The Placemaking Conference is a biennial event hosted by the OU Gibbs College of Architecture’s Institute for Quality Communities. It features leading experts on topics in economic development, healthy communities, city planning and governance, architecture and design, district management, public spaces and parks, and more. Click here to learn more.
Event Details
Monday, April 1, 2019, 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Catlett Music Center – Norman, Oklahoma
Registration is required. Registration closes on March 15, 2019. For late registration, please contact Hope Mander, iqc@ou.edu or 405-325-2434.
Featured Speakers
Kennedy Smith of CLUE Group, one of the nation’s foremost experts on commercial districts, will speak about downtown and main street economic development.
Elena Madison of Project for Public Spaces will be joined by Jill Brown DeLozier of Downtown OKC Partnership and Laura Hoagland of Southwest Airlines to talk about placemaking partnerships that transform public space.
Mick Cornett, former Oklahoma City mayor, is the author of The Next American City and will join us to share ideas about how small- and middle-sized cities are positioned for success.
Dylan Thuras of Atlas Obscura will speak about the quest to document special (and sometimes odd) places around the world
Oklahomans Allison Bailey of Holiday Pop-Up Shops, Lauren Nitschke of Waurika, and Kelly Tompkins of Main Street Enid will share their placemaking stories
Houston-based artist Rick Lowe, creator of Project Row Houses and other projects around the world, will present the closing lecture featuring highlights of his career creating revitalization efforts driven by art and culture.
Past Conferences and Videos
To request accommodations, contact IQC staff (iqc@ou.edu).
The Gibbs College of Architecture celebrates fifth-year architecture student Haley Praytor, who has been recognized at the national level for her design work. In early March, Haley received a Graduate Division Award of Merit for her submission to the 2025 Metal Building Manufacturers Association student design competition.
The Gibbs Design in Action Awards (GDAA) program, led by Dr. Wanda Liebermann, has announced its 2026–2027 funded student projects. The initiative supports design and research work that addresses social, cultural, and economic issues in the built environment through collaboration with faculty and community partners.
The OU Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) 2024 collaboration with the Historic Threatt Filling Station has been recognized in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's newly released Byways Report: The Scenic Route to Rural Prosperity – a story-driven publication exploring how road trip culture and place-based tourism can fuel economic growth in rural communities.
