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Architecture and Planning - University at Buffalo

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Architecture and Planning - University at Buffalo

The only school of architecture & planning within the 64-campus State University of New York system.

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The University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning embraces the grand global cha

llenges of the day as openings for radical action toward more just, resilient, and enriching communities for all. Our deep-rooted traditions in hands-on, activist teaching and research situates our work in the communities around us and translates ideas into built works and realized plans. Embedded in the City of Buffalo, on the western edge of New York State, we engage the transitioning landscapes of our host city in globally relevant investigations in inclusive design, food systems planning, community-based economic development, climate resilient design and sustainable housing. Top-ranked for research among our peers in the Association of American Universities, we collaborate with community and industry partners and across the disciplines at UB, the most comprehensive public research university in the northeastern United States. The only school of architecture and planning in The State University of New York (SUNY), we offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, including a nationally accredited MArch and MUP, SUNY’s only MS in real estate development and nine dual-degree programs.

09/03/2026

“The Spine,” a thesis project by recent architecture graduate Danny Escandon (MArch '26), was awarded First Place in the open category of the 2026 Steel Competition by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC). 🎉

Project abstract:
This project begins with a real residential block in Queens and uses it as a testing ground for a condition that often remains hidden inside immigrant housing: severe overcrowding. Rather than approaching overcrowding as a statistic or as an isolated problem within individual apartments, the project translates multiple stories of domestic pressure into a block-scale architectural proposal. These stories reveal sleeping in hallways, bedrooms shared beyond capacity, kitchens used at unusual hours, bathroom queues, storage overflow, loss of privacy, and the disappearance of family rituals.

The project asks how architecture can provide relief and dignity. In response, it shifts attention to the rear of the block: garages, service lanes, and leftover yards that already form a hidden infrastructure behind the houses. This space becomes the site for a new collective framework.

The proposal argues that overcrowding cannot be solved only through private units or isolated accessory dwellings. When many households experience similar pressures, the response must move beyond the scale of the house and toward the scale of the block. A steel frame, modular rooms, elevated bridges, and shared domestic spaces create a new layer of support for households already living under pressure.

The thesis proposes a model of architectural relief rooted in dignity and adaptability. It does not imagine a new neighborhood replacing the old one. Instead, it makes visible the lives already present in Queens and asks how the existing block can become a shared structure of support.

Miguel Guitart, Committee Chair
Jin Young Song, Committee Member

Read the full press release: https://www.acsa-arch.org/winners-announced-for-the-2026-aisc-acsa-steel-design-student-competition/

09/01/2026

Eight years ago, Alissa Ujie Diamond, assistant professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, attended the Design Futures Forum for the first time. Today, she’s more involved than ever — attending conferences, leading workshops, and serving on the board.

DFF is an annual gathering that reimagines the role of the designer in addressing and dismantling human and ecological exploitation in the built environment. “I was blown away, both by the content of the workshops and by what felt like an alternate universe of design practitioners, scholars, and educators who were trying out all sorts of approaches to design as a lever for systems and social change,” Alissa shared.

This summer, two of our students had the chance to join her with support from the UB Offices of Sustainability and Inclusive Excellence. In addition to Alissa, our delegation included graduate students Jillian Daniels (architecture) and Zachary Rouhana (urban planning).

Read more about their reflections on the experience: https://archplan.buffalo.edu/news/2026/design-futures-forum-2026.html

Photos: Jose Cotto

08/31/2026

Join us for “Section as Cosmogram: From the Heavens to the Earth” an exhibition and gallery talk being held Monday, September 14 at 5:30 PM in the Hayes Hall Atrium on UB's South Campus (light refreshments will be served).

This exhibition assembles section drawings by contemporary architects and landscape architects depicting the real and imaginary relationships between the heavens and the earth. These two categories are broadly conceived to encompass phenomenon that include: the universe and the underworld, the environment and the economy, the atmosphere and the soil, the microscopic and the mythological, the ephemeral and the eternal, the scientific and the spiritual. In other words, it assembles sections that perform as cosmograms.

Panelists:
-David Salomon, Professor, Ithaca College
- Joyce Hwang, Professor, UB School of Architecture and Planning; Founder, Ants of the Prairie
- Andrew Lucia, Visiting Critic, Cornell University; Co-founder, LUCITO

Curated by David Salomon with assistance from Maia Peck, NOMA, clinical assistant professor and director of exhibitions, UB School of Architecture and Planning. Discover this exhibit: https://archplan.buffalo.edu/events/2026/fall/section-cosmogram.html

On display through November 6
Hayes Hall Atrium, UB South Campus
Supported by Ithaca College and University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning

08/26/2026

“IN PROCESS”: STUDIOWORKS Exhibition
Gallery Talk by Erkin Özay and Jin Young Song on Friday, 8/28 at 12:30pm in Crosby Hall Lounge; Light refreshments will be served.

Featuring selected work produced in studios from Fall 2025 through Spring 2026, “IN PROCESS” shows how our studios become a platform for intellectual risk-taking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community-engaged inquiry.
The goals? To celebrate the ambition, rigor, and excellence of the design process and teaching at UB; to spark debate about how our studio pedagogy can evolve; and to build a shared resource through which students can engage with the inquiries, missteps, and breakthroughs of their peers.

Curated by Jin Young Song, associate professor in the Department of Architecture and director of curriculum.

Exhibition Design Team: Cara Daly, Daniel Klemenz, Ian Denshaw, James Manguso, Jeremias Rivera, Lah Sher, Marshall Yannello, Savannah Barham, and Stephen Nowak.

Learn more: https://archplan.buffalo.edu/events/2026/fall/studioworks.html

Exhibition on display through November 13

08/25/2026

📣 Announcing our Fall 2026 Public Programs!

“Housing”
SEPTEMBER 9
Gregory Delaney, Xuanyi Nie, and Kristine Stiphany

“Advancing Resilient Design Through Criticism”
SEPTEMBER 23
Moderated by Julia Czerniak + Nina-Marie Lister
Panelists: Salmaan Craig, Felix Heisel, Miho Mazereeuw, Karen M’Closkey, Kiel Moe, Erkin Özay, Kristine Stiphany, Charles Waldheim
The Resilient Campus Competition Symposium

“Critical Spatial Ecologies: Design with the More-than-Human”
OCTOBER 7
Erin Moore
Lou C. Kurtz Memorial Lecture

“The Mix is All”
OCTOBER 21
Keller Easterling
Clarkson Chair Lecture

“Out of the Ordinary”
NOVEMBER 4, 12:00 - 1:30 PM
John Ronan
Sydney Gross Memorial Lecture

“Building with Time”
NOVEMBER 18 at The Assembly House, 150 Edward St.
Dennis Maher, Jorge Otero-Pailos, Laurence Lafforgue, Hadas Steiner

All events are held at 5pm in Crosby Hall Room 116 on UB’s South Campus unless otherwise noted; some offer AIA and AICP learning units for professional continuing education. Learn more and let us know if you'll be attending: https://archplan.buffalo.edu/news-events/events.html

08/24/2026

We’re more than just a school — we’re a community. Located in Buffalo, NY with lively urban neighborhoods, historic buildings, and world-class art galleries, our city is home to extraordinary art and design. Known as the “city of good neighbors,” we welcome you to explore our flourishing waterfront, local cuisine, and storied history. Home to four professional sports teams, bustling nightlife, and a diverse citizenry — Buffalo offers our students a rich environment for living and learning.

The School of Architecture and Planning resides on UB’s historic South Campus, and our leading-edge facilities empower our think-through-making curriculum. We’ve heard first-hand from students that they chose our school because of our Fabrication Workshop and our modern spaces in Hayes and Crosby Halls. Come see for yourself our flexible, dynamic learning environments for our Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Design programs!

Sign up to come see us: https://archplan.buffalo.edu/future-students/prospective-undergraduate/tours-for-prospective-undergrads.html

Photos: Douglas Levere

08/21/2026

UB offers several opportunities during Welcome Weekend to enhance your experience, settle in to campus early, and connect with other students.

If you’re new to campus, there are 10 third-and-fourth-year students from the Bachelor of Science in Architecture program that have been assigned as Peer Mentors to the new cohort of architecture students! They’ll connect with you both in and out of class, help navigate new challenges, access resources, and develop confidence while adjusting to college life and the architecture program.

