Earlier this month, a team of seven Construction Science and Interior Design students attended Design and Construction Week in Orlando, Florida. This week features both the National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders Show (IBS) and the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s Kitchen and Bath Industry Show.
The National Assocation of Home Builders also hosts a student competition during Design and Construction Week where students from across the county are given the opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to a real construction company by completing a management project and proposal. The student teams are given a description of a property and must prepare a proposal to develop the property, including but not limited to market analysis, site design, cost estimate and schedule, and sustainability.
Elisabeth Walgreen, an OU student team member, said, “The International Builder’s Show was such a great experience not only for our own project development presentation, and getting to work with some students outside of our own division within the college, but also to get the opportunity to walk the show floor, meet industry professionals, and even get to see and test some new products hitting the market.”
The student team, led by Bryan Bloom an assistant professor of Construction Science, included Elisabeth Walgreen (4th year Interior Design), Campbell Homen (4th year Interior Design), Matthew Dawson (4th year Construction Science), Zac Tucker (4th year Construction Science), Peter Wright (4th year Construction Science), and Brick Hulin (3rd year Construction Science).
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.
