This semester, we will be sharing highlights of students, faculty, research, and projects from our Landsacape Architecture (LA) program. You can look forward to learning about the different events and opportunities taking place here at the Gibbs College of Architecture (GCA)!
Recently ranked among the “Most Hired From” by Design Intelligence for the second year in a row, the Landscape Architecture program at Gibbs College prepares students to design the outdoor spaces we utilize everyday, while protecting and managing the natural environment.
The curriculum pushes students to think critically and creatively about how to address the environmental issues related to human use of the land. We hope every student, incoming or graduating, is filled with excitement for solving today’s problems and the difference they can make in the world!
Award-Winning Students
Over the past ten years, Landscape Architecture students have been honored again-and-again for their research and design by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, American Society of Landscape Architects Central States, Urban Land Institute, Come Alive Outside, and more. Recently, MLA student Niloufar Soltanimofrad was recognized by the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (OKASLA) with a Student Merit Award for her research related to “el spaces.”
LA alumni Subhashini Gamegedara and Rachel Ware also received Merit Awards from OKASLA for their recent work.
Emerging Professionals
The LA program offers students the opportunity to earn a Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) or a Master of Landscape Architectural Studies (MLAS). Graduates of these programs learn effective design and planning processes, as well as project management practices at multiple scales. They also engage design and planning research as a part of their studio projects.
Landscape architecture students at OU often gain professional experience during internships around the country. Recently, Alice Calmon interned in Florida for planning, landscape architecture and urban design firm EDSA, where she got to work on many different project phases.
After graduating, LA alumni move on to careers that impact the world around us by designing sensitive, engaging outdoor spaces. Recently, we caught up with 2019 MLA graduate Subhashini Gamagedara! Gamagedara works for the City of Oklahoma City as a Park Planner.
Laying a Strong Foundation
There are many ways for Landscape Architecture students to get involved at Gibbs College, ranging from research to community engagement, career fairs to student internships, and more.
Faculty research is infused into studio classes, students are encouraged to explore their own areas of interest through the design process. Students also work directly with local communities to help them redesign/re-imagine their neighborhoods, downtowns, or main streets. Recently, Landscape Architecture students partnered with students from other design disciplines to help re-imagine downtown Muskogee, Oklahoma.
Lastly, students have the chance to participate in worldwide design competitions, helping them experience real-world projects and collaborations across disciplines to learn from others and work as a team. Recently, MLA student Sridhar Yalamanchili won the “Million-Dollar Pool Design Challenge”!
We are excited to continue highlighting the Landscape Architecture program, its amazing students, alumni, faculty, and community. If you are interested in applying to become a MLA student, learn more here.
The Gibbs College of Architecture celebrates fifth-year architecture student Haley Praytor, who has been recognized at the national level for her design work. In early March, Haley received a Graduate Division Award of Merit for her submission to the 2025 Metal Building Manufacturers Association student design competition.
Ronald Frantz Jr., emeritus professor, has been named a 2026 Mary Means Leadership Award recipient, the highest honor presented by Main Street America. The award was announced at the Main Street Now Conference in Tulsa, recognizing leaders who advance preservation-based economic development and community revitalization.
The Gibbs Design in Action Awards (GDAA) program, led by Dr. Wanda Liebermann, has announced its 2026–2027 funded student projects. The initiative supports design and research work that addresses social, cultural, and economic issues in the built environment through collaboration with faculty and community partners.
