Elevator B

Buffalo, NY, United States

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Elevator B

Buffalo, NY, United States

Firm

Hive City

YEAR

2012

Elevator B is an urban habitat for a colony of honeybees, which originally occupied a window in an abandoned office building in Buffalo, NY. Relocating the colony of honeybees in Elevator B served as both a way to reoccupy the building, stimulate redevelopment of the site, and develop a new habitat for the bees. Although not created for a specific client organization per se, Elevator B has generated a great deal of public curiosity because of the combination of the colony of honeybees, an interesting and a restricted-access site, and a well designed object. Elevator B is a 22-foot tall iconic gesture of the regeneration of Silo City, both environmentally and economically. The tower is a honeycombed steel structure, which was designed and built utilizing standard steel angle and tube sections. The structure is sheathed in perforated stainless steel panels that were designed to protect the hive and it’s visitors from the wind, and allow for both solar gain and shading.The bees are housed in a hexagonal cypress box with a laminated glass bottom through which the bees can be observed. This “beecab” provides protection, warmth and separates entry access between bees and humans. Beekeepers gain access to the hive by lowering the bee cab. This feature also caters to school groups that visit the site allowing children to get a close up view. Elevator B was designed, fabricated and installed in the Spring of 2012 by Courtney Creenan, Kyle Mastalinski, Daniel Nead, Scott Selin and Lisa Stern while students at the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning. The design was a result of a school-sponsored competition. It began February 1, 2012 and concluded with the selection of Elevator B in April. Construction took place after the team graduated in May and finished in June.Credits: Scott Selin - Architect, Courtney Creenan - Architect, Kyle Mastalisnki - Architect, Lisa Stern - Architect, Dan Nead - Architect

Links:
- https://vimeo.com/66859584