The University of Oklahoma
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture
Oculus Weekly Newsletter
Mar. 25 - 29, 2019

Click here! 

Oculus is an e-newsletter that is distributed by the OU Gibbs College of Architecture (GCA) during the fall and spring semesters. It features news about student, faculty, staff and alumni accomplishments, as well as events that may be of interest to our community. Note that there is a weekly version of the newsletter for a local audience, and a monthly version for a broader audience. Please share your news and events by noon each Friday to be considered for the following week's issue of Oculus.
GCA News
Placemaking Conference Returns Monday, April 1, 2019

The Placemaking Conference is a biennial event hosted by the OU Gibbs College of Architecture's Institute for Quality Communities. It features leading experts on topics in economic development, healthy communities, city planning and governance, architecture and design, district management, public spaces and parks, and more. To register, please contact Hope Mander at [email protected] or (405) 325-2434.

Click here to learn more.
Architecture Faculty Member's Firm a Finalist in International Design Competition

Oklahoma City architecture firm höffnerdesignstudio recently announced that it has been named a finalist in the 27th annual International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Will Ching Design Competition. Michael H öffner, a faculty member in the Division of Architecture, is principal of höffnerdesignstudio.  The winning project will be announced in April 2019 and will be honored at the IIDA black-tie gala, Silver, on June 9, 2019.

Click here read more on the Oculus blog.
Environmental Design Program Helps Students Serve Communities, Learn by Doing

The OU  Environmental Design program  regularly collaborates with the  OU Institute for Quality Communities  (IQC) to help students engage with local cities across the state of Oklahoma. This year, the program has incorporated three different projects into its course offerings. All three projects benefit Oklahoma communities, provide valuable experiential learning for students across the Gibbs College of Architecture, and were funded by the Oklahoma Municipal League.

Click here to read more on the Oculus blog.
Construction Science Students Building "Tiny House" as Part of Their Construction Fundamentals Lab

This semester, 36 students from the  Haskell and Irene Lemon Division of Construction Science are designing and building a "tiny house" as a part of their Construction Fundamentals Lab. The course uses a hands-on approach that teaches students the foundational skills necessary to complete a real-world construction project. It is designed to help students get familiar with the vibe of a job site, giving them confidence and helping them to develop their problem-solving skills .

Click here to read more on the Oculus blog.
Sophomore Interior Design Students Design Space for OU Norman Campus

Sophomore Interior Design students worked in teams of two to design a space for the OU Clara Luper Department of African & African-American Studies. The department wants to relocate to a space that reflects its rich cultural history and encourages community engagement. This new space will tell the story of the Department of African & African-American Studies, civil rights activist Clara Luper, and other important elements of their cultural and historical contexts, rooted in the state of Oklahoma. This project correlates with work by 5th-year architecture students, who were charged with designing a new building for the department. 

Click here to read more on the Oculus blog.
Center for Peace and Development Continues Peacebuilding Efforts in Northern Uganda

Associate Professor o f  Regional + City Planning  John Harris , along with faculty and students from across the University, traveled to northern Uganda this past January. The trip was a continuation of many collaborations between the OU  Center for Peace and Development and local peace-building organizations. 

Click here to read more on the Oculus blog.
Freshmen Architecture Students Present Ambitious Projects

Using different materials to complete multiple projects involving wooden towers and hydrostone plaster, first-year architecture students in the Design II class taught by Profs. Dan Butko, Sam Callahan, Tiziana Proietti, Haley Cytacki, and Luca Guido have completed their mid-term projects. For the wooden towers, students had to create vertical progression and an interdependency of the pieces involved. 

Click here to read more on the Oculus blog.
Construction Science Professor Wins Publication Award

Dr. Ben Bigelow, director of the Haskell and Irene Lemon Division of Construction Science, recently won the "Kiewit Best Construction Journal Paper" for 2018. He will be recognized at the 2019 Associated Schools of Construction Annual Conference.


Click here to learn more about the Associated Schools of Construction.
GCA to Host "The American School Symposium" with Herb Greene on April 15

American School architects, including "Prairie House" architect Herb Greene, as well as prominent architectural historian Christopher Mead, will headline the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture's "The American School Symposium" on Monday, April 15, on the OU Norman campus.

Click here to read more on the Oculus blog.
Alumni Highlights
Alumni Highlight: Rachel Gaffney, Regional and City Planning

This semester, we are highlighting alumni from each of our seven disciplines. Recently, we talked to Rachel Gaffney! Rachel graduated from the Gibbs College of Architecture (GCA) in 2018 with a Master's Degree in  Regional and City Planning. She is currently enrolled in the  American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Candidate Pilot Program, as she passed the AICP exam in November of 2018. We asked Rachel a few questions about her experience at OU and her best advice for the AICP exam!

Click here to read the full interview.
Construction Science Alumnus Recognized during "Women in Construction Week"

 

Gabriela Escanola, Master of Construction Science alumnus and project engineer with The Boldt Co., was recently interviewed by The Oklahoman in honor of "Women in Construction Week."

 

Read more and find the article on the Oculus blog.
GCA-Related Events
OU Architecture Library to Present "Building and Training" Exhibition

Designed for the University of Oklahoma Architecture Library, "Building and Training" is an exhibition of work by Art & Tech graduate student Daniel Giles Helm. Learn more here.

When: Weds., April 24, from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Where: Gould Hall, Architecture Library
Note: Helm will be sharing more about this work during GCA's Brown Bag Seminar,  on Weds., April 24, from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m., in the Gould Hall Gallery.

To request accommodations, contact Matt Stock ([email protected]).
Save these Dates for GCA's Spring 2019 Lecture Series
If you know of a Gibbs College of Architecture event during Spring 2019 that is not listed, please submit it via the Oculus form found  here.
Brown Bag Research Seminar *
GCA faculty, staff, and students, and their colleagues from around campus, share their work. 

