Case Study: University at Buffalo achieves a climate-resilient campus with RIOS and MVRDV

University at Buffalo builds a climate-resilient campus with RIOS by 2080

The University at Buffalo sought a vision to make its historic South Campus resilient to intensifying climate threats like heat and flooding, advance carbon-neutral goals, and address inequities in access to resources. To meet this challenge, they partnered with RIOS, which employed its expertise in master planning and landscape architecture.

RIOS developed a data-driven, climate-adaptive framework that repositions the campus as resilient urban infrastructure. The solution included creating ecological buffers, new social spaces, and water management systems designed to perform through 2080. The vendor's proposal earned recognition as a finalist and honorable mention in The Resilient Campus competition, offering a replicable model for campus resilience across North America.

University at Buffalo