On September 11, urban design studio students attended Harrah Days in the city of Harrah, Oklahoma. Harrah Days is an annual celebration of Harrah, Oklahoma, hosted by the Harrah Chamber of Commerce, held in Heritage Park. It includes a parade, food vendors, live music, and more.
The Urban Design team, led by Shawn Schaefer, along with Architecture faculty Dave Boeck and graduate assistant Mas Monjezi, is working with the City of Harrah, the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments, and the Institute for Quality Communities on a plan for Downtown Harrah, including an urban design vision for a walkable district, “Sweeney Switch.” Read more about the project.
The Urban Design Studio students attended Harrah Days in order to introduce themselves to the community as well as make the community aware of their project. To do this, students handed out fliers along the parade route that directed community members to their project website. The students also invited people to the booth they hosted. There, students collected data from residents to learn what they were proud of in Harrah and what they believed needed improvement. They also asked what community members wanted to see in the downtown development project. Students recorded this information on the display boards pictured above.
Featured Image: Urban Design Studio students (Left to Right) Roshita Taylor, Jeremy Banes, and Courtney Graham staff their booth at the 2021 Harrah Days celebration.
Robert L. Wesley, a pioneering architect and beloved mentor, has died at age 88. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Wesley joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in 1964 and became the firm's first Black partner in 1984. Throughout his career, he contributed to significant architectural projects while maintaining a strong commitment to civic engagement and professional mentorship.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to celebrate a series of recent accomplishments by Dr. Jim Collard, Professor of Practice in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design, whose work continues to shape conversations around Indigenous economic development nationally and internationally.
University of Oklahoma Gibbs College of Architecture Dean Hans E. [PA1.1]Butzer returned to one of his most significant works on December 15, joining survivors and past and present board members for the groundbreaking of a $15.8 million expansion of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