April:  Wed., April 24, 12 p.m. Featuring talks by Dave Boeck,  Natalie Ellis, Somik Ghosh, Daniel Helm, Sarah Little & Bryce Lowery .

Held in the Gould Hall Buskuhl Gallery.
Lunch is provided.
NE OKC Storytelling Project
Organized by BlackSpace Oklahoma, this lecture series explores history, assets, and identities in Black neighborhood spaces to inspire future urban projects. 

Save the Date: Mar. 30
Location: Page Woodson Historic Douglass School Auitorium; Oklahoma City

Placemaking Conference
Students, advocates, professionals, and civic leaders gather to learn from leading experts in community development. Speake rs include  Kennedy Smith ,  Dylan Thuras ,  Mick Cornett  and more.  Registration required.

Save the Date: Monday, April 1 - Catlett Music Center, Sharp Hall

Rick Lowe, MacArthur Fellow ***
Founder, Project Rowe Houses

Rick Lowe will offer the closing keynote during the 2019 Placemaking Conference.
Free and open to the public.

Public Lecture:  Monday, April 1, 4:00 p.m. - Catlett Music Center, Sharp Hall

The American School Symposium**
Public lecture by Christopher Mead, professor emeritus of the University of New Mexico, followed by a moderated discussion with American School alumni, including Nelson Brackin, Ernie Burden and Arthur Dyson.

Symposium: Monday, April 15, 1:30 p.m.  - Gould Hall, Buskuhl Gallery

*  To request accommodations or more info, contact Angela Person ([email protected]).
** Made possible with support from the Presidential Dream Course program.To request accommodations or more info, contact Stephanie Pilat ([email protected]).
*** Made possible with support from RTA Architects and the Bruce Goff Chair of Creative Architecture program. To request accommodations or more info, contact Hope Mander ([email protected]).
GCA Opportunities
OU Student Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS) Recruiting New Members

Hello architecture students! National Organization of Minority Architectural Students (NOMAS) is actively seeking for new members to join our team, and we welcome any architecture students at any year level! Each year, we send a team of students to attend the national NOMA conference, where they participate in the student competition. This year's conference is in NYC! If you are interested, please fill out the sign up sheet linked here. For more info about the conference, visit the 2019 Conference website: https://lovenoma.com/.

For more information, contact Nora Lau ([email protected]).
Outside Opportunities
Attend the Diversity Ally "Unlearning" Workshop Series and Receive your Diversity Ally Certificate! 

Diversity Ally workshops are now open for faculty and staff enrollment! Attend "Unlearning Sexism," "Unlearning Racism," "Unlearning Ableism," and "Unlearning Classism" for an opportunity to earn the Diversity Ally certificate.

Enroll: Click here

For more information, contact Human Resources ([email protected]).
GCA Alumnus to Offer "Drawing on Location" Rendering Class through Norman Firehouse Art Center

Join OU GCA alumnus Fred Schmidt, FAIA, for a "drawing on location" rendering class, hosted by the Firehouse Art Center in Norman. Schmidt has made numerous contributions to the architecture profession in Oklahoma. He was recently honored with the AIA's Williams Wayne Caudill Award, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award for distinguished leadership. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and a past President of AIA Central Oklahoma Chapter.

When: Sat ., May 4, 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Where:  TBD; confirm with Firehouse Art Center

For more information and to register, visit http://www.normanfirehouse.com/.
2019 COINS Grand Challenge Accepting Student Entries

The COINS Grand Challenge is a global competition to uncover students who have ideas that can improve the built environment. Enter your idea with an essay or short video for the opportunity to win cash, internships, or business investment, plus the chance to get in front of some of the construction industry's biggest players. The 2019 competition is now open undergraduate for entries! Entries are due on April 12, 2019.

For more information visit: http://coins-grandchallenge.com/.
Travel Study Highlights
Urban Interpretive Mapping. Lakin Hall (Jan. 2019)
"Rome is an incredible environment to study architecture. Thousands of years of civilizations building on top of one another creates a layering that is very special to observe. Some of the most rewarding moments here have come through interacting and collaborating with Italian architecture students in our International Workshop. I am very thankful for the opportunity to broaden my knowledge of architecture, the Italian language and culture, and the rich history of Rome through studying abroad."
- Lakin Hall
2019 Rome Travel Study
GCA Student
"Being in Rome this semester has broadened my knowledge beyond belief. I have been able to learn all about the ancient monuments around me as well as the the history of the city. Being absorbed in the amazing architecture and interior design within this part of Italy is an incredible opportunity and I cannot thank OU enough."
- Ashley Rodarte
2019 Rome Travel Study
GCA Student
Above: 2019 Rome Travel Study group at Pompeii. Photo courtesy Megan Hatter.
Above: 2019 Rome Travel Study group visits Toledo Station in Naples, Italy. Photo courtesy Sabrina Stephenson.
Get Featured!
Get Featured on GCA's Social Media Channels!

Send your work to the GCA Communications Team! This is your chance to show the world your work! Fill out the Oculus submission form and mark your submission as an image for social media. Please include images, a description of your work, your social media handles, and a link to your online portfolio if you have one. We can't wait to celebrate all you've been up to.

To submit your work, click here,
Share your news and events with us!
Whether you are an OU Gibbs College of Architecture alumnus, student, faculty or staff member, we want to know about your news and events!

To share your news for the next issue of  Oculus, the OU Gibbs College of Architecture newsletter, or to request publicity support for an upcoming event, please complete the form found  here. This form may also be used to submit website update requests.

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution.  www.ou.edu/eoo.
STAY CONNECTED: