OU Architecture faculty member René Peralta was a panelist for this year’s California Lawyers for the Arts symposium, INTERSECTIONS: Art and Law at the Border. Peralta was joined by panelists Amy Sanchez and Misael Diaz of Cognate Collective and Norma Iglesias Prieto at the CLA’s fifth bi-national event.
With a focus on the geopolitical context of the Tijuana-San Diego region, the intention of this gathering was to highlight artists, activists, lawyers, scholars and researchers whose work navigates the intersection of art, praxis and legal issues. As San Diego and Tijuana begin to activate conversation rooted in the 2024 World Design Capital designation, there will be an in-person panel examining Border Art History and Intervention: Past Present and Future.
At the symposium, Peralta explored the evolution of the San Diego-Tijuana border region, delving into its historical perspective based on the 1974 visit by urbanist Kevin Lynch and landscape architect Donald Appleyard. These pioneers proposed a vibrant, sustainable future for the region, but were faced with socio-cultural divisions and geographical gradients.
Peralta also brought attention to the modern conditions represented in the dystopian film “Sleep Dealer,” illustrating issues like border militarization, labor exploitation, techno-dystopias, and the ramifications of climate change and economic disparity.
Highlighting the role of contemporary architectural practices in Tijuana, Peralta presents the border as a reflection of global challenges. He emphasizes a systemic approach to regional transformation that incorporates innovative design strategies for potential alternative realities. By recognizing the border region as a zone of possibilities, Peralta posits that existing frictions could serve as catalysts for the evolution of future urban landscapes and architectural development.
Gibbs College is pleased to present the exhibition Vollendorf in Oklahoma: The Architecture of Dean Bryant Vollendorf during the Spring 2025 semester. It will be on display in Gould Hall, on the OU-Norman Campus, from February 16, 2026 - March 13, 2026.
On November 21, 2025, the Mainsite Contemporary Art gallery was transformed into a showcase of innovation and craftsmanship for the University of Oklahoma’s furniture design build studio exhibition, “Purpose in Form.”
Associate Professors Lee Fithian, Ph.D., and Elizabeth Pober have published a chapter in the recently released New Perspectives in Indoor Air Quality, published by Elsevier. Their contribution, titled “Chapter 16 – Architecture and the Challenges of Indoor Air Quality,” examines the relationship between architecture and indoor air quality.
