University of Oklahoma Architecture alumnus Asa Highsmith was recently recognized as an honoree in the Architectural League of New York’s 2023 Emerging Voices competition. The Emerging Voices program is an annual event that recognizes outstanding Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Design firms across North America.
This year’s winners were selected by a reputable board of judges who reviewed submissions from over 50 competitors. Highsmith’s firm, Common Works Architects, was awarded along with seven other accomplished firms.
Common Works Architects was founded in 2015 by Highsmith in Oklahoma City. According to Highsmith, the firm is dedicated to “democratizing design and elevating that which is common.” The firm has designed a wide variety of different projects including residences, restaurants, and public spaces.
Village Park by Common Works Architects.
Common Works was previously listed among Architect’s Newspaper Interior’s “Top 50 Architects and Designers of 2022” and highlighted in a Metropolis New Talent Feature.”
Learn more about the Emerging Voices Award and see the full list of recipients.
Past emerging voices from the OU Architecture program include Brian Phillips of ISA and Lyn Rice of Rice+Lipka.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Dr. Tamar Zinguer, Associate Professor of Architecture, has been selected to participate in the prestigious 2026 Summer Residency at the National Humanities Center (NHC).
Tanvin Mahtub Fariha, a first-year Master of Landscape Architecture student in the Gibbs College of Architecture and a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design, has earned recognition for her work.
A team of Construction Science and Architecture students from the Gibbs College of Architecture made their mark on the national stage this week, earning third place out of 37 universities competing at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Student Competition, held during the International Builders' Show in Orlando, February 16-18, 2026.
