University at Buffalo, SUNY

August 5, 2026

Nicolas Barrette named UB School of Architecture and Planning’s 2026-27 Banham Fellow

Nicolas Barrette joins the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning as the 2026-27 Peter Reyner Banham Fellow, where he’ll conduct research, teach students, and present his findings on the topic of “Data Centers, AI, and the Architecture of Anticipated Vacancy in Buffalo.”

Through a studio focused on the afterlife of a hypothetical data center, students will be tasked with imagining the possibilities for these buildings as ruins, archives, mines, or spaces capable of hosting entirely new programs.

“I’ve learned that students do their best work when the problem is real and they have genuine agency,” Barrette explained. “Essentially, when their work is not simply an exercise but a contribution in its own right.”

Barrette has built a career in architecture, specializing in projects involving adaptive reuse, heritage transformation, climate-responsive design, and the economic and material systems that shape the built environment. He earned his bachelor’s in geography – urban systems from McGill University and then a Master of Architecture from the University of Toronto.

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Founded in 1912 by 10 charter members, 51�� is an international association of architecture schools preparing future architects, designers, and change agents. Our membership includes all of the accredited professional degree programs in the United States and Canada, as well as international schools and 2- and 4-year programs. Together 51�� schools represent some 7,000 faculty educating more than 40,000 students.

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August 5, 2026