Building on the conversations about the future of design pedagogy that were started during the March 2020 “Schools of Thought” conference, the Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma is hosting a series of webinar conversations that explore how to adapt to our changing world, or better yet, how to rebuild it as a better world.
Thursday, June 25, 2020
4:00 – 5:30 p.m. EST
Justin Ferguson, Meticulous Design (MODERATOR)
Justin Ferguson, PhD, is director of urban design and planning at Meticulous Design + Architecture in Indianapolis. An architect with 25 years of professional experience across various project types and scales, his focus for the past 15 years has been on public engagement in design and planning. He was the assistant dean of the College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State University where he also served as the director of the Master of Urban Design (MUD) program as well as the executive director of the Center for Civic Design (CCD).
Shannon Criss, University of Kansas
Shannon Criss serves as a Professor at the School of Architecture and Design at the University of Kansas (KU) and is a licensed architect with over twenty years of experience teaching and practicing architecture. Her research and teaching are focused on public interest design, the practice of sustainable development, healthy communities and engaging everyday buildings within urban places. Through Dotte Agency, a community-outreach program she co-founded at KU, she serves to engage underserved communities in urban spaces-connecting university students with community, civic organizations, governments and the profession.
Shane Hampton, University of Oklahoma
Shane Hampton is a city planner and the director of the University of Oklahoma Institute for Quality Communities (IQC). He leads community engagement partnerships with towns and cities in Oklahoma, often focusing on placemaking, street design, and tactical urbanism.
Cory Henry, Atelier Cory Henry
Cory Henry is a practitioner and educator based in Los Angeles. His eponymous studio, Atelier Cory Henry, operates in the fields of architecture, urbanism and visual art. His academic work regularly interrogates the discourse and implications of aesthetics, politics, philosophy and economics in architecture and the built environment.
The structure of this 90-minute discussion will be:
The Summer Schools of Thought Series is led by Stephanie Pilat, Angela Person and Tony Cricchio.
A team of Construction Science and Architecture students from the Gibbs College of Architecture made their mark on the national stage this week, earning third place out of 37 universities competing at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Student Competition, held during the International Builders' Show in Orlando, February 16-18, 2026.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has elevated Gary Armbruster, FAIA, ALEP to its prestigious College of Fellows—AIA’s highest membership honor—for his exceptional work and sustained contributions to architecture and society. Fellowship recognizes architects who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and made a significant impact at a national level. Members elevated to this distinction carry the FAIA designation after their name.
Students from the Spring 2026 Graduate 4 Architecture Design Studio, led by Professor Amy Leveno, exhibited their work at the School of Visual Arts. The exhibition, titled Reimagining the OU School of Visual Arts, featured drawings, models, and animations developed throughout the semester's studio project. The show was hosted in The Spotlight, a creative gallery space located on the first floor of the Fred Jones Art Center, and ran from January 20–30, 2026.