First year students living in the Architecture Living Learning Community in Clement Hall will benefit from the knowledge and experience of two Living Learning Community Assistants (LLCAs) who are either fourth-year BS Arch students or Master of Architecture students. LLCAs provide academic support right where students are living, alongside opportunities to engage in extracurricular activities that fit your interests and schedules. Campus Living has also hired six Community Assistants (CAs) from architecture and planning programs for first-year students that focus on supporting healthy, safe, and welcoming communities.

And next door, in Goodyear Hall, architecture students that want to continue to live on campus after their first year stay in the Architecture Shared Interest Housing area where they benefit from the guidance and support of four more CAs from our Architecture programs.

Make sure you say hello and welcome to Buffalo! 💙

08/20/2026

Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Student Professional Development Elaine Chow (BPS ’98) embraces her joint role for the Department of Architecture, guiding students onto career paths with care. Through sincere dedication and a widely cast network of partnerships with alumni, employers, professional associations, student organizations, and UB’s central career services team, Elaine delivers services including one-on-one mentorship, portfolio and resume reviews, licensure advising, alumni Q&As, firm visits, mock interviews, employment referrals, and networking events.

This year, AIA Buffalo/WNY and the Buffalo Architecture Foundation presented Elaine with its annual Mentor Award for her efforts at UB. “Few individuals embody the impact of mentorship as deeply as Elaine Chow through her dedicated support of students and emerging professionals…she has built meaningful, lasting connections that open doors and expand opportunities beyond the classroom,” wrote the jury.

Before arriving at UB in 2023 to pursue her Master of Architecture degree, Sriya Radhakrishnan, a native of India, kept getting the same tip from the international alumni she reached out to: “Introduce yourself to Elaine Chow.” By the time she graduated in 2025, Sriya had a transformational experience on the NYC Career Trek under her belt, a solid portfolio, and an internship and first professional position lined up. And when she later decided to shift directions to pursue her “dream job” as a healthcare design specialist for HDR, Elaine was right there with her, offering feedback on her application materials and interview approach.

Sriya is just one of countless architecture students to have benefitted from Elaine’s above-and-beyond personal touch to professional development. Keep reading to hear more testimonials from students like Sriya, the full set of career services offered to our students, and the positive impact Elaine has had on our School community: https://archplan.buffalo.edu/news/2026/elaine-chow-profile.html

08/19/2026

Clinical Assistant Professor Laura Lubniewski (BS Arch ’10) recently gathered with fellow built environment educators at the Rothoblaas headquarters, in the Italian Alps village of Cortaccia, for an immersive timber construction experience. The three-day workshop featured hands-on demonstrations paired with technical training for the transition from steel- and concrete-frame architecture to the low embodied carbon possibilities of mass timber.

Laura will bring these ideas back to her junior architecture studio this Fall as part of a faculty team guiding students in their design of wooden boats and buildings. “In one session, we worked in small groups to brainstorm curriculum implementation. There was a lot of cross-pollination across the disciplines,” she shared. “We had so many ideas that we thought we could create an entire certificate program.”

The group took part in hands-on assembly of a watertight window-to-wall connection, a tour of XLAM DOLOMITI's production facility for cross-laminated timber panels, and detailed studies of timber-hybrid structures and fire, water, and soundproofing for large wood construction. “It’s fun to be in a room with people who get excited about the same niche topics,” Laura shared. “It’s a chance to zoom out a bit and learn what others are doing.”

Stay tuned for more — she’s already invited several workshop participants to be guests in her Expanded Practice seminar. 🤝

08/18/2026

Can thoughtful architecture improve the lives of children with autism spectrum disorder without relying on expensive solutions? This is the question Bikram Das (BS Arch ’25, MArch ’28), as our 2026-27 Eberhard Research Fellow, will be trying to answer.

Over the coming year, his research will focus on the development of affordable, sustainable, and inclusive architectural solutions. In undergrad, Bikram had identified two significant challenges when it came to autism-centered design: a majority of accessible design research is focused on physical conditions rather than neurological; and almost all existing studies and design guidelines are developed for countries with substantial resources.

“I believe good architecture should never be a privilege reserved for wealthy communities,” he shared. “It should be accessible, practical, and capable of improving lives regardless of economic circumstances.”

Find out how Bikram plans to answer that question: https://archplan.buffalo.edu/news/2026/bikram-das-2026-27-eberhard-fellow.html

Address

Hayes Hall
Buffalo, NY
14214

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

Website

https://archplan.buffalo.edu/

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