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Jeffrey Mansfield, principal at the Model of Architecture Serving Society (MASS) Design Group and director of MASS’s Deaf Space and Disability Justice Design Lab (DSDJ), assisted OU Architecture faculty in leading a five-day design charrette. Mansfield joined the D6 and D10 studios and the M6 class led by Wanda Liebermann, Amber Sarmiento, Marco Piscitelli, Amy Leveno and Francesco Cianfarani to explore DeafSpace design principles in their projects.
MASS is an architecture firm based in Boston, Massachusetts that provides innovative design solutions to communities around the world. The DSDJ strives to empower Deaf and Disabled communities and reclaim their typical spatial narratives.
The DeafSpace Guidelines, developed at Gallaudet University, emerged from a study of the visual and other sensorial experiences of Deaf and hard of hearing communities. These guidelines shift the focus to designing for light, movement, reverberation, materiality, and sensory reach. The pin-up on Wednesday, February 22 featured a lively discussion of students’ innovative interpretations.
A team of Construction Science and Architecture students from the Gibbs College of Architecture made their mark on the national stage this week, earning third place out of 37 universities competing at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Student Competition, held during the International Builders' Show in Orlando, February 16-18, 2026.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has elevated Gary Armbruster, FAIA, ALEP to its prestigious College of Fellows—AIA’s highest membership honor—for his exceptional work and sustained contributions to architecture and society. Fellowship recognizes architects who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and made a significant impact at a national level. Members elevated to this distinction carry the FAIA designation after their name.
Students from the Spring 2026 Graduate 4 Architecture Design Studio, led by Professor Amy Leveno, exhibited their work at the School of Visual Arts. The exhibition, titled Reimagining the OU School of Visual Arts, featured drawings, models, and animations developed throughout the semester's studio project. The show was hosted in The Spotlight, a creative gallery space located on the first floor of the Fred Jones Art Center, and ran from January 20–30, 2026.
