TYPros, an organization that helps young professionals in Tulsa connect and find their place in the city, recently awarded their “Make Tulsa Awesome” grant to GCA Urban Design student Jamie Pierce and GCA Urban Design alumnae Kelly Cook and Paula Baeza.
The mission of TYPros is to “attract and retain young, creative talent to the Tulsa region while developing the next generation of leaders and enhancing Tulsa’s sense of place.” They do this by fostering the growth of seven sectors in the Tulsa area: Arts & Entertainment, Business Development, Diversity, Government Relations, Leadership & Service, Sustainability, Urbanists. The goal of the “Make Tulsa Awesome” grant is to engage young Tulsans in placemaking, innovation and community development.
Kelly Cook, who graduated from GCA with her MS in Architectural Urban Studies in 2016, received a $10,000 grant to bring her dreams of what is now the Tulsa Art Alley to life. The grant, as well as $20,000 raised through GoFundMe, helped turn the alley behind Elote, a restaurant in Tulsa, into a piece of art. The alley is not only beautiful now, but also functional. Cook was able to work with businesses along the alley and local waste management companies to install a compacting dumpster and a recycling dumpster in the alley, which allow them to dramatically reduce the number of dumpsters and trash in the alley, as well as integrate a composting dumpster for the restaurants that back up to the alley.
Tulsa Art Alley guests. Photo credit: Kelly Cook.
“Without the help from the TYPROS Foundation, the Tulsa Art Alley project may have never gotten off the ground. Applying for and receiving the grant was the catalyst for making our idea a reality,” said Cook. “I also want to give huge thanks to Shawn Schaefer and the OU Urban Design Studio at OU Tulsa. I learned so much during my time in the OUUDS program.”
Dumpster painted by Codak Smith, Tulsa, OK. Photo credit: Kelly Cook.
Cook has also recently accepted a position on the TYPros Foundation Board of Trustees, so she will have the honor of helping choose the recipients of the “Make Tulsa Awesome” grant for upcoming grant cycles.
Pop Up Playscape designed by Jamie Pierson. Photo credit: Jamie Pierson.
Jamie Pierson, a current GCA Urban Design student, also received the grant to develop her project Pop Up Playscape, which is a placemaking design intervention made up of geometric components built of reclaimed cardboard. The project encourages engagement in the built environment, while creating a sense of ownership over public spaces, and building positive connections between users. The initial components of the project are set to be displayed outside of AHHA, an arts and humanity council in Tulsa, but the goal is that they can be developed anywhere for anyone ages 5 to 85.
Users building with Pop Up Playscape designed by Jamie Pierson.. Photo credit: Jamie Pierson.
“The TYPROs grant has made it possible for me to experiment with different building methods and designs,” said Pierson. “Having a budget makes all the difference with a project like this, you don’t have to be afraid to try something out of the box out of fear of wasting materials.”
Another recent GCA alumna to receive the grant was Paulina Baeza. She received the grant to implement a few aspects of her capstone project she completed in her final year studying Urban Design at the OU-Tulsa campus, which was a Multicultural District Master Plan for East Tulsa, one of the city’s most diverse areas. The project aims to improve the connectivity of East Tulsa and its growing Mexican-American and Vietnamese-American communities by partnering with organizations such as Tulsa Hub, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Casa de la Cultura.
The Intercultural Food Truck Square concept by Paulina Baeza. Photo credit: Paulina Baeza.
“In my experience, projects like these help build partnerships and empower communities while keeping them connected,” said Baeza. “It has been a great experience which has helped East Tulsa continue to gain interest and attention.”
Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Petya Stefanoff, who is pursuing her doctorate in the Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) program, has been appointed the new role of Director of Community Development for the City of Shawnee, Oklahoma. She joined the city in 2024.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design and director of the Institute for Quality Communities, has received national recognition for her book Model Schools in the Model City. The book has been named a finalist for the 2026 the PROSE Awards.
Gibbs College of Architecture Regional + City Planning Professor of Practice Vanessa Morrison and Associate Professor of Architecture Deborah Richards’ Open Design Collective received top honors at the inaugural BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Studio KIN Pitch Night Competition, held last month in Brooklyn, New York City.
