Students at the University of Oklahoma are leading the way with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the design process. A group of Architecture students were the first at Gibbs to use an AI image-generating program to aid in the design process for their final studio project.
Professor of Architecture René Peralta implemented this technology in his studio as a part of a semester long project. Peralta’s students utilized a program called Midjourney, which uses AI technology to transform text prompts into visual images.
Midjourney assisted students as they worked on their design proposal for a Native American Studies building on campus. The program allowed them to generate images surrounding Indigenous architecture theories using terminology and ideas from Laura Harjo’s book “Spiral to the Stars.” Harjo is a Mvskoke scholar and associate professor in the Department of Native American studies.
MidJourney designs for the Indigenous Storytelling project
One of the main benefits of the program is its ability to cater to students’ specific needs. Midjourney can provide reference images that are much more personalized than typical images found online, which is incredibly helpful during the design process.
Peralta hopes that AI will continue to be a part of architecture education. This technology has the potential to streamline the design process and give students more time to focus on the theory and ideas behind architecture.
Learn more about Midjourney and the Indigenous Storytelling project.
The University of Oklahoma College of Architecture is proud to announce that Model Schools in the Model City, authored by Director of the Institute for Quality Communities, Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., has been named one of ten finalists for the 2026 ASALH Book Prize for Best New Book in African American History and Culture.
This semester, students in the LA 5535 Studio: Ecological Planning and Design, led by Prof. Afsana Sharmin, took on an ambitious hypothetical project to redesign key parts of the OU campus. Their mission: to tackle the critical real-world challenge of stormwater management through innovative green design.
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.
