Former Gibbs College of Architecture instructor, William Reue, RA AIA NCARB has recently completed the Devland SOWETO Education Campus in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Education Campus was designed for the non-profit, Growing Up Africa. The project is located within a densely populated Reconstruction and Development Program Zone of SOWETO, about 25 kilometers outside of Johannesburg. The project has been donated to the University of Johannesburg and will be used as a satellite campus for its educational programs that serve the Devland SOWETO community.
Several spaces within the Devland SOWETO campus.
The building is made up of multipurpose teaching spaces, flexible classrooms, open-plan work areas, a lecture hall, canteen, restrooms, storerooms, and administrative offices all anchored by a large auditorium. Outside, there is a tree-shaded amphitheater, sculpture garden, double-height porch, and water-wise garden planted with over forty native tree and plant species.
William Reue Architecture in New York City partnered with Boogertman + Partners, the largest architecture firm in Africa, on this project. An eight-year effort, all design professionals provided their services for free, and the building was constructed entirely from donated materials from over 225 corporate sponsors.
Robert L. Wesley, a pioneering architect and beloved mentor, has died at age 88. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Wesley joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in 1964 and became the firm's first Black partner in 1984. Throughout his career, he contributed to significant architectural projects while maintaining a strong commitment to civic engagement and professional mentorship.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to celebrate a series of recent accomplishments by Dr. Jim Collard, Professor of Practice in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design, whose work continues to shape conversations around Indigenous economic development nationally and internationally.
University of Oklahoma Gibbs College of Architecture Dean Hans E. [PA1.1]Butzer returned to one of his most significant works on December 15, joining survivors and past and present board members for the groundbreaking of a $15.8 million expansion of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
