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.
The national competition invited undergraduate and graduate architecture students to develop an innovative design for a botanical garden and event space using pre-engineered metal building systems as the primary structural framework. Participants were asked to create a complex that blended indoor and outdoor experiences. Designs included elements such as an event center, biomes and greenhouses, an aviary, a sculpture garden, an observation deck, and spaces for education and research.
Students were also asked to propose an additional exploratory program, an open-ended element that allowed them to introduce a distinctive idea to set their project apart.
The competition was one of two major projects assigned during the Fall 2025 semester in the ARCH 6956 graduate design studio. The course was coordinated by Associate Professor Paolo Sanza and co-taught with Professor Marjorie Callahan.
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.
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.
The OU Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) 2024 collaboration with the Historic Threatt Filling Station has been recognized in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's newly released Byways Report: The Scenic Route to Rural Prosperity – a story-driven publication exploring how road trip culture and place-based tourism can fuel economic growth in rural communities.
