Architecture and Planning - University at Buffalo

Meet Julia Hunt (BS '17), director of digital fabrication and clinical assistant professor, who fosters a culture of making in our school’s fabrication workshop.

At the intersection of creativity and technology, Julia’s fascination with the marriage of form and function began in part due to her family history. Essentially a third-generation shop teacher, both Julia’s father and grandfather were high school shop instructors.

As the Director of Digital Fabrication, Julia is responsible for all of the digital tools in the shop, running external jobs, training students, managing the digital fabrication fellows, maintenance, and more. On top of that, she teaches a course every semester—shaping the future of our city of makers.

Learn more about the growing demand for skilled designers that can bridge the gap between design and fabrication—and how Julia helps our students adapt in leading-edge facilities: https://archplan.buffalo.edu/news/2024/culture-of-making-julia-hunt.html?

Photo: Douglas Levere

Throughout the twentieth century, the Buffalo/Niagara region was host to a variety of boats constructed of wooden hulls powered by internal combustion engines. The geometries that allowed these boats to move efficiently through the water consisted of simple linear pieces of wood or sheets of plywood skins wrapped around structural frames. This semester, our Juniors will consider the long-term advantage to the environment of promoting the return to the use of wood, a sustainable and renewable resource, for the construction of boats!

Each studio produces two boats with seating for two, culminating in a regatta at Gallagher Beach — being held Friday 9/27, rain date Monday 9/30. The intent of this full-scale construction is to facilitate students’ understanding of the relationship between structure and envelope, how to construct an object of complex geometry, and learn how to work in teams.

Skippers race the length of the beach, then pass off the paddles to the next pair of skippers. The first studio to have both boats complete the regatta route will win the Keelson Award.



Photos: Douglas Levere

Check out our latest news story on training Western New York's new sustainability workforce. This was the first such class offered in the Sustainability Workforce Training Center. UB Resilient Building Lab researchers Nicholas Rajkovich, associate professor in the Department of Architecture, and Laura Lubniewski, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Architecture — both of whom are certified passive house consultants — developed the curriculum for the Community Climate Leadership Program last summer.

https://archplan.buffalo.edu/news/2024/training-wny-sustainability-workforce.html

Photos: Douglas Levere

Training WNY’s new sustainability workforce The inaugural class goes through the Community Climate Leadership program offered through a partnership between UB and PUSH Buffalo. Resilient...

Join us next week on 9/25 from 5-7pm for “FAUNA: Designing for More Than Human Worlds.” This free, public event will explore and engage multispecies design and post-human architectures. Our expert panel will provide a conversation that reflects on and imagines new subjectivities and species relations that might be possible. Hope to see you there!

This event is being held in person (Hayes Hall 403) and on Zoom. Register here: https://archplan.buffalo.edu/events/2024/fall/FAUNA.html

This course is AIA CES Registered and approved for 1 Learning Unit (LU). AICP members can earn Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for this activity: 1.5 CM #9296908.

We’re pleased to announce the following awards:

Dean Julia Czerniak is the 2023-24 Mercedes T. Bass Landscape Architect in Residence honoree. The American Academy in Rome invites distinguished artists and scholars from around the world to reside at the Academy for periods generally ranging from one to three months. During their stay, Residents serve as advisors and mentors to Rome Prize recipients and to other members of the Academy community.

Nick Bruscia, assistant professor in the Department of Architecture, was awarded the 2023-24 UB Teaching Innovation Award, recognizing faculty that engage students with innovative teaching methods that have a demonstrable effect on enhancing student learning outcomes.

Congratulations to both Dean Czerniak and Nick, and thank you for all that you do for our school and the profession!

UPDATE: This event is being rescheduled. Stay tuned for the new date!

This is the first virtual event in an exclusive series where you’ll connect with our visionary leaders, explore our cutting-edge graduate programs, and gain insider tips on crafting a standout application. Don’t miss this chance to shape your path to success and discover what makes our school the perfect place to build your career!

