UB Architecture Students Design and Race “BO-ATs” in the 10th Annual Regatta
Kelly Sheldon October 14, 2025
The 10th annual Junior Studio Regatta was held on September 29, 2025 at Gallagher Beach. Photo by Douglas Levere
On a pleasantly warm morning in late September, junior architecture students from the University at Buffalo gathered at Gallagher Beach for the 10th annual Junior Studio Regatta, newly renamed as Flo-gatta (Flotilla-Regatta). With them, they brought twelve vessels that were crafted in their South Campus studio, ready to be tested for buoyancy and performance in the waters of Lake Erie.
This year marked a milestone: ten years of boat design and construction in the ARC 301 Design Studio. But it also introduced a fresh perspective, as Clinical Associate Professor Elaine Chow took the helm for the first time. In contrast with previous years, Chow challenged the students to design “BO-ATs”—buoyant object architectural tectonics—rather than conventional boats. Chow explained, “The main change from past years was this emphasis on the BO-AT in ways that we could, hopefully, innovate and treat this more as an architectural project rather than straightforward boat assembly construction.”
This project’s goal was to give the students firsthand experience with the construction of an object at a 1:1 scale, while also meeting specific performance criteria: keep water out, remain buoyant, allow for movement through the water, and support two skippers. The BO-ATs were also required to utilize wood, employ a frame and skin tectonic logic, and be powered by paddles (not oars).
The project started with the creation of "SOS" models. Photo by Douglas Levere
This year, Chow also introduced a point-based system to determine the winner of the grand prize, the Keelson Award. Previously simply awarded to the fastest team/winner of the Regatta, the distinction now considered multiple factors: innovation; concours d’Elegance (beauty and craftsmanship); material connections; thoughtful exploration of transport, recycling, and disposal; body support for the paddlers inside the vessels; and additional unique performance criteria chosen by each team. Speed still mattered, but it was just one part of the equation.
Six studios participated in this project, each with a different instructor, including Chow, Adjunct Instructor Albert Chao, Adjunct Instructor Michael Hoover, Clinical Assistant Professor Laura Lubniewski, Adjunct Instructor Rachel Martin, and Clinical Assistant Professor Brad Wales. Each studio contributed two BO-ATs to the Flo-gatta.
The design process began with each student creating three small-scale “SOS – sticks-on- skins or skins-on-sticks” models. From these, two designs were selected per studio, and the students were grouped into teams to bring the chosen concepts to life.
The final BO-ATs showcased a wide range of unique designs, functions, and goals. For example:
Galeocerdo drew inspiration from the evolutionary form of the tiger shark, emphasizing speed, elegance, and stability in the water while simplifying assembly.
The Book Boat envisioned a second life as a vertically oriented bookshelf as well as being easily foldable, prioritizing both sustainability and portability.
The Grain Collective explored the interplay of wood types and joinery, weaving together hard and soft woods to capitalize on the distinct strengths of each.
On the day of the Flo-gatta, the BO-ATs were first judged on land by a panel of faculty members—Associate Professor Beth Tauke, Clinical Assistant Professor Steph Cramer, and Adjunct Instructor Jon Spielman. The teams presented their designs to the panel, demonstrated functionality, and fielded questions, including Professor Tauke’s standby: “What do you wish you had done differently?”
BO-ATs in the water, preparing to start the race. Photo by Douglas Levere
Then, the moment of truth had arrived. Students hoisted their BO-ATs into the air and carried them to the shoreline and into the shallow water, anticipation buzzing in the air. Chow, megaphone in hand, gave the signal—and with a burst of energy, the skippers splashed through the calm waters of the lake. Cheers erupted from their classmates, while family members shouted encouragement from lawn chairs on the beach and teammates ran to the pier overhead the course’s midpoint to cheer from above. When one BO-AT got stuck on the lake’s sandy bottom, a group of students didn’t hesitate—they dashed into the water, giving their classmates a hearty push and sent the vessel back on course.
When the race had finished, a pile of students climbed aboard a sturdy double-pontoon BO-AT named Twin Currents to celebrate together—an unforgettable moment of camaraderie and shared achievement.
The Keelson Award was presented to Professor Lubniewski’s studio for their BO-ATs: Barrelcuda and Fish Boat.
Barrelcuda makes its way toward the finish line. Photo by Douglas Levere
The Fish Boat impresses the judges during the land evaluation. Photo by Douglas Levere
Barrelcuda had prioritized affordability and low embodied carbon associated with its construction while still maintaining elegance and functionality. With an emphasis on utilizing repurposed materials—including 55-gallon HDPE drums purchased on Facebook Marketplace, pallet wood collected from dumpsters, and waterproofing components made from scrap and reused materials—they extended the useful life of these materials and avoided the consumption of new materials. The building process itself was designed for simplicity and accessibility.
Reflecting on their biggest struggle, the Barrelcuda team expressed the difficulty of working with those HDPE drums. “They curve in a way that’s more of a barrel shape, and we needed a boat shape. So, there was negotiation between the natural inward curl of the barrel and the rigidness of our ribbing because we needed a flat bottom if we didn’t want the boat to just capsize. While building it, we were curving the barrel, seeing if it would fit, adjusting the frame, adjusting the barrel—back and forth until we got the shape we were looking for.”
The Fish Boat explored unorthodox material connections, ergonomic design, and mechanized features within a construction and hydrodynamic design. The frame of the BO-AT was designed to replicate the body of a swordfish turned on its side with abdominal fins that helped to minimize any rocking motion in the water and a back fin that could be adjusted to shorten the vessel’s turning radius. The Fish Boat’s skin was made of black tarp and clear vinyl, which allowed viewers to see the end connections of the frame.
While the project was a resounding success—and a whole lot of fun—the students also walked away with some valuable lessons:
· “I’d do more full-scale testing to improve the shape.”
· “More prototypes would have been helpful.”
· “I would make sure connections are ready from the get-go.”
· “In a group setting, communication is super important. You really need to make sure everyone’s on the same page.”