Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture dean Hans E. Butzer addresses graduates during the Spring 2025 commencement ceremony.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to announce the release of Telesis “Unfold,” the dynamic seventh volume of its award-winning student journal. Fully led, curated, and created by students, this seventh volume embraces the theme of unfolding, encouraging deep reflection, process-driven exploration, and storytelling from the margins.
For principal architects and partners Gary Armbruster and Heath Tate, giving back to the University of Oklahoma’s Gibbs College of Architecture isn’t just a professional obligation; it’s personal. Both proud OU alumni, Gary and Heath credit much of their success to the connections, mentorships, and lessons learned during their time at the University. Today, that Sooner spirit lives on through MA+’s active partnership with Gibbs College — from advisory board membership, to supporting scholarships and student internships to hands-on mentorship that helps bridge the critical gap between education and professional practice.
An unprecedented coalition of Oklahoma’s academic institutions, Tribal Nations, industry leaders, nonprofits, and government agencies has officially submitted a full proposal to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Engines Program. Titled WxFORGE — Forging New Frontiers in Extreme Weather Resilience and Innovation, the effort aims to position Oklahoma as a national leader in resilient infrastructure technologies, workforce development, and weather-adaptive innovations.
In an interview with the Urban Land Institute, Gibbs College dean Hans E. Butzer reflects on his experience designing Oklahoma City National Memorial and its impact 30 years later.
In honor of the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing, the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture hosted a special panel discussion with Dean Hans Butzer and Torrey Butzer, the principal designers of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture Dean Hans E. Butzer, FAIA, reflects on his experience as co-designer of the Oklahoma City National Memorial, recounting what it meant to him and his wife and design partner, Torrey Butzer, to be chosen to design the Memorial, the personal and cultural influences that shaped his approach, and the importance of visitor experiences in the design process.
The 2025 Charles W. Graham Travel Study Gala was a record-breaking success, with over $75,000 raised. The proceeds from this event directly benefit students who are eager to travel and gain hands-on learning experiences.
Michael Mann, a distinguished architect and Consulting Principal at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in Los Angeles, is an alumnus of the University of Oklahoma’s Gibbs College of Architecture. Over his career, he has led the design and execution of more than 55 million square feet of world-class projects, earning numerous industry awards and international recognition.
Doyle Phillips, Associate Professor in the Haskell & Irene Lemon Construction Science Division at the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma, has been elevated to the prestigious Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) College of Fellows. This recognition is one of the highest honors CSI can bestow and is given to individuals who have made significant contributions to the construction industry and to the Institute.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma (OU) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. John Harris to a four-year term as the inaugural Director of the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture & Design (PLAD), effective July 1, 2024.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma (OU) is pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel Butko, AIA, to a four-year term as Director of the Division of Architecture, effective July 1, 2024.
Mark your calendars for the OU Alumni + Friends Reception at the 2024 AIA National Conference! Scheduled for Wednesday, June 5, 2024, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m, Dean Hans E. Butzer will host the event at the Crimson View Rooftop Bar located within the Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma has appointed Dr. Angela Person, as the inaugural Associate Dean for Research and External Engagement, effective July 1, 2024.
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture Dean Hans Butzer and his partner, Torrey A. Butzer, recently received the Mayor’s Award for Distinguished Service from OKC Beautiful, recognizing the Butzers’ visionary architectural designs that have influenced many of Oklahoma City’s buildings and landmarks.
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An interdisciplinary team of OU students from the Gibbs College of Architecture, Gallogly College of Engineering and Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication was recently selected as a finalist for the 2024 Solar Decathlon Competition. The team is competing in this year’s Design Challenge in the Single-Family Housing Category.
Gibbs College of Architecture proudly announces the successful re-accreditation of its Interior Design program by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation.
Representatives from Flintco recently visited Gould Hall, bringing along a donation of $10,000 to bolster the Braxton Byrd Memorial Scholarship. Braxton was a 2022 Construction Science graduate who was well known to all of his classmates for his selfless approach. He was a top student in his class and was always willing to give his time to help others. Braxton tragically passed away a few short weeks after graduation. The scholarship harkens to Braxton’s giving heart and will continue to help Construction Science students.
Vanessa Morrison, an award-winning urban planner, has agreed to serve as the new interim director of the Institute for Quality Communities. The appointment was announced by Gibbs College Dean Hans Butzer and made effective on Sept. 1, 2023.
Five full-time OU Architecture faculty were recognized at the 2023 AIA Honor Awards Celebration, held Sept. 15 at the First National Center in Oklahoma City. The AIA Oklahoma Honor Awards Program recognizes exceptional members for their distinguished leadership and commitment to the quality of life in Oklahoma.
