David Boeck, an associate professor in the Gibbs College of Architecture, was recently featured in The Oklahoman [subscription required]. The article, titled “Can aging-in-place, universal design go mainstream? This Oklahoma homebuilder is betting on it,” features Boeck’s recent work with Ideal Homes and Neighborhoods, incorporating aging-in-place and universal home design into Ideal Homes’ new construction in Norman, Moore, and Stillwater.
Universal home design emphasizes adding features to homes to make them more accessible to both aging homeowners as well as any homeowners that desire more ease of use in their home. Homes may include solid-surface flooring, door levers instead of knobs, raised outlets, a lack of steps, etc. In the case of Ideal Homes, homeowners choose what features they want included in their home.
Boeck, a certified Aging in Place Specialist, has been advocating for homebuilders to offer more accessible features in their builds but has not found much success until speaking with Vernon McKown of Ideal Homes and Neighborhoods.
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.