Register today: https://bit.ly/plan-your-app-FB

Get an inside look at the Pollinator Lounge with some of the project’s artists at the Artist Talk and Mini Tours event on 10/13! Learn about the design process for the habitat boxes, explore their hidden visual dimensions through UV reflective light, and listen to fictional narratives told from the point of view of bees, butterflies, wasps, flies, and beetles.

Project co-creator Joyce Hwang and Maia Peck will give a brief introduction to the project, followed by mini tours of selected habitats by the UB students who designed and built them, discussing the potential impacts of architectural design on biodiversity enhancement.

https://www.bbg.org/visit/event/pollinator_lounge_artist_talk

Photos by Liz Ligon

Wondering what career path to take? Curious about current student internships? Take advantage of our career advisement services!

Explore career paths in , , , and related fields through workshops, seminars, and office hour sessions with our network of faculty and alumni career advisors (like Elaine Chow and Eve Holberg).

Learn more: https://bit.ly/career-advising-fb

Photos are from our annual graduate student welcome reception!

Our Fall Public Programs series kicks off with a lecture from Christopher Romano, as he explores the intellectual production of the research practice Studio North Architecture. The event will examine the interdisciplinary nature of the work, the diverse collaborators that have influenced its production, and how ideas of imperfection, recalibration, and resourcefulness have led to invention and new directions.

Join us for this free, public event on 9/11 from 6-7:30 PM EST on South Campus in 403 Hayes (light refreshments will be served) or via Zoom; registration required: https://bit.ly/romano-zoom-FB

This event is AIA CES registered and approved for 1 Learning Unit (LU).

Christopher Romano's Lecture - 2024 Fall Public Programs

Ready to shape your future? Join us for a special series of virtual events! Explore innovative graduate programs and get expert advice on crafting a standout application. ��

� Mark your calendar:
September 24, 2024, at 10 AM EST
Planning Your Application with Dean Czerniak & Associate Dean Özay

This is your chance to connect, learn, and take the next step toward building your career. Don’t miss out! Learn more: https://bit.ly/f24-learn-more-fb

Late summer blooms around Abbott Library on campus. A reminder to all of our students to take in everything has to offer and make this year unforgettable! 🌻



Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki

🌍Are grand global challenges always top-of-mind?

💡Do you enjoy pushing boundaries and creating connections?

✏️Interested in a hands-on learning experience from dedicated faculty?

Dream, design, and build change for a better world. Apply today to ’s Master of Architecture (the only accredited M.Arch program in the SUNY system)!

Start your journey today here: https://bit.ly/marchFB

Photos by Douglas Levere

We’re delighted to announce our PERSPECTIVES alumni speaker series, kicking off on September 3rd (in Hayes 401 and via Zoom) at 11:45am EST. In this session, you’ll hear from Christian Calleri (BPS '98) as he shares his professional journey as an associate principal at Perkins Eastman. Christian has a diverse background in and with work spanning residential, academic, and large-scale urban projects.

Join us to build your network, cultivate mentorship, and learn about diverse career trajectories!



https://archplan.buffalo.edu/events/2024/fall/perspectives/christian-calleri.html

Our new master’s in urban planning students (along with visiting students from Kanazawa, Japan) kicked off their academic journey in with a tour led by Kerry Traynor and Eve Holberg!

It’s so great to have all of our new grad and undergrad students on campus! Welcome to the family 💙

We’re thrilled to announce our upcoming Public Program lineup for the month of September!

Our first lecture is from Christopher Romano, assistant professor in the Department of Architecture. Join us on Wed. 9/11 from 6-7:30pm EST.

Then, on 9/25 from 5-7pm EST, we’re hosting FAUNA: Designing for More Than Human Worlds. This panel discussion features leading thinkers and designers in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning.

These events are free and open to the public: https://archplan.buffalo.edu/news-events/events/public-lectures.html

Both events will be held in 403 Hayes (and via Zoom). Hope to see you there!

(and stay tuned for what the rest of the Fall 2024 semester has in store!)

Twelve students recently participated in a 9-week summer program, led by Miguel Guitart, associate professor of the Department of . Based in Madrid, the students traveled to major cities in the country every week, visited dozens of buildings through two drawing seminars, and designed a UB cultural campus.

