I was just admitted to Buffalo (still awaiting letters from Cornell and Syracuse). I would like to know how their architecture program is. Is the course rigorious? Is it easy to get a job as a Buffalo graduate? Would it be difficult to get into a good M.Arch program?
SUNY buffalo isn't as reputable as Cornell or Syracuse but it is probably far cheaper. I hear their dean was a cornell architecture alumni.
but i hear buffalo is a run down place...are you from new york? you seem to be aiming for schools only in new york
personally i'd choose cornell or syracuse over buffalo..but i'm only a high school student so don't listen to me.
UB doesn't have a huge reputation (yet?), but it's undergraduate program is solid. I graduated a little over three years ago and it was a good experience. You asked if the program is rigorous- it's architecture school -of course it is!:) Studios are open 24-7 and you'll definitely have enough work to keep you there 24-7. I didn't have any problems with getting into the M. Arch program of my choice. From my graduating class, a few of my classmates went to Columbia, a pair of us went to SCI-arc and the rest were scatterred between UB grad, VT, PENN, Michigan, Parsons, Arizona, Chicago, RISD and working full time (generally in Western NY or NYC). It all comes down to what you make of it and how much you're willing to invest in your work. I don't know what your particular interests are but there are defintely pluses and minuses depending on what you are looking for (i.e. cost, time spent acquiring a professional degree, the type of architecture that you're interested in, etc). But definitely check out the faculty (Frank Fantauzzi and Mehrdad Hadigi for example) - it'll give you a good idea of what the school is up to.
wait it out... till you get responses from the rest of the schools you applied to... I went to Cornell... and recommend it!!!! BUT if money is an issue consider what you want to get from school... Cornell is expensive but worth it. I took out loans and worked to make it through...
Check out the schools websites, the work... or visit them briefly,CHECK out the THE Professors, the abroad programs...do research on these institutions based on what strikes you most... and if you have any questions about professors there don't hesitate to get a hold of me...
i attended the undergrad program at buffalo for three years, a few years back. . . the program is well rounded, and the faculty and studios are very ideologically diverse. while some faculty were outstanding, others are bums, barely showing up for a paycheck- but these can usually be avoided. the most serious detriment was the apparent lack of interest in computer related technology. despite the digital gap, most of the better students were able to get into grad schools they liked, including the ivies. it is my understanding the deficiency in digital course offerings is being rectified, but i'm not sure how favorably buffalo compares to other undergrads in this regard.
buffalo is well funded, and has good studio, shop, and computer lab facilities (at least they did while i was there). and although buffalo itself is no place i would want to live for a long time, it's actually one of the most architecturally intriguing cities one is likely to see in this country, with the exception of nyc, chicago, and LA (although this may not be apparent from south campus).
a footnote on kent kleinman- i don't know if hes still in buffalo, but i found that guy to be totally intolerable. apparently he was a good fundraiser, but in my experience he had neither a backbone nor the barest semblance of integrity. he didn't do UB any favors.
I think Kent still teaches at UB. I heard that he is now spliting his time between UB and Michigan. Mehrdad has actually replaced him as department chair- that must be interesting. They're both bright guys. About the city- Buffalo is no NYC- that's for sure but it has its charming quirks. You can always enjoy the snow (Schussmeisters, anyone?) or go hunt for underground tunnels on South campus- which has crazy history- Cabbage fields, crazy people and Frank Sinatra to start. Intriging indeed:)
My advise: make sure you visit the campus and the city before you make the final decision. This applies to any architecture school, but especially for Buffalo. Look at the region, the city, the heighborhood, the campus, and the school. Then look at the work of the students and the work of the instructors. Are these compatible with your interests?
The region is sprawl territory (though Niagra Falls is nice). Buffalo, the city, has some interesting parts to it, but largely its a depressing place to live (though the bright side is that housing is cheap). The neighborhood around south campus is very awkward, but there are few things to do nearby. The campus itself looks as though it were planned long ago and then a bunch of temporary, industrial-looking buildings were added wherever they fit. North campus is something to avoid altogether - density without urbanity (typical sprawl). The architecture buildings are among the best buildings on campus, and the facilities seem more than adequate (though signs directing one to a student lounge are mis-leading - as I found out later, there is no student lounge, or at least there wasn't a year ago).
Some of the student work is pretty good. Most students have excellent craft and demonstrate creativity. Many of the instructors seem to be ivy-league rejects, following the latest trend. They seem to teach according to their specific interest without teaching much of the basics. I would affirm the previous comments attesting to Kleinman's genius and would add that my impression of him is that he is also interested in the student's well-being. The new chair seems like an administrative disaster and an ass of a person to boot. Brian Carter may not be particularly ideologically driven, but he is a gentleman and has concern for students.
