Architectural Terracotta is Advancing in Buffalo, NY, Architect's Newspaper

TITLE: Architectural terra cotta is advancing in Buffalo, New York
SOURCE: The Architect’s Newspaper
AUTHOR: Matthew Marani
DATE: 9.25.19

Read the full article on The Architect’s Newspaper

Architectural Terracotta is Advancing in Buffalo, NY

Earlier in August, professional architects, manufacturers and academics gathered in Buffalo, NY to participate in the 2019 ACAWorkshop, hosted by Boston Valley Terra Cotta and University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning. The week-long event brought together 9 teams, each aiming to further innovate building solutions and other applications of architectural terra cotta. The Architect’s Newspaper came to the event and attended the final presentation where teams discussed their work in addition to a keynote speech by Selldorf Architects.

For attendees, the gathering is an opportunity to part the veil behind the architectural terra-cotta manufacturing process, experiment with new concepts, and physically transform them into full-scale prototypes.

Architectural Ceramic Assemblies Workshop, ACAWorkshop 2019, Andy Brayman, The Matter Factory

Andy Brayman of Boston valley’s off-site Research and Development Lab and The Matter Factory, gives a presentation during the 2019 ACAWorkshop. Photo credit: Charles Wingfelder

The Architect’s Newspaper got an inside look into the workings of the Architectural Ceramic Assemblies Workshop. While they were in attendance, they had the opportunity to discuss the value of Boston Valley’s off-site Research and Development Lab with Andy Brayman, founder of The Matter Factory in Kansas City.

“This strategy is helpful when taking on the ACAW projects which by their very nature contain at least one element (and often several) that could be considered experimental,” said Brayman. “The bulk of the technical know-how comes from BVTC and it is augmented by research that has been done at the Matter Factory. Taking the projects out of the main factory that is focused on the production of existing jobs allows a different dynamic to take place.”

Read the full article online at The Architect’s Newspaper website

Featured Image: Ceramic Artist, Anne Currier handles the KPF prototype at the 2019 ACAWorkshop. Photo credit: Charles Wingfelder, University at Buffalo.