Gibbs College is excited to announce that Gould Hall underwent several renovations during summer 2023. These building improvements were made in an effort to meet the growing needs of students, faculty and staff, as student enrollment has increased by over 300 students in the past five years.
With the help of Jerry Puckett, buildings operation manager, and Mat Reed, senior program manager, several rooms across Gould Hall were vacated and remodeled. Puckett and Reed were a large part of the planning and construction process and helped with the demolition of old classrooms, offices and the architecture library.
Read on to learn what’s new in Gould Hall.
The library before and during construction.
One of the most significant changes to the building is in room 105, which was previously the library. Over the course of the summer, this room was converted into a new studio space. The new studio is a much larger space that can accommodate 75-80 students, allowing for more growth and flexibility within various Gibbs programs.
Puckett explained, “Over the course of the last five years, we’ve had quite the growth experience. We’re definitely trying to figure out a way to house 300 more students from a variety of disciplines. Whether it’s in the Construction Science program where it’s predominantly lecture-style, or it’s in the design studios where you have a desk for the entire year.”
The new studio space.
Room 105 now features a designated area for critiques and small lectures, with three walls of pin-up space for students’ projects. There is also a reservation-only classroom that accommodates 28 people and features a new smartboard. Within this studio, there are also three designated areas for the recently hired Gibbs Fellows.
According to Dean Hans E. Butzer, “Gibbs College is so fortunate to be one of the fastest growing colleges at OU. To support our growing student enrollments, we’ve strategically prioritized student experience through optimized classroom spaces and the attraction and retention of the best instructors.”
Room 245 was converted into office space with eight cubicles as well as six touchdown spaces for adjunct faculty. These touch-down spaces will allow faculty to conduct office hours and work within a more private setting. There are also several sitting areas where students, faculty and staff can lounge, study or hangout between classes.
A rendering of the new floor plan for room 245.
The final update made to the building is in the Dean Suite, where new flooring is being installed. These renovations will support the future growth of Gibbs College as well as allow for more flexibility and interdisciplinary collaboration within the programs.
Butzer summarized the benefits of these renovations, “We have resourcefully adapted our existing world-class facilities to ensure students have the space they need to explore the planning, design and construction disciplines, and that all of our programs continue to flourish under one roof. Our staff and leadership teams have conceived and implemented exceptional new spaces in a new chapter of our American School through their contextual and resourceful creativity.”
Gibbs College is excited to welcome everyone back to Gould Hall for the fall 2023 semester!
Petya Stefanoff, Chair of the Educational Committee with the American Planning Association, Oklahoma Chapter (APA-OK) and Gibbs College PhD candidate, has developed a new training program for local government officials. The program, focused on land use, zoning principles, and land development, recently certified its first graduates with Certified Citizen Planner status.
Gibbs Construction Science and Architecture students recently traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to compete in the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 8 Student Competition. The team partnered with Czech Technical University and secured third place in the Design-Build category.
Gibbs College is pleased to present the exhibition Vollendorf in Oklahoma: The Architecture of Dean Bryant Vollendorf during the Spring 2026 semester. It will be on display in Gould Hall, on the OU-Norman Campus, from February 16, 2026 - March 13, 2026.
