School of Architecture and Planning

Students attending the Crosby Hall opening on the thrid floor exhibition space.

Architecture and Planning are for Everyone

News

UB architecture students showcase studies in plaster and wood through Fragments: Then and Now at The Assembly House
4/24/25
FRAME/WORKS exhibit showcases UB faculty work in a unique format
4/17/25
UB gathers experts in urban studies to address China’s social and urban transformations
4/16/25
UB urban analytics expert says AI can take urban planning - and society - into great wide open
4/8/25

More Recent News

Upcoming Events

David Benjamin
4/23/25
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
David Benjamin, Founding Principal of The Living and Associate Professor at Columbia GSAPP, will present selections of his recent work at the intersection of biology, computation, and design. Combining research and practice, he explores new ideas through prototyping.
Lightly Speaking
4/24/25
Thursday, April 24, 2025
5:00-7:00 p.m. | Hayes Atrium
Join us for the opening of Lightly Speaking, an installation showcasing the culmination of student work and research from the 2024–25 Banham Fellowship.

See all events

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Faces & Voices

Rana Abu Ghazaleh is a passionate advocate for and international leader in social justice and equality for women.

3/4/19

Rana Abu Ghazaleh (MUP '08)
Urban planner and global activist

William Gates and a UB engineering alum play lead role in the design and construction of food gardens for the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City.

2/12/15

William Gates (MArch ‘01)
Professor, New York School of Interior Design

"I have always been very proud to be a graduate from this school and cherish the years that I spent in Buffalo. I discovered so much about the person I was and wanted to become."

3/4/20

Diane Georgopulos, FAIA (BA '73)
Retired director of housing and construction for MassHousing

Quardean Lewis-Allen (Architecture BS ’09) has been recognized nationally for his social entrepreneurship in design education for at-risk youth in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn.

2/12/15

Quardean Lewis-Allen (Architecture BS ’09)
Founder, Made in Browsnville

"The ability to come up with practical ways to engage the general public in terms they can understand is a valuable and essential asset to any preservation organization. During my time at UB, I learned practical solutions and ways to address this."

10/1/19

Katharine Hewlings (MS Arch '18)
Historic Buildings and Structures Survey Coordinator, History Nebraska

"Placemaking in Black communities should take a context sensitive approach to customs and cultural values and their effects on the Black family nuclei."

2/23/21

Byron Nicholas (MUP '13, BAED '11)
Creator of Black + Urban; Supervising Transportation Planner, Hudson County, NJ

“My best advice to students: Take every advantage to get practical experience through internships or community work.”

2/12/15

Gary Jastrzab (BA '76)
Executive Director, Philadelphia City Planning Commission

"Real estate development is a tool, a potentially powerful tool, that can effectuate meaningful change in society, in cities, towns and communities, and in the lives of individuals."

2/8/21

Connor Kenney (MSRED '18)
Real Estate Developer, SAA/EVI.

"The quality of the program and faculty kept me at UB for graduate school and keeps me involved with the school today."

2/4/16

Michael Anderson (MArch '03, BPS '01)
Owner/Architect, Abstract Architecture PC

"I never really knew planning was a career...growing up, my family fostered a love of history and an appreciation for historic buildings. The master’s in urban planning program intrigued that part of me, so even though I never considered myself an excellent student or a strong writer, I took my shot and applied....being a part of the program was the best two years ever.”

10/2/24

Hallie Wright (MUP '24)
Preservation planner focusing in historic preservation, Preservation Studios, Buffalo, NY

Real estate developer Daniel Crowther combines interest in design and collaborative facility as manager of projects across the region.

5/20/19

Daniel Crowther (MSRED, BAED '15)
Project Manager, TM Montante

Faller is a designer and builder that loves all things related to the built environment. She has practiced professionally at the small residential design build scale, to the large corporate commercial scale. Kalyn has taken her skills and knowledge of buildings, construction, and project management to General Motors where she is currently the Facilities Engineer at the Lockport site. Kalyn recently delivered a TEDxBuffalo talk on the Buffalo Porch as sacred space.