A previous comment mentioned that the studios were "ideologically diverse". From what I saw, I would describe the situation instead as "ideologically incoherent" - the studios seemed quite trendy and focused on very specific issues, methods, or research. To me, it would be difficult to find a mainstream design ideology. Or if one wanted to explore a particular design ideology, it would be difficult to find enough coursework to satisfy one's interest.
i know of a two locations to access the underground tunnels
when i was at UB, if you go into harriman hall there is a small auditorium room and flanking the stage there is a small door, this door when opened will provide an access to the steam tunnels, which is basically where the tunnels eventually go to, the steam generation plant next to thje"shop building" parker hall ive seen them but didnt go in
there is also a connection to the tunnels if you go downstairs in hayes hall, all the way down, if they still allow access
i think every building has access to the tunnels but i never found any others
i dont think this is a reason to go there though
when I look back at the work I did there, it was pretty weak except for my absolute last semester when we had a teacher named Jim Williamson, and that class freaking rocked,
Merhdad was cool, but I never had him and Frank Fantauzzi was an interesting fellow too, but again, never had him, they were the hype when I was there, frank was new, mehrdad was doing big orbits and skaffold
Ill always remember Scott Danford or Kyle Reardon, whatever hes calling himself these days, had to have been there, funny guy
it was inexpensive and they let you be as far as I remember it had a "cranbrook" feel to it, but that may have changed
oh and by the way if you do go, be sure to hit Amy's Place for some Margie meals and iced teas, the best sandwich and drink combination on the planet!!!
"Come to UB- our tunnels are awwwwwesome!!!"- what do you mean that's not reason to go there? It was the first thing on the brochure when I applied! LOL. No it's certainly not reason to choose the school, but as far as student life goes- if you're really, really bored, it's a way to pass the time. I don't think Buffalo is all that "depressing" for a student though. I think that if you're just living and working there, then it may be a different story. But it's a city with seven other colleges/ universities. UB itself is huge. There's bound to be something happening.. however if you're an architecture student, that probably won't matter because your little world will be Crosby Hall, Hays Hall, Diefendorf and Parker.
While I was there it did have a "Cranbrooki-sh" feel. There were a lot of design- build projects going on. Brad Wales and a bunch of guys were doing bus shelters in Elmwood, some of us were working on the Crosby lecture hall project, Frank had started his Big brass Buffalo Book project and was working on SLICE (ttp://www.icebergproject.org/). Kent was getting us a lot of money. I think there was also a ramp project to replace the old ADA mandated ramps on South campus that for some reason never happened.
Does anyone currently go there? How are things under Mehrdad?
Jan 26, 06 2:42 pm ·
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SUNY Buffalo B.Arch.
I was just admitted to Buffalo (still awaiting letters from Cornell and Syracuse). I would like to know how their architecture program is. Is the course rigorious? Is it easy to get a job as a Buffalo graduate? Would it be difficult to get into a good M.Arch program?
SUNY buffalo isn't as reputable as Cornell or Syracuse but it is probably far cheaper. I hear their dean was a cornell architecture alumni.
but i hear buffalo is a run down place...are you from new york? you seem to be aiming for schools only in new york
personally i'd choose cornell or syracuse over buffalo..but i'm only a high school student so don't listen to me.
UB doesn't have a huge reputation (yet?), but it's undergraduate program is solid. I graduated a little over three years ago and it was a good experience. You asked if the program is rigorous- it's architecture school -of course it is!:) Studios are open 24-7 and you'll definitely have enough work to keep you there 24-7. I didn't have any problems with getting into the M. Arch program of my choice. From my graduating class, a few of my classmates went to Columbia, a pair of us went to SCI-arc and the rest were scatterred between UB grad, VT, PENN, Michigan, Parsons, Arizona, Chicago, RISD and working full time (generally in Western NY or NYC). It all comes down to what you make of it and how much you're willing to invest in your work. I don't know what your particular interests are but there are defintely pluses and minuses depending on what you are looking for (i.e. cost, time spent acquiring a professional degree, the type of architecture that you're interested in, etc). But definitely check out the faculty (Frank Fantauzzi and Mehrdad Hadigi for example) - it'll give you a good idea of what the school is up to.
Is Kent Kleinman still there? He's a freaking genius.
Not so much Brian Carter.
wait it out... till you get responses from the rest of the schools you applied to... I went to Cornell... and recommend it!!!! BUT if money is an issue consider what you want to get from school... Cornell is expensive but worth it. I took out loans and worked to make it through...
Check out the schools websites, the work... or visit them briefly,CHECK out the THE Professors, the abroad programs...do research on these institutions based on what strikes you most... and if you have any questions about professors there don't hesitate to get a hold of me...
oh and justin... your on this a good deal ;)
yeah..i'm facing a terrible addiction with archinect. i should really chill and run free before i really dive into architecture at cornell in the fall
i second Janosh's question: is kent kleinman still at buffalo... he IS a genius and my first archi-guru!
i attended the undergrad program at buffalo for three years, a few years back. . . the program is well rounded, and the faculty and studios are very ideologically diverse. while some faculty were outstanding, others are bums, barely showing up for a paycheck- but these can usually be avoided. the most serious detriment was the apparent lack of interest in computer related technology. despite the digital gap, most of the better students were able to get into grad schools they liked, including the ivies. it is my understanding the deficiency in digital course offerings is being rectified, but i'm not sure how favorably buffalo compares to other undergrads in this regard.
buffalo is well funded, and has good studio, shop, and computer lab facilities (at least they did while i was there). and although buffalo itself is no place i would want to live for a long time, it's actually one of the most architecturally intriguing cities one is likely to see in this country, with the exception of nyc, chicago, and LA (although this may not be apparent from south campus).
a footnote on kent kleinman- i don't know if hes still in buffalo, but i found that guy to be totally intolerable. apparently he was a good fundraiser, but in my experience he had neither a backbone nor the barest semblance of integrity. he didn't do UB any favors.
