Date
Please note, this event is now sold out.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture Institute for Quality Communities is proud to announce the visit of Clyde Higgs, President and CEO of Atlanta BeltLine Inc., on Thursday, April 11th to share stories and lessons learned from the iconic Atlanta BeltLine project. The event will take place at Gould Hall’s Buskuhl Gallery from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM. RSVP is required to attend.
The Atlanta BeltLine is an internationally recognized urban revitalization effort that has demonstrated how greenspace and a historic railway can serve as catalysts for economic development, connectivity, cultural preservation, and transformative design. Higgs will discuss how the project has created opportunities for cultural flourishing, inclusive economic development, strengthened social cohesion, and stronger neighborhoods in Atlanta.
This special event has been inspired by an ongoing collaboration between Environmental Design and Interior Design Studio 4 students at Gibbs College and the community of Taft, one of Oklahoma’s existing Black townships. Under the guidance of College of Architecture faculty Mia Kile, Marco Piscitelli, and Vanessa Morrison, students are working with Taft community leaders on their existing projects to reimagine an abandoned railway and historic school site to support placemaking, cultural tourism, and quality of life goals.
During his visit, Higgs will share insights on the BeltLine’s successes and challenges, and how the project’s lessons can be applied to revitalization efforts in other communities. The event will conclude with a moderated discussion, providing attendees an opportunity to engage with Higgs and ask questions.
Learn more at iqc.ou.edu.
Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Petya Stefanoff, who is pursuing her doctorate in the Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) program, has been appointed the new role of Director of Community Development for the City of Shawnee, Oklahoma. She joined the city in 2024.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design and director of the Institute for Quality Communities, has received national recognition for her book Model Schools in the Model City. The book has been named a finalist for the 2026 the PROSE Awards.
Gibbs College of Architecture Regional + City Planning Professor of Practice Vanessa Morrison and Associate Professor of Architecture Deborah Richards’ Open Design Collective received top honors at the inaugural BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Studio KIN Pitch Night Competition, held last month in Brooklyn, New York City.
