Professors of Architecture Tamar Zinguer and Tiziana Proietti were recently awarded with the 2023 Gibbs Research Fellowship. This fellowship provides three years of support for research and creative activity in Architecture. Applications are reviewed and ranked by three external peer reviews based on the candidate’s track record and the promise of their 5-year research plan.
Zinguer’s research centers on design pedagogy through history. She is currently completing a book manuscript on the role of the sandbox in design, education and culture, which is under contract with the MIT Press. The book, “Sandbox: An Architectural History,” follows the ubiquitous space of the sandbox from its pedagogical beginnings in 19th Century Berlin to its ultimate rebirth as a significant trope in land art.
Proietti’s research bridges the fields of Architecture and Neuroscience. At Sense|Base, an interdisciplinary laboratory directed by Proietti, she is developing a program to test long-standing hypotheses about the human response to architectural proportion. In partnership with neuroscientist Sergei Gepshtein from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, she assesses human reactions to specific features of the built environment.
Congratulations to Zinguer and Proietti!
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.