This is the sixth edition of the program in Spain. Guitart notes this is an incredible opportunity for students, saying, “students expand their first-hand knowledge on extraordinary examples of architecture. The group explores the country extensively, exposing them to a different culture and incredible buildings. Their experience as a group is also remarkable. Bonds and friendships are formed for life in many cases."

Want to run (or walk) your way through historic downtown while learning about the buildings and raising money for Buffalo Public Schools?! Join the annual AIA Queen City Architecture 5K, being held 9/14!

Learn more and register here: https://www.raceentry.com/aia-queen-city-architecture-5k/race-information


AIA Buffalo/WNY
Photo: Joyce Hwang

Join our Director of Graduate Recruitment, Kevin Donovan, to learn more about our graduate programs! Discover the unique opportunities we offer including leading-edge facilities, flexible program pathways, and a supportive community.

Don’t miss the chance to explore your future with us; RSVP for one of our twice-weekly sessions: https://ubgradconnect.buffalo.edu/portal/ap-info-sessions

This week, we had the pleasure of hosting the annual Architectural Ceramic Assemblies Workshop (ACAW 2024)! Teams utilized our cutting-edge facilities to build mockups and present their innovative research to an esteemed audience of architects, designers, and industry leaders.

Here’s what some of the participants had to say about their experience:

“For me, it was the staff - they are brilliant. Superb; really helpful.”
-Alexis Harrison, ARUP

“Great access to tools we didn’t expect to need.”
- Aida Muhibic, Pelli Clarke & Partners

“People are amazing; it’s very supportive and super organized.”
- Michelle Lee, Behnisch Architekten

“Very innovative and open to ideas.”
- Dima Othman, Knippers Helbig

“The metalworking tools, the drill press, hand tools – really the range of items [were most beneficial].”
- Nick Savage, Superkül

Albert Chao, adjunct instructor for UB’s Department of Architecture, and Scott Ruff, adjunct associate professor at Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture, were recently awarded a grant from the African American Cultural Heritage Fund (a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation) and the Getty Foundation’s Conserving Black Modernism program for their work supporting the Buffalo house and studio of architect Robert T. Coles.

This grant will support a Historic Structures Report, conservation plan, and a reuse and feasibility study. Learn more: https://archplan.buffalo.edu/news/2024/faculty-black-modernism-grant.html

Are you a go-getter?

Do you have an entrepreneurial mindset?

Interested in impacting environments while balancing community needs?

has a MS in Real Estate Development program that offers the tools and skills necessary to design solutions to urban development challenges. With a curriculum designed by industry experts, you’ll gain the skills to tackle real-world challenges and advance the field.

Start your journey here: https://archplan.buffalo.edu/academics/graduate-degrees/ms-real-estate-development.html



Photo by Meredith Forrest Kulwicki

The Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) hosted its 55th annual conference in Portland this past June.
Shreya Jaiswal, 2023 alumna of our Master of program, along with professors Martha Bohm, Korydon Smith, and Edward Steinfeld, received this year’s Best Paper Award. The paper, “Sensory Engagement and Spatial Harmony: Unveiling the Role of Fire in Multisensory Design,” was a culmination of Jaiswal’s thesis research with Bohm, Smith, and Steinfeld and selected out of 380 presenting authors.

Learn more: https://archplan.buffalo.edu/news/2024/faculty-student-receive-best-paper-award.html

UB faculty and M.Arch student receive Best Paper Award The Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) hosted its 55 annual conference in Portland this past June. Shreya Jaiswal, 2023 alumna of UB’s Master of Architecture program, along with professors Martha Bohm, Korydon Smith, and Edward Steinfeld, received this year’s Best Paper Awa...

A recent grad and their team has made it to the second round in the Off Grid Farm competition hosted by Samana Group. Help them advance even further by voting for their project — Samaná’s Spiral by 3GW9E2.

