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Gibbs College invites all its students to showcase their creative flair in the 2025 Cocktail Napkin Sketch Contest. Presented by the Gibbs College Board of Visitors, this fun and inspiring competition challenges participants to transform the humble 5”x5” white cocktail napkin into a canvas for innovative design.
To enter, students need only a pen and a fresh idea. Napkins can be picked up from Leslie Spielman in Gould Hall, Room 180A (located in the Dean’s Suite). Submissions must be original sketches created specifically for this contest, and students can enter up to two designs. Categories include Architecture, Construction Science, Landscape Architecture, Regional and City Planning, Interior Design, and Environmental Design. To keep the focus on simplicity and skill, only black or blue ballpoint pens are allowed—no highlighters, colored pencils, or crayons.
Entries are due no later than February 7, 2025, and should be submitted to Leslie’s office along with the required registration form. Participants must include their name, email, and year in school on the back of their entries.
Example sketches.
This year’s competition boasts cash prizes for the top three designs, with $750 for first place, $500 for second, and $250 for third. A professional jury will evaluate the submissions, and winners will be revealed at the College of Architecture’s 13th Annual Charles W. Graham Travel Study Benefit Dinner on February 28, 2025.
The Cocktail Napkin Sketch Contest is a celebration of creativity, precision, and the unique ability to think on paper—even a small one. Whether you’re honing your craft as an architect, designer, or planner, this competition offers a chance to share your vision and gain recognition within the Gibbs College community.
For more details, email Meenakshi K. at meenakshik@hfgarchitecture.com.
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.
