Date
More than 100 design educators from over 50 institutions around the United States and beyond gathered on the University of Oklahoma campus from March 5 – 7, 2020, to explore the future of design teaching during the “Schools of Thought” conference hosted by the Gibbs College of Architecture. Among the institutions represented were Harvard, University of Michigan, Pratt, The New School, Penn, Boston Architectural College, Auburn University, Arizona State University, and dozens more.
The conference, which opened with a land acknowledgement, offered by fifth year architecture student Alecia Buffington, as well as a song, offered by Mr. Indian OU, Asher Stephens, included a particular emphasis on decolonizing architectural education.
Over two days, attendees participated in an interactive workshop on diversity and inclusivity in the classroom and studio environment, toured the Renegades: Bruce Goff and the American School of Architecture exhibition, and had the opportunity to take in more than 60 presentations engaging questions about the future of design education, which addressed questions of community participation, design-build, social equity, and more.
In addition, keynote lectures were offered by Dr. Sharon Sutton, Visiting Professor of Architecture at The New School, Parsons School of Design, who lectured on “A Pedagogy for Working Collaboratively,” and Joan Ockman, Senior Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, who lectured “Thinking About Schools: American Experiences and Experiments.” Their lectures were supported by the Bruce Goff Chair of Creative Architecture.
The conference closed with a panel discussion, moderated by Gibbs College Dean Hans E. Butzer, with panelists Christian Dagg, head of the Auburn University School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture; Elysse Newman, Director of the Clemson University’s Institute for Intelligent Materials, Systems and Environments; Carmina Sanchez-del-Valle, Professor of Architecture at Hampton University; Justin Ferguson, director of design at Meticulous Design + Architecture; and Sharon Sutton, FAIA, visiting professor at Parsons School of Design.
“Schools of Thought,” co-organized by Architecture faculty Angela Person and Anthony Cricchio, was made possible with support from dozens of faculty, staff and students at the University of Oklahoma, as well as financial support from Ben Graves, the Gunning Family, the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture and Bruce Goff Chair of Creative Architecture at University of Oklahoma, and the A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan.
To view video highlights from the conference, scroll on.
Above: Conference video playlist.
Featured image: The Equity in Architectural Education Consortium Panelists, from left: Joana Dos Santos, Carmina Sanchez, Stephanie Pilat and Maryanne Akers.
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.
The OU Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) 2024 collaboration with the Historic Threatt Filling Station has been recognized in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's newly released Byways Report: The Scenic Route to Rural Prosperity – a story-driven publication exploring how road trip culture and place-based tourism can fuel economic growth in rural communities.
The Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Camille Germany, Chief of Staff, has been named the 2026 recipient of the university-wide Jennifer L. Wise Good Stewardship Award.
