HORSE

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Faculty:

Term:

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Program:

Sean Brunstein, Allison Gomez, Kaleeka Mittal, Mayank Sharma, Lindsey Bruso Brian Carter, Adam Thibodeaux, Justina Zifchock

Fall 2022

ARC503/603

3.5-YR MArch

How could we alter our design process to imagine spaces that promote the wellbeing of nonhuman species? The second studio in the 3.5-year master program, addressed this question through the design of a riding school in Buffalo. Horse riding in many cultures has a direct link to human settlement, agriculture, conquest, and settlement. The therapeutic benefits of horse care and riding are well documented and continue to attract the research interests of many different professions.

To introduce students to this rich territory of investigation, they were first asked to make full-size models and drawings of horses to develop a better sense of their bodies. They also conducted site visits to several barns in the area to learn about the challenges of caring for horses and the spaces they require.

These trips to Gasport, NY, and the Buffalo Riding Center gave students an understanding of the potential effects riding centers have on communities: physical activity and increased mental health. The studio also consulted with local landscape architects and structural engineers, enabling students to network with industry professionals and develop their designs throughout the semester.

Drawing a life-size horse positioned students to fully understand the scale and stature of whom they were designing for. Next, they split into teams to create three physical models of a horse using any materials they could find. The collection of drawings and models served as inspiration for the students to carry forward.

The project site was Father Conway Park, within Buffalo’s First Ward, home to several existing revitalization efforts. Sandwiched between a residential neighborhood and popular restaurants, the park acts as a threshold to the Buffalo River and Outer Harbor beyond.

“We always have this horse in the studio alongside us, and can develop our designs with horses in mind... A constant reminder of who we are designing for.”

- Sean Brunstein

Positioning horses as primary clients, the studio investigated the formal and conceptual potentials of building materials and construction systems that could support the needs of humans and horses. For MArch student Allison Gomez, the indoor riding hall was the heart of her scheme; a 220’ by 100’ open structure with moment framing, bracing, and clerestory windows. Stables lined the southern end while the northern end transitioned directly into the outdoor riding space. She also integrated an interactive and cooperative gallery on the site to add to the required programs.

Her vision was to create a place where Buffalo residents could visit and take ownership of the exhibition space based on their needs and wants. Proposed seven feet beneath ground level, with a series of carefully laid out exterior spaces leading to it, this gallery spans the length of the indoor riding hall. Within the gallery is a café, lounge, and art exhibition space. Careful circulation design allows horses to be brought in and interact with artists.

The landscaping, designed to complement adjacent streets, leads the users, both horse and human alike, to the gallery and the riding hall. Sinking the outdoor riding area allows space for spectators above the action with seating elements designed to encourage social interaction.

Keeping the comfort and privacy of the horses in mind as they designed, students learned how horses, just like humans, are each unique in their own way. Each student proposal created new and interactive experiences not typically seen in an urban environment. Riding centers like those proposed by these students give people (and horses) of all ages a chance to build skills, confidence, and improve physical and mental health in metropolitan areas. This is yet another example of how our design thinking can demonstrate care for others, this time across species.