Kalyn Faller (BS Arch '18)

By Darra Kubera

Kalyn says her path to where she is now started at a young age. "My dad had a small woodshop in our basement in Queens. I loved drawing up ideas with him and then actually getting to build them." One standout project in her memory was a simple box with three tiers of parking — a garage for her GI Joe Tanks and Barbie cars. “I can still remember how satisfying it was to have a problem, draw a solution, and see it tangibly come to life to solve an issue,” says Kalyn. “Growing up, drawing and math were always things I enjoyed; it made sense to put them together and I started taking architecture and CAD related classes in high school.”

While applying to colleges, Kalyn was convinced she was headed West, but a conversation with a stranger while on a tour of a school on Long Island changed her course. “My mom mentioned I was considering Buffalo; this man’s eyes grew big and he nearly leapt out of his seat to turn around, make full eye contact with us, and said we simply MUST go visit UB’s School of Architecture and Planning. He said we’d be impressed by the studio culture and woodshop, and by the end of the day my mom and I were planning our trip to Buffalo.” 

Upon arrival in Buffalo, Kalyn met with Greg Delaney for a full campus tour. "To say I was impressed would be an understatement — the school felt alive with materials everywhere and ideas flowing. As we were concluding our tour and walking from Parker back to Diefendorf, my mom looked at me and said 'you’re going to go here, aren't you?' And I just shook my head saying yes. That tour changed the trajectory of my life — it even inspired me to get involved in welcoming new people to campus by giving that very same tour to prospective students." 

"My day to day is a lot of fun — I am constantly on my feet and talking to people. I am mainly a problem solver and people connector. For example, if there is a roof leak or water main break, I get contacted and find the people to do the fix, communicate the issue we need solved, and support in any way I can. I really enjoy working with contractors and ‘putting out fires’ to ensure that the facility can continue to run effectively. There are also longer-term projects where I help to improve the quality or functionality of the facility, like signing off on new layouts for new equipment being brought in or getting quotes for renovations of different spaces. My goal is to ensure that the shell buildings and systems within the facility are running smoothly so other people can continue to be effective in their own roles."

Kalyn delivered a TEDxBuffalo talk this past March, inspired by a course taught by Hadas Steiner, associate professor in the Department of Architecture, that addressed the importance of sacred space in architecture. In the talk, Kalyn discussed the idea of rethinking sacred space by telling the story of a Buffalo Porch that has connected decades of tenants and friends. She used a lens of architecture, community, and faith to question what makes space sacred — and how it can be closer to home than you might realize. 

"UB stands out for two reasons. The first is the people — the professors push you to produce your very best work, encourage you to bring your personality into your work, and foster your skills and interests within projects. My advice to students is that the people you choose to surround yourself with will play a significant role in your life, so choose wisely. Secondly — I believe the school equips its students with a grittiness apt for the rust belt city it inhabits. The program is rigorous, but it has an experimental spirit. The diverse student body leaves with the skills to be versatile in their careers; I know many people from my class doing great work in many different disciplines and places around the world."