard Serra sculpture with tomatoes from the pantry? Erecting a monumental tribute to Alexander McQueen’s armadillo heel using only canned peas and elbow grease? What about constructing a truly giant giant panda that can feed hundreds? Teams from top architecture and engineering firms will prove that they can do it, and for a good cause. After being rescheduled due to Hurricane Sandy, the international charity competition that is Canstruction returns to New York City next month and with it the opportunity for teams of architects, engineers, and students they mentor to design and build giant structures made entirely from unopened cans of food—all of which are ultimately donated to City Harvest.

For its twentieth anniversary in Gotham, Canstruction has lined up 25 teams representing the likes of Skidmore Owings and Merrill, Arup, Robert Silman Associates, and HOK. Their carefully stacked creations will be judged by a panel of pros that includes Frances Halsband (Kliment Halsband Architects) and Top Chef alum Carla Hall. “Canstruction reminds us that something as prosaic as a can of tuna, soup, or beans can be transformed into a dazzling work of art, but it also reminds us of what a difference a simple can of food can make to a person in need,” says Amy Nanni, co-chair of Canstruction New York and national vice president of the Society for Design Administration. The works will be on view at the World Financial Center complex in Lower Manhattan from February 1 through February 11.