OBJECTILE ADVENTURES: THE FLOOR – Banham Fellow Exhibition 2026
April 20 @ 8:00 am - July 26 @ 5:00 pm
Free
Overview
The UB School of Architecture and Planning presents “OBJECTILE ADVENTURES: THE FLOOR” as part of its Spring 2026 Public Programs. The exhibition opening will take place on Monday, April 20, 2026, at 5:00 PM in the Hayes Hall Atrium, UB South Campus.
The installation forms part of a public program series which presents scholarly research and architectural work through live presentations and exhibitions to explore current developments in architectural design and material science.
Concept
The installation introduces “Objectiles” — object-projectiles — discarded building materials that travel across time and space collecting new uses. Objectiles maintain their original function through physical changes which display all the different things they have experienced and tested.
The current version of Objectiles demonstrates their ability to act as “floor” while they stop moving. Traditional construction systems use mass production methods to create floors which builders want to be unnoticeable through their flat and neutral appearance. However, Objectiles refuse to maintain a position of neutrality. The floor design which assumes a flat surface will create another way for people to interact with the space through its slopes and hinges and ridges and points where it lifts or supports weight.
Installation Experience
The Objectiled floor requires users to combine their negotiation abilities with their imaginative skills to traverse its surface. The installation shows visitors its irregular surface which consists of different materials and invites them to think about how materials undergo transformation and reuse throughout time. Users create new traces which become part of the Objectiles ongoing story that will continue to exist in upcoming times.
The project tests a design method centered on reused building materials and storytelling, exploring how narratives and aesthetic sensibilities can shift us away from a linear material economy toward more circular practices within design and construction culture.
Research Background
The installation developed by 2025–26 Banham Fellow Celia Chaussabel represents an ongoing research project which began in 2021. Previous explorations included graphic novels, animations, and video games tracing the trajectories of materials and the people and sites entangled in their movement.
The research extends to architectural installation research through its investigation of how reused materials create different storytelling methods which transform architectural spaces through their design.
Exhibition Details
| Opening Reception | April 20, 2026 – 5:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Exhibition Dates | April 20 – July 26, 2026 |
| Gallery Hours | 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Location | Hayes Hall, 1st Floor, UB South Campus, 250 Hayes Rd, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA |
| Format | In-person and remote access via Zoom |
| Curator | Celia Chaussabel, 2025–26 Banham Fellow |
| Entry Fees | Free |
| Organizer | UB School of Architecture and Planning |
✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight
The documentary “OBJECTILE ADVENTURES: THE FLOOR” defines reuse through its application as a spatial design element and a method of storytelling. The installation challenges standard construction practices by its implementation of nontraditional flooring systems which disrupt the expected architectural design elements. The research demonstrates its value through its ability to create a complete functional space which people can use. The project design focuses on storytelling while it limits both environmental assessment methods and architectural development of new structural designs. The project presents itself as a design experiment that critiques traditional material usage through architectural design because it reuses materials in a way that connects to cultural traditions instead of standard construction methods.
Final Statement
The installation of “OBJECTILE ADVENTURES: THE FLOOR” uses abandoned materials to create areas that communicate stories through their design which reflects memory and material history and the ongoing transformation of materials.
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