OU Architecture faculty member René Peralta was a panelist for this year’s California Lawyers for the Arts symposium, INTERSECTIONS: Art and Law at the Border. Peralta was joined by panelists Amy Sanchez and Misael Diaz of Cognate Collective and Norma Iglesias Prieto at the CLA’s fifth bi-national event.
With a focus on the geopolitical context of the Tijuana-San Diego region, the intention of this gathering was to highlight artists, activists, lawyers, scholars and researchers whose work navigates the intersection of art, praxis and legal issues. As San Diego and Tijuana begin to activate conversation rooted in the 2024 World Design Capital designation, there will be an in-person panel examining Border Art History and Intervention: Past Present and Future.
At the symposium, Peralta explored the evolution of the San Diego-Tijuana border region, delving into its historical perspective based on the 1974 visit by urbanist Kevin Lynch and landscape architect Donald Appleyard. These pioneers proposed a vibrant, sustainable future for the region, but were faced with socio-cultural divisions and geographical gradients.
Peralta also brought attention to the modern conditions represented in the dystopian film “Sleep Dealer,” illustrating issues like border militarization, labor exploitation, techno-dystopias, and the ramifications of climate change and economic disparity.
Highlighting the role of contemporary architectural practices in Tijuana, Peralta presents the border as a reflection of global challenges. He emphasizes a systemic approach to regional transformation that incorporates innovative design strategies for potential alternative realities. By recognizing the border region as a zone of possibilities, Peralta posits that existing frictions could serve as catalysts for the evolution of future urban landscapes and architectural development.
Telesis, a journal produced by students in the University of Oklahoma Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture, has earned first place in the 2026 Douglas Haskell Award for Student Journals for its seventh volume, “Unfold.” This marks the fourth time the publication has earned recognition for excellence in student architectural journalism. It shares the honor with student journals from Columbia University, University of Michigan, and Cal Poly.
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture congratulates Thinh "Henry" Duong, a master's student in the Division of Interior Design, for earning first place in the 2026 Robert Bruce Thompson Annual Student Light Fixture Design Competition.
Gibbs College of Architecture Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) Director and Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design (PLAD) faculty member Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., recently published a new book, Collective Yearning: Black Women Artists from the Zimmerli Art Museum.
