Date
Join Gibbs College for the “Outré West Symposium” on October 17 and architectural tours on October 18, 2024. Featuring gallery tours of the Outré West exhibition, presentations on mid-century architecture, a reception and architectural tours, these events offer an opportunity to learn more about the American School of Architecture, which was born in Oklahoma and thrived in California! Please reserve a ticket for each portion you plan to attend.
The “Outré West Symposium” features guided tours with the exhibition curators and a lecture on midcentury modern architecture by Alan Hess, a California-based architect and historian. Hess, who has written many books on midcentury modern architecture and urbanism in the mid-twentieth century, will provide an overview of Organic architecture on the West Coast. Following Hess’s lecture, the Outré West curators, including Angela Person, Stephanie Pilat, Marco Piscitelli, Hans Baldauf, Rachel Engler, Christopher Loofs, and Amber Brown, will share highlights from each section of the exhibition. A reception with light refreshments will follow.
Architect and historian Alan Hess has written nineteen books on Modern architecture and urbanism in the mid-twentieth century, including “Forgotten Modern: California Houses, 1940-1970.” He has written monographs on architects Oscar Niemeyer, Frank Lloyd Wright, and John Lautner, as well as architectural histories of Las Vegas and Palm Springs. He is currently researching the architecture of Irvine, California, one of the United States’ largest master-planned communities of the 1960s and 1970s.
Forgotten Modern: California Houses, 1940-1970 by Alan Hess and Alan Weintraub.
October 18 features special tours of a selection of local American School architectural sites in Norman, Oklahoma, including Bruce Goff’s Ledbetter House and Herb Greene’s Prairie House from 9 a.m.–12 p.m. Tour space is limited, and attendees should provide their own transportation. The tour itinerary will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.
These events are made possible with support from the Division of Architecture Professional Advisory Board, the Vice President for Research and Partnerships’ Initiative for the Humanities and Arts in Society, the Bruce Goff Chair of Creative Architecture, and the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center.
If you have any questions about event programming, please contact spilat@ou.edu. For box office support, please contact boxoffice@okcontemp.org.
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.
