OU Architecture Associate Professor Wanda Liebermann recently announced the release of her new book, Architecture’s Disability Problem.
The book explores the intersection of architecture and disability in the United States from the perspective of professional practice. Liebermann investigates why, despite the huge impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act on the architectural profession, there has been so little interest in design for disability in mainstream architecture.
Using case studies, the book showcases alternative approaches to designing with disability. These examples highlight buildings and design processes driven by disabled people, shaping design outcomes and professional roles.
Combining historical research, formal and discourse analysis, and interviews with people who design, construct, and use buildings, as well as those who advocate for access, the book develops a social understanding of how buildings work at functional, affective, and symbolic levels in relation to disability.
The book argues for an architectural focus on disability—and the body—instead of the dominance of formal, object-oriented approaches. Its aim is a fundamental shift in the way architectural education, policy, and practice engages with disability.
Architecture’s Disability Problem is available for purchase on Routledge’s website.
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.
