The Architecture Library serves each discipline at Gibbs College, and is home to a variety of important and informational books, texts, articles and pamphlets, plans, and more; some of which are rare and unique.
Among the Library’s collections, few are as personal as the Lt. Orville S. Witt Jr. Collection, often referred to as the Witt Collection, which houses some of the rarest texts in the library.
A display commemorating Lt. Orville S. Witt Jr. and the memorial collection.
The Witt Collection was established in 1946 as a memorial for University of Oklahoma student Orville S. Witt Jr. who had completed four of the five-year Architecture program before being sent to war.
Witt entered OU in 1937 and joined the army in 1940 to serve his country as a B-17 flight commander for the Army Air Corps. Witt was sent to England in 1942. Two days before Christmas, Witt’s family was notified that he was missing in action. For two years, the Witt’s did not know if their son was dead, captured or stranded.
In 1944, they were notified that Orville had indeed been killed only 10 minutes from safety over the English Channel. Dr. and Mrs. Witt felt a memorial of books would be the most meaningful and useful tribute to their son, and thus began the Witt collection with a generous monetary gift to the library.
“I have no use for a pile of rocks or a building for a memorial. It is a waste of time as far as the future is concerned,” Dr. Witt explained.
The Witt Collection contains rare and important architectural books and materials and continues to expand as the library acquires new materials.
A few available texts date back as far as the 1600s, and showcase amazingly detailed plates depicting the styles of the time.
One such text, “Les oeuvres d’architecture d’Anthonie Le Pautre,” is a 1st edition and was published in 1652.
The “Les oeuvres d’architecture d’Anthonie Le Pautre”, translated as “The works of Architecture of Anthonie Le Pautre”, depicts the works of LePautre, who was an original member of the French Royal Academy of Architecture.
LePautre was appointed as architect to the brother of Louis XIV, Phillipe I, Duke of Orléans and contributed to a number of historical sites, such as the Château de Saint-Cloud and the Hôtel de Beauvais.
One of the rarest texts in the collection is “Bauwerke” by Heinrich Hübsch.
The Bauwerke text in the Witt Collection.
The OU Architecture Library was contacted by the library at Columbia University, who informed us that our copy is one of only two in the United States. Our copy is of particular interest, as it once belonged to architect George W. Rapp, a member of a family of well-known architects.
“Bauwerke” is a 19th century German text, and owes its rarity to the fact that many German architecture books were destroyed in World Wars I & II.
Aside from historically important texts, the collection also boasts some significant pieces from OU’s past, such as these cool and colorful Telesis student publications from the ’70s.
These Telesis magazines showcase beautiful design and color work.
Telesis is a student magazine that originally began in the early ’70s and ended in 1975, but was relaunched in late 2018 after students discovered the original Telesis in the Library. It’s amazing to see the tradition continue with the same passion and dedication students had when it began.
The Witt Collection is a wonderful resource that is available for our students to explore in the Library. It’s an incredible way to experience the foundations for the discipline of architecture and to learn about the works of select masters and students of the past.
If you have the chance to visit OU’s Architecture Library, the collection is an amazing way to spend the afternoon.
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.