More about this design — "Inspired by local tradition, community, ecological and economic resilience, Samaná’s Spiral unfurls to blend sustainable agricultural practices with passive design. The ancient cosmic Taíno worldview on which the design is based, grounds the project to the cultural heritage of the Samaná Peninsula. Cutting-edge cultivation practices and permaculture principles further project the off-grid farm as a precedent of environmental stewardship spurring future regional development."

Vote here:

Samana’s Spiral Inspired by local tradition, community, ecological and economic resilience, Semana’s Spiral unfurls to blend sustainable agricultural practices with passive design. The ancient cosmic Taíno worldview on which the design is based, grounds the project to the cultural heritage of the Samaná Peninsu...

Dr. Camden Miller, director of operations and project management for the Rudy Bruner Center for Urban Excellence and a clinical professor in our Department of Urban and Regional Planning, in partnership with City of Buffalo's Office of Strategic Planning, is looking to hear from downtown residents, employees, property owners, and visitors! Participate in this survey to help craft an action plan to address current conditions and advance future visioning.

https://www.buffalorising.com/2024/08/take-the-queen-city-hub-revisited-survey-share-your-thoughts-about-downtown/

Take The Queen City HUB Revisited Survey - Share Your Thoughts About Downtown - Buffalo Rising Buffalo’s Office of Strategic Planning is looking to hear from downtown residents, employees, property owners, and visitors for events and entertainment, in regards to the new Queen City Hub Revisited

Save the date for our September symposium — "FAUNA: Designing for More Than Human Worlds" being held 9/25 from 5-7pm in Hayes Hall.

This free, public event will explore and engage multispecies and more than human design. Our expert panel will provide a conversation that reflects on and imagines new subjectivities and species relations that might be possible. Hope to see you there!

Register on zoom here: https://buffalo.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMuceCgpjguH9b_IoDu4_Vip8Q61camCjQ7 #/registration

🌿✨ As processed foods enter the Himalayan region of Kashmir, the University at Buffalo partners with poet Zareef Ahmad Zareef to raise awareness about haak (hāk), an Indigenous green vital to the region.

The UB Food Lab and Sher-i-Kashmir Agricultural University aim to preserve haak, rich in antioxidants and culturally significant. Zareef’s poem, “Haake Naame,” highlights its importance.

Read more at the link in our bio!

�� As processed foods encroach upon the Himalayan region of Kashmir, the University at Buffalo is taking a creative approach to raise awareness about haak (hāk), an Indigenous green with centuries of history. Partnering with renowned Kashmiri poet Zareef Ahmad Zareef, they’re launching a public health campaign to highlight this nutritious and culturally significant kale.

The UB Food Systems Planning and Healthy Communities Lab is collaborating with Sher-i-Kashmir Agricultural University of Science and Technology to preserve and promote haak, which is rich in antioxidants and has served as a nutritional safety net in times of conflict.

Despite its benefits, haak is losing ground to hyper-processed foods among younger generations. To counter this, Zareef’s poem, “Haake Naame,” beautifully captures haak’s essence and its importance to Kashmiri life.

Read more here: https://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2024/07/ub-food-lab-haak.html

Check out the video with English subtitles on YouTube: https://ow.ly/qp7b50SKYzH.

UB architecture students excelled in digital fabrication this summer, creating bespoke furniture with CNC routers and waterjet cutters. Read more here:

https://archplan.buffalo.edu/news/2024/digital-fabrication-summer-2024.html

University at Buffalo

UB architecture students finetune fabrication skills in summer furniture-making studio Architecture students at the University at Buffalo took a deep dive into digital technologies this summer through a 16-day micro studio applying the School of Architecture and Planning’s advanced fabrication tools to the art of furniture construction.

Join us this Thursday 5:30-8:30pm for UB on the Green, a free, outdoor, family-friendly festival! Explore university resources, enjoy local music, and snack on some food truck eats.



https://ow.ly/I2fB50SBLm3

The Arc 406/607 students in Digital Fabrication: Furniture have been working hard! Each has mastered the CNC routers and Waterjet cutter to create unique trays, mirrors, tables, and their own final furniture pieces. They displayed some of their work last week in Parker 56!