UB partners with Kissing Bridge to reimagine resort’s future

The School of Architecture and Planning has partnered with Kissing Bridge Ski Resort on a three-semester project to help the resort expand its focus as an all-seasons destination offering year-round activities, services and guest experiences.

UB will provide mapping, conceptual design and a physical build project at the resort, allowing students to see ideas move from concept to execution in a real-world environment.

The partnership is supported by a donation from Kissing Bridge through its dedicated charity, Beyond the Bridge, to the School of Architecture and Planning.

Beginning this spring semester, UB architecture students are enrolled in two Kissing Bridge–focused courses: a design studio centered on reimagining the ski resort as a place for new activities, services and experiences across seasons, and a technical methods course that dives deeper into the study, detailing and execution of selected designs, bridging theory and practice.

“This partnership is about bringing a truly unique experience to university students — one they likely wouldn’t get at most schools,” says Kissing Bridge Chairman Rhett McNulty. “It’s also about Buffalo. We educate incredible talent here, and too often we lose it to larger cities. Buffalo is a great community and a great place to live, and we all share a responsibility to help attract and retain the people who will shape its future.”

“Kissing Bridge offers an extraordinary setting for architectural education — complex, seasonal, environmental and deeply connected to community,” says Greg Delaney, clinical associate professor in the School of Architecture and Planning, and instructor for both courses. “Students will be challenged to think broadly about experience and place while also grappling with the technical realities of building in a working resort environment. That combination is rare and incredibly valuable.”

Architecture Dean Julia Czerniak notes the collaboration reflects the school’s “commitment to engaged scholarship and community-centered design. By working with Kissing Bridge, our students gain an opportunity to test ideas at full scale, contribute to a regional institution and see how design can meaningfully shape economic, cultural and environmental futures.”

Kissing Bridge officials say the partnership reinforces the resort’s broader mission under new leadership to connect more deeply with the greater Buffalo community through both business and recreational partnerships as the resort continues to evolve into a vibrant, year-round destination.