Interior Design students and faculty were recently invited to tour the newly opened NOUN Hotel in Norman’s historic Campus Corner area. The field trip was a collaboration with the Oklahoma Interior Designers Coalition (OIDC) chapter board, the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Oklahoma City Chapter board, and GH2, an Oklahoma based architecture and design firm. The OIDC, IIDA, and GH2 hosted the entire Interior Design program, including undergraduate students and faculty.
Interior Design students tour the hotel.
Megan Chinowth and Christina Harris, the lead designers of the NOUN Hotel project, are both alumni of the Gibbs Interior Design program as well as current Interior Design Professional Advisory Board Members. Megan and Christina gave the Interior Design students and faculty tours of the newly opened NOUN Hotel, sharing their experiences working on the project. Students were able to observe and ask questions about the design of the rooms, common areas, bar, and restaurant at the NOUN.
Interior Design students view the hotel bar.
Other local design professionals and OIDC and IIDA board members, including Aaron Pilat with GH2, attended the event allowing students to meet and interact with many interior design professionals.
Interior Design students view the NOUN hotel lobby.
Thank you to Megan Chinowth and Christina Harris for facilitating this tour of the new NOUN hotel for our Interior Design students. Additional thanks to OIDC, OIDC President Sara GReen, OIDC President-Elect Mackenzie Matray, the IIDA TX OK chapter, and IIDA TX OK President-Elect Melissa Park for also hosting this wonderful event.
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.
