The University of Oklahoma (OU) Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Irene Hwang, University of Michigan assistant chair of architecture, has been appointed as a Fall 2020 Bruce Goff Chair of Creative Architecture. Chicago-based art collective Luftwerk, will also serve as Goff Chairs.
As Goff Chair, Irene offered a free public lecture via Zoom entitled “A Building Is Not Architecture: On Stewardship and Agency in the Built Environment” on Thursday, October 29th, at 3:00 p.m.
What is the impact of architectural thinking and making upon society? For nearly twenty years, Irene has been examining and learning to understand the power of the architectural mindset in shaping the world around us. From editorial structuring and writing, exhibition programming and execution, to the design and delivery of buildings, teaching and research, curricular development and advancement, and business development and strategic planning in professional practice, she has worked to experiment and innovate in a wide variety of contexts (Deborah Berke Partners, Kohn Pedersen Fox, Rafael Moneo Arquitecto, Actar Publishers, MIT, Northeastern, graphic and editorial consultancy, among others) to grow and advance the discipline of architecture.
Currently, Irene serves as the assistant chair of architecture at the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, where she was also the Willard A. Oberdick Fellow in 2010 to 2011. She is also finishing a book: Get Practiced: Turn Your Architectural Education into a Career (Routledge, 2021). The book is the one she wishes she had read as a student: through over twenty-five case-studies and creative, career-galvanizing exercises, readers can better understand not only the value of an architectural education, but also why getting one is absolutely worth it.
The Bruce Goff Chair of Creative Architecture is an endowment that was created to honor Goff’s pedagogical legacy at OU. Among past Goff Chairs are Deborah Berke, Odile Decq, Lebbeus Woods, and Rick Lowe.
For more information or to request accommodations, contact Marjorie Callahan (mcallahan@ou.edu).
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.
