Robert Coles used prefabricated elements to create his private home and studio in 1961. Its spare, modernist design stands out in a neighborhood full of traditional homes.
Photo: Jeff Henrikson for Mellon Foundation
Reviving a Little-Known Modernist Landmark in Buffalo
The home and studio of pioneering African American architect Robert Traynham Coles is the focus of a preservation effort that aims to create a new community hub.
When he moved into his new rental house in 2020, Albert Chao knew it was no typical residence. Amid a row of typical early 20th century duplexes in the east side of Buffalo, New York, the structure appeared to be an anomaly, with its clean modernist lines and unique layout. From the street, it was understated and small, but once inside the space revealed itself: It boasted generous natural lighting, ideal spaces for working and resting, and a surprising variety of outdoor areas.
Chao, an adjunct architecture professor at the University at Buffalo, soon discovered the story behind the prefabricated mid-century structure: It was the former home and studio of Robert Traynham Coles, the first Black man in New York State to own his own architectural practice.