12/20/24

Kalyn Faller (BS Arch '18)
Facilities Engineer, General Motors

After helping UB's NOMAS team place first in a national design competition, this dual master’s grad looks ahead.

2/25/19

Joenette Cobb (MArch/MUP '18)

"Sometimes you've just got to take a risk."

3/28/18

Doug Swift (MArch '93)
Developer, Buffalo

Geoffrey Butler’s love of Buffalo led to his work in one of the hardest hit flood areas in the U.S.

2/12/15

Geoffrey Butler (MUP '11)
Planner, Houston Planning and Development

“The general attitude of the school is not to project things onto the students, but to have them go out and discover things on their own. You might not have the answer, but you know how to get it. That skill set really prepares you for a career in anything.”

3/13/15

Courtney Creenan-Chorley (MArch/MUP '12, BAED '08)
Architect, Flynn Battaglia Architects

“We need to think about how to pull these ‘digital materials’ into our set of design tools and expertise...to create a world where it makes sense to interact with physical space and digital things, and still be relevant for an architectural practice.”

2/12/15

Adam Laskowitz (MArch/MFA ’12, Architecture BS ’09)
Director of User Experience, Target Corp.

"We provide a space for people who don't usually have a platform to express their opinions and ideas...particularly young and emerging planners."

2/25/19

Byron Nicholas (MUP '13, BAED '11)
Creator of Black + Urban; Supervising Transportation Planner, Hudson County, NJ

Michael Nelson, performing arts center (PAC) design guru, reflects on creating the "living rooms" of our communities.

11/4/19

Michael Nelson (MArch '83, BPS '81)
Architect and co-founder, designel, Palm Springs, Fla.

“At UB, you hone your design skills. And you are also trained to have a full understanding of the coordination of the systems of a building."

2/12/15

Suzanne Musho (MArch '93, BA '90)
Vice President, Zubatkin Owner Representation

"I had no idea the paths urban planning would open up."

5/20/19

Caitlin Donovan (MUP '11, BAED '09)
Community Planning and Development Director, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

"Always make yourself available and open to new opportunities and challenges. Learn to embrace the discomfort that comes from challenges. Train yourself to look at problems from multiple perspectives."

2/12/15

Alexander Morris (MArch ‘94, BPS ‘91)
Senior Associate, Wallace Roberts & Todd, Philadelphia

"Our biggest challenge moving forward is creating more equitable outcomes and improving our cities."

2/21/19

Samuel Wells (MUP '14)
Neighborhood Stabilization Coordinator, City of Albany

“The interdisciplinary approach to the program has allowed me to review real estate opportunities from different perspectives. ”

11/3/22

Michael Velasco, MSRED '19
Vice President, LIHTC Tax Credit Equity Asset Manager at M&T Bank

Architect Michael Garz (BA '72) has managed design for the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, guided by lessons learned at UB.

2/12/15

Michael Garz (BA '72)
Senior Vice President, STV

"We see a lot of cities and nonprofits thinking creatively on how federal dollars can go the furthest. Personally I find that exciting."

9/20/19

Taylor Hawes (MUP/JD '12)
Attorney - Advisor, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fort Worth, TX

“The things I learned at UB were essential to the job I do now. But even more important to me were the relationships I cultivated there."

2/12/15

Lisa Hicks (MS in Real Estate Development '17)
Director of Development, City of Buffalo, Office of Strategic Planning

"UB's MSRED program stands out due to their emphasis on preparing students for professional practice post-graduation. These resources were instrumental in aiding students with summer placements, industry connections, and full-time employment opportunities that furthered UB's impact beyond the classroom."

11/12/24

Brendan Flowers (MSRED '22)
Development Associate, SmartCentres REIT

"I left the School of Architecture and Planning with a deeper appreciation of the power of people in placemaking, both the seen and unseen. I work every day knowing that the future is for those that design the policies and processes that govern them."

2/15/20

Shawntera Hardy, MUP '04
Co-founder, Civic Eagle

Meet our Alumni Principals at Gensler

10/15/15

Alumni Marc Bruffett (BAED '92) and Eric Ginsburg (Architecture BS '01) have taken on leadership roles for global architecture, design and planning firm Gensler.