Butzer Architects and Urbanism, an award-winning firm led by Hans E. Butzer, dean of Gibbs College, and his partner Torrey Butzer, was recently recognized at the 2023 AIA Honor Awards Celebration. The AIA Oklahoma Honor Awards Program recognizes exceptional members for their distinguished leadership and commitment to the quality of life in Oklahoma.
Gibbs College is excited to announce that Gould Hall underwent several renovations during summer 2023. These building improvements were made in an effort to meet the growing needs of students, faculty and staff, as student enrollment has increased by over 300 students in the past five years.
Gibbs College, in partnership with its OU Institute for Quality Communities, is announcing a leadership transition. Shane Hampton has stepped down from the role of executive director of the Institute for Quality Communities, effective Aug. 25. The IQC team will continue to lead programs and projects in the 2023 – 2024 academic year.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce the creation of the new Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design.
Following an internal search, the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture has appointed Suchismita (Suchi) Bhattacharjee as associate dean for academics and college administration, effective July 1, 2023.
John Harris has agreed to serve as interim director of the newly established Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design at the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture. The appointment was effective July 1, 2023.
Butzer Architects and Urbanism, a firm led by Hans E. Butzer, professor of architecture and dean of Gibbs College, and his partner Torrey Butzer, has been selected for the shortlist of prominent designers to be considered for the Global War on Terrorism Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Gibbs College Dean Hans Butzer and Karen Renfroe of the OU Foundation recently sat down with architecture alumnus Raymond Harris to learn more about his successful career along with his business and mentorship activities in retirement.
OU Construction Science Professor Bryan Bloom received the Provost’s Award for Outstanding Engaged Teaching. This award recognizes faculty that utilize innovative teaching techniques that promote community collaboration and high-quality, engaged learning.
Dr. Tammy McCuen, Professor of Construction Science, received Provost’s Award for Outstanding Service, which recognizes excellence in OU-related outreach and service activities.
On March 20th, hundreds of planning and design professionals, civic leaders, and students gathered at the University of Oklahoma for the 5th biennial Institute for Quality Communities’ Placemaking Conference. The all-day event featured speakers working in a variety of fields, all of which contribute to community placemaking.
OU’s Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that two of our faculty will be offering the inaugural Bob & Sherry Faust Distinguished Lecture at Auburn University on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at the Gogue Performing Arts Center and streaming on YouTube Live.
A gift to the University of Oklahoma will honor alumnus and esteemed architect Bob Faust by creating multiple new faculty and staff positions dedicated to the American School, an innovative design practice developed at OU in the 1950s and ’60s. Sherry Faust, Bob Faust’s spouse, has made a multi-million-dollar planned gift in his honor to University Libraries and OU’s Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture.
The United States Postal Service recently announced that the Skydance Bridge in Oklahoma City will be featured on first-class mail stamps in 2023! The stamps will be available for purchase on August 24, 2023. The Skydance Bridge, which was completed in 2012, has become an iconic landmark for Oklahoma City.
The Gibbs College of Architecture’s Division of Regional + City Planning recently celebrated its 75th anniversary as well as its successful Planning Accreditation Board reaccreditation. Established in 1947, the Gibbs Regional + City Planning program is the seventh oldest planning program in the United States. The program boasts over 700 hundred alumni who spend their careers shaping the future of communities across the country.
Recently Gibbs College dean Hans Butzer and Karen Renfroe of the OU Foundation spoke with OU alumnus Michael McKelvy. They sat down with McKelvy to learn more about his position as CEO of McDermott International, his time at OU, and his ideas for the future of design-build education.
The National Brownfields Training Conference was held in Oklahoma City from August 16th through the 19th. The local and national planning committees for the annual conference began work on the meeting in March of 2020. Ron Frantz, Director of the Environmental Design Program, served on the Local Planning Committee’s Mobile Workshops, Socials, and Evening Receptions Committee.
Professor Keith Gåddie, Ph.D., Executive Faculty Fellow and interim Associate Dean of the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma, has announced his retirement from the university, effective July 2023.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture will be hosting an OU Alumni + Friends Reception during the upcoming 2022 AIA National Conference in Chicago, Illinois.
Second year Architecture student, Whit Hull, recently designed, printed, and installed attachments to the faucets in the bathrooms here in Gould Hall, the home of the Gibbs College of Architecture, to make them more usable.
David Boeck, Associate Professor of Architecture, received the University of Oklahoma’s General Education Teaching Award. He was honored at the Faculty Awards Luncheon on April 14th for the award.
