Deborah Richards, an assistant professor at Gibbs College and founder and co-director at Script Architecture, is featured in “Spatializing Reproductive Justice,” a traveling exhibition and programming series currently on display at the Center for Architecture in New York City. Running through September 2024, the exhibition aims to “spread awareness of the inequities of reproductive care in the United States and the agency of design fields to expand access.”
Richards’ contributions include the design of two Planned Parenthood Health Centers in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. The Tulsa facility, an 11,000-square-foot new construction, and the Oklahoma City center, a similarly sized gut renovation, exemplify a design ethos centered on empowerment and healing. Guided by principles of biophilic design, operational efficiency, resiliency, and equitable care, these projects prioritize patients’ wellness and dignity.
The Tulsa facility designed by Richards.
The Tulsa health center integrates natural elements and sound control to foster a calming environment, while operational efficiency was enhanced through a carefully designed floor plan developed through numerous tests and consultation with staff. . Richards’ design also allows for future expansion, ensuring the facility remains adaptable. Materials, lighting choices, patient room layouts that facilitate conversation between staff and patients, and a waiting room layout that provides different seating environments for individual comfort underscore a commitment to dignity, creating a space where patients feel valued and cared for.
In Oklahoma City, the renovation of a 1960s building along 23rd Street features a welcoming, modern aesthetic achieved with curved surfaces, light wood millwork, and ceiling domes that bathe the waiting area in soothing light. The design not only supports efficient workflow but also aligns with Planned Parenthood Great Plains’ mission by providing a calming environment that reflects the quality of care offered.
The Oklahoma City renovation designed by Richards.
“Spatializing Reproductive Justice” draws attention to architecture’s capacity to support critical healthcare access, particularly in the wake of Roe v. Wade’s repeal. Richards’ work, along with other featured projects, contributes to a broader dialogue on how the built environment can promote reproductive justice and healthcare equity.
In addition to her roles at OU and Script Architecture, Richards is also the co-founder of the Open Design Collective, a nonprofit design firm based in Oklahoma City. The collective focuses on empowering underrepresented communities through architecture, urban planning, and cultural preservation.
Learn more about the exhibition on the Center for Architecture’s website.
The University of Oklahoma College of Architecture is proud to announce that Model Schools in the Model City, authored by Director of the Institute for Quality Communities, Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., has been named one of ten finalists for the 2026 ASALH Book Prize for Best New Book in African American History and Culture.
This semester, students in the LA 5535 Studio: Ecological Planning and Design, led by Prof. Afsana Sharmin, took on an ambitious hypothetical project to redesign key parts of the OU campus. Their mission: to tackle the critical real-world challenge of stormwater management through innovative green design.
Petya Stefanoff, Chair of the Educational Committee with the American Planning Association, Oklahoma Chapter (APA-OK) and Gibbs College PhD candidate, has developed a new training program for local government officials. The program, focused on land use, zoning principles, and land development, recently certified its first graduates with Certified Citizen Planner status.
