OU Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Kiara Gilmore, Associate Architect and Director of Emerging Professionals at Modus Studio, has been appointed as the Goff Chair of Creative Architecture for 2025. As Goff Chair, Gilmore is invited to give a public lecture this semester, open to all Gibbs students, faculty, and staff.
In her upcoming lecture, Gilmore will share insights into the “Think. Make. Do.” design process that defines the work of Modus Studio. The lecture will take place on Monday April 7, 2025 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in George Lynn Cross Room 123. It will be an opportunity for students, faculty, and practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of how design thinking translates into meaningful architectural solutions.
Rooted in Arkansas and driven by a passion for transformative design, Kiara Gilmore has dedicated her career to shaping sustainable and community-centric spaces. Her innovative approach to architecture not only fosters meaningful built environments but also inspires the next generation of architects. Kiara grew up in Concord, New Hampshire, in a home that was built in the 1800s. It was there that she became fascinated with how architecture and design were thought about. She graduated from the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture + Design and began working at Modus Studio, where she has used her energy and talent to continue to transform the built world—a world where every individual consciously and unconsciously experiences design at its highest, most innovative form. Through her leadership in the AIA, including roles as Young Architect Regional Director for the Gulf States, Knowledge Director, Vice Chair of the AIA Young Architects Forum, and Secretary Elect for AIA Arkansas, she has championed the growth and development of emerging professionals. Her contributions to programs like the Mini MBA sessions and ARE quiz nights have equipped countless architects with essential business and licensure skills.
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture congratulates Thinh "Henry" Duong, a master's student in the Division of Interior Design, for earning first place in the 2026 Robert Bruce Thompson Annual Student Light Fixture Design Competition.
Gibbs College of Architecture Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) Director and Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design (PLAD) faculty member Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., recently published a new book, Collective Yearning: Black Women Artists from the Zimmerli Art Museum.
In May, students from the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture's Architecture, Environmental Design, and Interior Design programs participated in an intensive five-day Studio in Residence at Taliesin West, the iconic winter home and desert laboratory of Frank Lloyd Wright.
