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.
The annual competition challenges university students to tackle a comprehensive, real-world construction and development scenario. This year's competition selected a location in Alabama, where teams were charged with selecting a lot, identifying a target consumer, and designing a home from the ground up. Beyond the design element, students were also required to develop a full sales and marketing plan, cost estimates, project schedules, a construction management plan, and a detailed financial analysis outlining how they would fund and ultimately profit from the venture.
The team was composed of students from the Construction Science (CNS) and Architecture (ARCH) programs, bringing together a range of skills and perspectives that represent the way real construction and design projects actually come together. The team was coached by CNS Assistant Professor Bryan Bloom.
Team members included Kendall Knighton, Kate Brigmon, Francesca Costanzo, Jared Schenk, and Matthias Wittenberg from CNS; Sasha Alexander, Chloe Bys, Natalia Koo Vinatea, and Carson Holmes from ARCH; and Barbara Garcia from END.
Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Petya Stefanoff, who is pursuing her doctorate in the Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) program, has been appointed the new role of Director of Community Development for the City of Shawnee, Oklahoma. She joined the city in 2024.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design and director of the Institute for Quality Communities, has received national recognition for her book Model Schools in the Model City. The book has been named a finalist for the 2026 the PROSE Awards.
Gibbs College of Architecture Regional + City Planning Professor of Practice Vanessa Morrison and Associate Professor of Architecture Deborah Richards’ Open Design Collective received top honors at the inaugural BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Studio KIN Pitch Night Competition, held last month in Brooklyn, New York City.
