René Peralta, a lecturer in Architecture at OU and alumnus of the Master of Science in Planning, Design and Construction program (Dec. 2022 graduate), was recently awarded the 2022-2023 Architectural Research Centers Consortium’s (ARCC) King Medal.
One student from every ARCC member college is awarded this medal each year to recognize their innovation, integrity and dedication to architectural and environmental design research. Peralta was recognized for his master’s thesis, “Design and Construction Technology in Mexican Social Housing at the End of the 20th Century.”
In his thesis, Peralta examines the Mexican government’s attempts to provide housing for working class citizens. Specifically, he explores the role of construction systems and their sociocultural impact on the region’s urban development. According to Peralta, Mexico’s 20th century housing policies produced thousands of housing units that materialized into low-income neighborhoods during the global economic crisis of the period.
Peralta served as the inaugural OU Herb Greene Teaching Fellow from 2019-2021.
Congratulations to Rene Peralta for receiving this well-deserved recognition!
The Gibbs Design in Action Awards (GDAA) program, led by Dr. Wanda Liebermann, has announced its 2026–2027 funded student projects. The initiative supports design and research work that addresses social, cultural, and economic issues in the built environment through collaboration with faculty and community partners.
The OU Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) 2024 collaboration with the Historic Threatt Filling Station has been recognized in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's newly released Byways Report: The Scenic Route to Rural Prosperity – a story-driven publication exploring how road trip culture and place-based tourism can fuel economic growth in rural communities.
The Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Camille Germany, Chief of Staff, has been named the 2026 recipient of the university-wide Jennifer L. Wise Good Stewardship Award.
