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Student Voices: The Legacy of The American School

The Prairie House designed by Herb Greene.

Student Voices: The Legacy of The American School

During the Fall 2018 semester, freshmen architecture students enrolled in Hans E. Butzer’s and Angela Person’s Methods I class produced videos about their plans to contribute to the legacy of The American School of architecture developed at the University of Oklahoma in the 1950s and 1960s. Read on to be inspired by these students’ dreams!

To view a playlist of “Our Legacy” videos, click here.

Above: Taylor Benfer’s “Our Legacy” video (2018)

Excerpts from some of the scripts are found below:

“What could be better than contributing to the legacy of The American School of Architecture? The school that values contextual, resourceful, and entrepreneurial design. The school that broke the mold and encouraged individuals and their creativity and passion for architecture. The school whose great legacy includes such architects as Herb Greene, Donald MacDonald, Fred Schmidt, and many more. The school whose ideals and principles produced buildings like the Prairie House, Bavinger House, and Oral Roberts University buildings. The school that welcomes you, and can’t wait to see what you contribute.” –Brian Gorishek & Rose Arango

“The OU architecture program emphasizes the importance of contextual, resourceful design and following one’s creative intuition.” –Jill Kozlowski & Montana Sutton

“I wish to create, not copy.” –Marshal Berry & Landon Nett

“The American School was and is a school of renegade architects, a school of creative and innovative minds with the power to experiment, and design through their own experiences… Be inspired. Be creative.” –Aaron Weir & Jaxson Bailey

“I hope to not only learn how to be a great architect, but how to think differently, to use my skills to benefit society in new and unexpected ways… This is our legacy. What’s yours?” –Kyler Smith


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