OU Architecture Associate Professor Daniel Butko and his collaborators, which include Gibbs College alumnus Zachary Maggia, AIA, as well as Coreslab Structures (Oklahoma City), and Riverbank Acoustical Laboratories, were recently announced as winners in ARCHITECT Magazine’s 15th annual R+D Awards program.
The award-winning project is entitled “Acoustically Diffuse & Absorbent Lightweight Aerated Concrete” (ADALAC). According to the jurors, “The [six] winners are ‘a good representation of the fertile ground that is the architectural space and of where the industry is heading,… Even during pandemic times, interesting design and product exploration are still going on, which is a [testament] to the industry.”’
“Concrete’s porosity, durability, and moldability make the material ideal for nonstructural use,” says Butko. His research on ADALAC explores the relationship between material and geometry to utilize concrete in a different way. Currently, concrete—planar, dense, and highly reflective of sound waves—is not the material of choice for acoustical mitigation. However, along with its inherent structural and thermal properties, concrete can be quite porous, not to mention amenable to experimentation with form. To test its noise-control capabilities, Butko and his team of researchers are developing sawtooth panels made of acoustically diffuse and absorbent lightweight aerated concrete.
For more information on Butko’s project on ADALAC or to check out the other five award winners, visit ARCHITECT’s R+D Awards article.
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.