That's crazy talk.
I think Kent still teaches at UB. I heard that he is now spliting his time between UB and Michigan. Mehrdad has actually replaced him as department chair- that must be interesting. They're both bright guys. About the city- Buffalo is no NYC- that's for sure but it has its charming quirks. You can always enjoy the snow (Schussmeisters, anyone?) or go hunt for underground tunnels on South campus- which has crazy history- Cabbage fields, crazy people and Frank Sinatra to start. Intriging indeed:)
My advise: make sure you visit the campus and the city before you make the final decision. This applies to any architecture school, but especially for Buffalo. Look at the region, the city, the heighborhood, the campus, and the school. Then look at the work of the students and the work of the instructors. Are these compatible with your interests?
The region is sprawl territory (though Niagra Falls is nice). Buffalo, the city, has some interesting parts to it, but largely its a depressing place to live (though the bright side is that housing is cheap). The neighborhood around south campus is very awkward, but there are few things to do nearby. The campus itself looks as though it were planned long ago and then a bunch of temporary, industrial-looking buildings were added wherever they fit. North campus is something to avoid altogether - density without urbanity (typical sprawl). The architecture buildings are among the best buildings on campus, and the facilities seem more than adequate (though signs directing one to a student lounge are mis-leading - as I found out later, there is no student lounge, or at least there wasn't a year ago).
Some of the student work is pretty good. Most students have excellent craft and demonstrate creativity. Many of the instructors seem to be ivy-league rejects, following the latest trend. They seem to teach according to their specific interest without teaching much of the basics. I would affirm the previous comments attesting to Kleinman's genius and would add that my impression of him is that he is also interested in the student's well-being. The new chair seems like an administrative disaster and an ass of a person to boot. Brian Carter may not be particularly ideologically driven, but he is a gentleman and has concern for students.
A previous comment mentioned that the studios were "ideologically diverse". From what I saw, I would describe the situation instead as "ideologically incoherent" - the studios seemed quite trendy and focused on very specific issues, methods, or research. To me, it would be difficult to find a mainstream design ideology. Or if one wanted to explore a particular design ideology, it would be difficult to find enough coursework to satisfy one's interest.
In short, make an informed decision.
i know of a two locations to access the underground tunnels
when i was at UB, if you go into harriman hall there is a small auditorium room and flanking the stage there is a small door, this door when opened will provide an access to the steam tunnels, which is basically where the tunnels eventually go to, the steam generation plant next to thje"shop building" parker hall ive seen them but didnt go in
there is also a connection to the tunnels if you go downstairs in hayes hall, all the way down, if they still allow access
i think every building has access to the tunnels but i never found any others
i dont think this is a reason to go there though
when I look back at the work I did there, it was pretty weak except for my absolute last semester when we had a teacher named Jim Williamson, and that class freaking rocked,
Merhdad was cool, but I never had him and Frank Fantauzzi was an interesting fellow too, but again, never had him, they were the hype when I was there, frank was new, mehrdad was doing big orbits and skaffold
Ill always remember Scott Danford or Kyle Reardon, whatever hes calling himself these days, had to have been there, funny guy
it was inexpensive and they let you be as far as I remember it had a "cranbrook" feel to it, but that may have changed
oh and by the way if you do go, be sure to hit Amy's Place for some Margie meals and iced teas, the best sandwich and drink combination on the planet!!!
"Come to UB- our tunnels are awwwwwesome!!!"- what do you mean that's not reason to go there? It was the first thing on the brochure when I applied! LOL. No it's certainly not reason to choose the school, but as far as student life goes- if you're really, really bored, it's a way to pass the time. I don't think Buffalo is all that "depressing" for a student though. I think that if you're just living and working there, then it may be a different story. But it's a city with seven other colleges/ universities. UB itself is huge. There's bound to be something happening.. however if you're an architecture student, that probably won't matter because your little world will be Crosby Hall, Hays Hall, Diefendorf and Parker.
While I was there it did have a "Cranbrooki-sh" feel. There were a lot of design- build projects going on. Brad Wales and a bunch of guys were doing bus shelters in Elmwood, some of us were working on the Crosby lecture hall project, Frank had started his Big brass Buffalo Book project and was working on SLICE (ttp://www.icebergproject.org/). Kent was getting us a lot of money. I think there was also a ramp project to replace the old ADA mandated ramps on South campus that for some reason never happened.
Does anyone currently go there? How are things under Mehrdad?
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