Fifth year Architecture students recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to present their project redesigning the Oklahoma City jail to the State Department Diplomacy Lab.
The special topics studio is led by Prof. Marjorie Callahan and Dr. Keith Gaddie. The seventeen students have spent the semester developing a new design for the Oklahoma City jail. This design is based around the idea of rethinking incarceration, focusing less on punishment and more on rehabilitation.
In the American Institute for Architects (AIA) Headquarters, the students presented their ideas to the State Department. Their project was broken up into five main components in order to present their design: Master Plan, Cottage Design, Exterior Spaces, Gathering, and Jail Tech.
The students also spent their time in DC examining the different aspects of architecture found in the city. They visited several important sites such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The students were also able to meet with the DC Sooner Club, an alumni group in the area. This trip not only gave the students the opportunity to share their work; it also gave them the opportunity to learn more about the architecture of DC and network with past graduates.
The presentations to the State Department were just the first step in sharing their designs. The team will also have an exhibition at the MAINSITE Contemporary Art Gallery in Norman. You can view their exhibition in person at MAINSITE December 2nd – 6th from 10am-4pm!
Students will also be creating digital models for the ARCHITECT magazine’s Studio Prize competition.
Robert L. Wesley, a pioneering architect and beloved mentor, has died at age 88. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Wesley joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in 1964 and became the firm's first Black partner in 1984. Throughout his career, he contributed to significant architectural projects while maintaining a strong commitment to civic engagement and professional mentorship.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to celebrate a series of recent accomplishments by Dr. Jim Collard, Professor of Practice in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design, whose work continues to shape conversations around Indigenous economic development nationally and internationally.
University of Oklahoma Gibbs College of Architecture Dean Hans E. [PA1.1]Butzer returned to one of his most significant works on December 15, joining survivors and past and present board members for the groundbreaking of a $15.8 million expansion of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
