The Environmental Design (EnD) program at Gibbs College of Architecture (GCA) provides students with many opportunities to network with EnD professionals and community leaders through various field trips and conferences. Recently, students in Intro to Urban Development, Intro to Landscape Architecture, and Historic Preservation Planning had the chance to visit three sites in Oklahoma City to learn more about various aspects of environmental design work.
The first stop was Monarch Property Group, where students met with owners Erica Emery and Monique Short. Emery and Short educated students on the work they do to develop residential areas in OKC while showing them residential properties.
Next, students went to recently-opened Scissortail Park, which GCA students and Dean Hans Butzer helped shape through their Core to Shore proposal more than a decade ago. Brent Wall, studio director of LAUD Studio, gave students a tour of the park, allowing them to see how years of planning and saving paid off for the city.
Students learning about the State Capitol’s preservation efforts.
Last, the group attended the Oklahoma State Capitol, where Trait Thompson, Project Manager of the State Capitol Restoration Project, shared recent preservation efforts implemented by his team.
Though it was a cold and rainy, students were able to gain knowledge in multiple hands-on environments, making it a successful day for the EnD program.
You can learn more about the EnD program at our website.
During the Spring 2026 semester, students in Interior Design Studio IV and Graduate Studio IV gained hands-on experience in educational facility design through a semester-long partnership with MA+ Architecture.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture congratulates Dr. Tammy McCuen, Robert E. Busch Professor of Construction Science, on beginning her term as president of the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC), an international organization dedicated to advancing construction education through teaching, research and service.
Following years of contributions to the College’s research and strategic initiatives, Gibbs College shares that Associate Dean for Research and External Engagement Angela M. Person, PhD, will step down from her position at Gibbs College as she moves to Tucson with her family, effective June 30, 2026.
