Deborah Richards, assistant professor of Architecture, was recognized at the 2023 American Institute of Architecture Honor Awards Celebration, held Sept. 14 at the First National Center in Oklahoma City. The AIA Oklahoma Honor Awards Program recognizes exceptional members for their distinguished leadership and commitment to the quality of life in Oklahoma.
Richards received the AIA Oklahoma Award for Community Service, which recognizes an extended commitment to community service or significant contribution evidenced in a positive impact on urban, environmental or neighborhood issues.
Richards on PBS News Hour, “How art is retelling powerful stories of Tulsa massacre, capturing community’s hopes”
Richards teaches architecture design studios as well as computational design and fabrication seminars. She is also a licensed architect in Oklahoma, and across the U.S. As an architect, she is dedicated to creating a more equitable and sustainable world through design excellence and community-led design.
Richards is the co-founder and chief design officer of Open Design Collective, a nonprofit organization that promotes social and spatial change by providing underrepresented communities with design and city planning resources. She also owns the award-winning design firm Script Architecture, PLLC, in New York City and Oklahoma City.
Richards speaking with community members for an ArtPlace America grant proposal.
Richards has shown her commitment to positive community engagement through her involvement with a variety of local organizations and projects. She was previously a board member of BlackSpace Oklahoma and has served on the Oklahoma City Downtown Design Review Committee. Some of her current projects include the Jewel Theater Stabilization and Renovation and the N.E. Oklahoma City Pre-Masterplan.
Congratulations to Richards for receiving this award!
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.
Gibbs Construction Science and Architecture students recently traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to compete in the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 8 Student Competition. The team partnered with Czech Technical University and secured third place in the Design-Build category.
Gibbs College is pleased to present the exhibition Vollendorf in Oklahoma: The Architecture of Dean Bryant Vollendorf during the Spring 2026 semester. It will be on display in Gould Hall, on the OU-Norman Campus, from February 16, 2026 - March 13, 2026.
