David Boeck, an associate professor in the Gibbs College of Architecture, was recently featured in The Oklahoman [subscription required]. The article, titled “Can aging-in-place, universal design go mainstream? This Oklahoma homebuilder is betting on it,” features Boeck’s recent work with Ideal Homes and Neighborhoods, incorporating aging-in-place and universal home design into Ideal Homes’ new construction in Norman, Moore, and Stillwater.
Universal home design emphasizes adding features to homes to make them more accessible to both aging homeowners as well as any homeowners that desire more ease of use in their home. Homes may include solid-surface flooring, door levers instead of knobs, raised outlets, a lack of steps, etc. In the case of Ideal Homes, homeowners choose what features they want included in their home.
Boeck, a certified Aging in Place Specialist, has been advocating for homebuilders to offer more accessible features in their builds but has not found much success until speaking with Vernon McKown of Ideal Homes and Neighborhoods.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Dr. Tamar Zinguer, Associate Professor of Architecture, has been selected to participate in the prestigious 2026 Summer Residency at the National Humanities Center (NHC).
Tanvin Mahtub Fariha, a first-year Master of Landscape Architecture student in the Gibbs College of Architecture and a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design, has earned recognition for her work.
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.
