Deborah Richards, an assistant professor at Gibbs College and founder and co-director at Script Architecture, is featured in “Spatializing Reproductive Justice,” a traveling exhibition and programming series currently on display at the Center for Architecture in New York City. Running through September 2024, the exhibition aims to “spread awareness of the inequities of reproductive care in the United States and the agency of design fields to expand access.”
Richards’ contributions include the design of two Planned Parenthood Health Centers in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. The Tulsa facility, an 11,000-square-foot new construction, and the Oklahoma City center, a similarly sized gut renovation, exemplify a design ethos centered on empowerment and healing. Guided by principles of biophilic design, operational efficiency, resiliency, and equitable care, these projects prioritize patients’ wellness and dignity.
The Tulsa facility designed by Richards.
The Tulsa health center integrates natural elements and sound control to foster a calming environment, while operational efficiency was enhanced through a carefully designed floor plan developed through numerous tests and consultation with staff. . Richards’ design also allows for future expansion, ensuring the facility remains adaptable. Materials, lighting choices, patient room layouts that facilitate conversation between staff and patients, and a waiting room layout that provides different seating environments for individual comfort underscore a commitment to dignity, creating a space where patients feel valued and cared for.
In Oklahoma City, the renovation of a 1960s building along 23rd Street features a welcoming, modern aesthetic achieved with curved surfaces, light wood millwork, and ceiling domes that bathe the waiting area in soothing light. The design not only supports efficient workflow but also aligns with Planned Parenthood Great Plains’ mission by providing a calming environment that reflects the quality of care offered.
The Oklahoma City renovation designed by Richards.
“Spatializing Reproductive Justice” draws attention to architecture’s capacity to support critical healthcare access, particularly in the wake of Roe v. Wade’s repeal. Richards’ work, along with other featured projects, contributes to a broader dialogue on how the built environment can promote reproductive justice and healthcare equity.
In addition to her roles at OU and Script Architecture, Richards is also the co-founder of the Open Design Collective, a nonprofit design firm based in Oklahoma City. The collective focuses on empowering underrepresented communities through architecture, urban planning, and cultural preservation.
Learn more about the exhibition on the Center for Architecture’s website.
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.
