A collection of photos exploring Buffalo Architecture, Biophilic Design, and Principles of New Urbanist Movement.
Front entrance to Lafayette High School, the oldest high school in Buffalo, New York. Building was completed and graduated its first class in 1903. A stone, brick and terra-cotta structure in the French Renaissance Revival style, by architects August Esenwein and James A. Johnson. In 2003, it celebrated its 100th anniversary, and is still operating as a public high shcool.
This photo, taken from a block away, shows the building in context, illustrating its relationship to the neighborhood. Instead of a remote location requiring 2,000 gallons of fossil fuel every morning to bus 800 kids from suburbia to campus (and back), LHS is situated in a local neighborhood, where most students (or teachers) could walk to it - and it enhances the neighborhood with its architectural beauty and space for community events.
The building exemplifiies biophilic design and principles of new urbanism. Its permanence and beauty reinforce a sense of place. Its terra cotta design strikes a compelling balance of order (creating a feeling of meaning and purpose) and complexity (enticing us toward exploration and discovery). The majestic tower inspires us with the prospect of something visionary, with the notion that education is a noble endeavor.
