Emily Hays is a graduate student studying Architecture at the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture.
What do you like most about your division/program of study?
The Division of Architecture has been exceptionally open to new ideas, even when they don’t follow precedent. I feel this adaptability is a quality lacking in other architecture programs, and its lack always leads to stagnation. This openness is partly accomplished through teacher-student relationships. The relationships that I have cultivated here have been crucial to my development.
What advice would you give to incoming students in your program?
First, community is paramount to your growth as a person and a designer. Do not isolate yourself, and despite your commitments, enjoy your community and your experience. Secondly, you will never make all the people happy all of the time; that is the way with art. Finally, make this journey your own. Enjoy the ups and downs of your time here and the people you get to spend it with. Take ownership of your space, your decisions and your time.
What project are you most proud of?
In the Spring of my third year, our studio competed in a team competition for a master plan redesign, which our team won. We then designed specific buildings for the site. This design elevated my understanding of program and the requirements related to it since the program I developed for the building had no precedent. I also began my experimentation of hybrid drawings here, which I am continuing to expand upon.
A project designed by Gibbs College of Architecture faculty member Austin Lightle has been selected for BuildFest 2026, a national art and architecture festival held at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in New York, on the historic grounds of the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival.
Two Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture alumni are helping shape recommendations that could influence affordable housing design and construction across Oklahoma.
The University of Oklahoma Libraries recently welcomed Carl Siegel as an Architecture Librarian and Archivist and Assistant Professor. In his role, Siegel supports students, faculty and staff across the Gibbs College of Architecture while also serving as archivist for the American School of Architecture Archives.
