Ernesto Buch

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Ernesto Buch

Fellow
2018 Seaside Prize Winner


The trajectory of Ernesto Buch’s nearly thirty year career in architecture and urbanism was set at a very young age. Born in Cuba and raised in Miami, Buch was introduced to many vibrant architectural heritages very early in life; these experiences led him to a lifelong love of Classical and Traditional architecture. Buch received his formal education in architecture first as an undergraduate at Case Western Reserve University, from which he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, and then at the University of Miami, where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture. He went on to Harvard University and earned his Master of Architecture in Urban Design.

Early in his career, Buch had the opportunity to go to Florida and work with Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk on the Master Plan and Urban Code for the Town of Seaside. Through this project, Buch became one of the earliest contributors to what has become the New Urbanism. While in Seaside, he not only served as its second Town Architect, but also designed several houses and civic buildings for the town – some of his first commissions as an architect. One of his most notable projects in Seaside is the Tupelo Street Pavilion; today it has become an icon of the town, symbolic of its beach atmosphere.

Buch also had the opportunity to work for Allan Greenberg, a notable classicist, as a young architect. This experience broadened his knowledge and understanding of the use of the classical language, solidifying his foundation as a classical architect. After leaving Greenberg, Buch started his own firm, Ernesto Buch Architect, Inc., in 1987. The firm’s first commission was the Richardson Library; using his time in Greenberg’s office for inspiration, Buch designed a neoclassical folly. He was awarded The Arthur Ross Award in Architecture, given by Classical America, for the design.

Today Buch is Principal Architect of his firm, which has offices in New Haven, Conneticut; Miami, Florida; and the Dominican Republic. He specializes in Classical and Traditional architecture and urbanism and has been involved in several projects in the Dominican Republic, Miami, and the Bahamas. The firm’s work has been published in various publications and has been given several awards.