Designing Buffalo

Buffalo, New York is a unique case study on how architecture shapes a city. With its two centuries of distinguished architecture along with the dramatic impact that redlining and government-subsidized sprawl have had on the historic city core since the post-War era, it is clear to see how communities are shaped by the spaces they live in and move through. In Designing Buffalo, Executive Director of the Darwin Martin House Jessie Fisher examines the places both important and historically left behind, to show how expanding the architectural canon results in a richer portrait of a city. The result is a comprehensive and compelling look at the history and future of architecture in Buffalo. Some of the major architectural works explored in the book include: - The NYS Asylum by HH Richardson – considered to be among the finest examples of a wholly new style of American architecture;- The Guaranty Building by Louis Sullivan – considered to be among the finest examples of work by this “father of the skyscraper”;- The Larkin Administration Building plus two homes and one estate by Frank Lloyd Wright – Wright is generally considered the most famous and important American architect of all time, and Buffalo gave him his first commercial commission and his most important patron in Darwin Martin - The Willert Park public housing complex by Frederick Backus with sculpture designed by Robert Cronbach and Harold Ambellan – one of the earliest examples of public housing in NYS, and the only complex outside of NYC to include a WPA sculpture program- The Robert T. Coles House by Robert T. Coles – Coles was the first Black Chancellor of the American Institute of Architects - The Eliza Quirk House, architect unknown – one of the oldest extant buildings downtown, this brick townhome recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places was built by the City’s most notorious Madam. Featuring a full-color treatment packed with photos both contemporary and archival, supporting textboxes and maps, and suggested walking/driving tours to experience the city’s significant design, Designing Buffalo is for everyone interested in the history of Buffalo, the field of architecture, or looking to understand how the spaces we live in shape and reflect our perspectives and values.

Jessie Fisher is the Executive Director at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House, an organization dedicated to restoring, preserving, and interpreting Frank Lloyd Wright’s greatest early-career residential work — the Darwin D. Martin House, a National Historic Landmark and New York State Historic site. Fisher joined the Martin House in 2022 and leads a dedicated board, staff and 400 active volunteers in service to Wright’s organic principals and the continuing dialogue on the importance of architecture and design in contemporary lives.  Prior to joining the Martin House team, Fisher served as the Executive Director of Preservation Buffalo Niagara (PBN). Fisher also previously served as the Director of Planning at Buffalo Niagara WATERKEEPER and was an associate at Flynn Battaglia Architects in Buffalo, New York. Fisher serves on the board of directors of the National Preservation Partners Network (NPPN), where she is a member of the Steering Committee for the Preservation Priorities Task Force, a joint program between the NPPN and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  In 2022 she was awarded a New York Architectural League project grant to study the modern design roots of Buffalo’s first four public housing projects, the results of which were published in Western New York Heritage Magazine. Fisher lives in the City of Buffalo with her husband, four children, two cats, and one dog.