A collaborative project between the University of Oklahoma and the Universidad Nacional del Altiplano in Peru (UNAP) was recently awarded a grant to investigate affordable and sustainable housing in the Andes. The project, “Inti Wasi Sustainable and Affordable Cold Climate Housing,” received funding from the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund.
The Innovation Fund stimulates higher education partnerships between the United States and the rest of the Western Hemisphere. The program increases student training and exchange opportunities and strengthens collaborations among governments, businesses, and academia across the Americas.
The OU and UNAP project will facilitate student travel and collaborations between the U.S. and Peru to plan, design, and implement a solution to the affordable housing shortage in the Andes region. Beyond providing an opportunity for students to experience different places and cultures, it will also engage students in finding solutions to real-world problems through travel study and service learning.
The program will be led by Ben Bigelow, an associate professor and director of Construction Science, and Victor Maqque, the managing director of the Latin America Sustainability Initiative (LASI). It will also be supported by René Peralta in the Architecture department and professor Jorge Villegas from UNAP.
If you are a student interested in joining this summer’s trip to Peru, contact Ben Bigelow at bigelow@ou.edu. Watch the video below or click here to learn more about this project. To learn more about the Innovation Fund and see the full list of recipients, click here.
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.
