Interior Design assistant professor, Dr. Negar Matin, has published a study that advanced the application of data-driven design for minimizing discomfort glare in high-performance sustainable buildings. This study indicates that using responsive facade systems with hourly adaptive control strategies can significantly maintain daylight glare factors such as Daylight Glare Probability (DGPs) within an imperceptible range (<0.35) for an entire year across different design scenarios including different facade configurations, building orientations, and climate zones.
Simulated office diagram from Matin et al.
In this study, computational models were developed by incorporating hourly daylight glare probability (DGP) with occupants’ spatial data and facade active variables to minimize discomfort glare for responsive facades. To consider all possible scenarios, the proposed computational models have been tested 20,736,200 times, and daylight glare probability values at 34,995,328,000 points in the simulated test room were calculated.
This project was funded by the Faculty Investment Program provided by the Vice President for Research and Partnership and the Program for Research Enhancement of the Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma. The project has been conducted in the OU High-Performance Interior Architecture Laboratory in close collaboration with research partners from the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology at Eastern Michigan University, including Dr. Ali Eydgahi.
The Gibbs College of Architecture celebrates fifth-year architecture student Haley Praytor, who has been recognized at the national level for her design work. In early March, Haley received a Graduate Division Award of Merit for her submission to the 2025 Metal Building Manufacturers Association student design competition.
Ronald Frantz Jr., emeritus professor, has been named a 2026 Mary Means Leadership Award recipient, the highest honor presented by Main Street America. The award was announced at the Main Street Now Conference in Tulsa, recognizing leaders who advance preservation-based economic development and community revitalization.
The Gibbs Design in Action Awards (GDAA) program, led by Dr. Wanda Liebermann, has announced its 2026–2027 funded student projects. The initiative supports design and research work that addresses social, cultural, and economic issues in the built environment through collaboration with faculty and community partners.
