The work of Environmental Design students was featured in a special report by the Independent Shopkeepers Association (ISA) of Oklahoma, the State of Retail 2020.
Students in the Environmental Design Practicum, Spring 2020, worked with community partners in the Bricktown, Downtown Norman, the Plaza District, and Uptown 23rd Street to record tenant mix trends in urban commercial districts. They also worked to identify and research dozens of benchmark districts in peer cities in the United States. Their work was compiled into a special report published by the ISA to offer insights on trends and areas for growth in local districts (see below).
Students who contributed to the research and collaboration with local partners included Cy Bergner, Cole Brignac, Justin Fish, Jennifer Fuentes, Johanna Hilmes, Logan Holtmyer, Charles Joly, Isabel Kienzle, Andrew Meyers, David Miller, Shobha Pathmanathan, Emily Perkins, Trey Potts, Jackson Schultz, Edward Schwarz, Mingming Shi, AJ Talib, Cooper Wilson, and Yueyang ‘Elijah’ Wu.
The Environmental Design Practicum carries OU’s service learning designation and is led by Shane Hampton, director of the Institute for Quality Communities.
Above: Environmental Design practicum students. Note: Taken in Spring 2020, before social distancing protocols were put in place for COVID-19.
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 American Institute of Architects (AIA) has elevated Gary Armbruster, FAIA, ALEP to its prestigious College of Fellows—AIA’s highest membership honor—for his exceptional work and sustained contributions to architecture and society. Fellowship recognizes architects who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and made a significant impact at a national level. Members elevated to this distinction carry the FAIA designation after their name.
Students from the Spring 2026 Graduate 4 Architecture Design Studio, led by Professor Amy Leveno, exhibited their work at the School of Visual Arts. The exhibition, titled Reimagining the OU School of Visual Arts, featured drawings, models, and animations developed throughout the semester's studio project. The show was hosted in The Spotlight, a creative gallery space located on the first floor of the Fred Jones Art Center, and ran from January 20–30, 2026.
