Marco Piscitelli, an Herb Greene Teaching Fellow of Interior Design and Architecture, was recently awarded funding as a part of the Gibb’s College of Architecture’s Program for Research Enhancement. Each year, this merit-based program grants funds to Gibb’s faculty members in order to increase their research and creative activities.
Piscitelli received the grant to pursue his project Rust on a Razor Blade: the Architecture of Mickey Muennig (1962-2002). Mickey Muenig, otherwise known as “the man who built Big Sur,” was an American architect who largely contributed to the built environment and cultural landscape of the Central Coast of California.
Muenig was responsible for the development of organic architecture in Big Sur, which is an architectural ideal that promotes harmony between humans and the natural environment. Piscitelli’s proposed project will delve into Muenig’s recently acquired archives, which explore the history of the Big Sur region’s geographical and cultural constraints and how it shaped Muenig’s architectural practices.
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.