David Boeck, associate professor of Architecture, recently presented at the CRE – Fair Housing for Commercial Real Estate workshop hosted by Tulsa Commercial Realtors. He discussed the design and implementation issues regarding accessibility in housing. His presentation included information on universal design and crime prevention through environmental design, Professor Boeck’s research specialties. Boeck’s presentation also included the common pitfalls related to new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse.
Professor Boeck writes, “The reason it is important for commercial realtors to understand accessibility and the Americans With Disabilities Act, is the fact that these regulations were passed by Congress to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to live their lives as completely free and independently as possible. […] Realtors help clients buy and sell buildings and if our goal is to have all buildings be accessible for all users, then having agents participating in a process where they can assist in make this work, is important.”
The University of Oklahoma College of Architecture is proud to announce that Model Schools in the Model City, authored by Director of the Institute for Quality Communities, Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., has been named one of ten finalists for the 2026 ASALH Book Prize for Best New Book in African American History and Culture.
This semester, students in the LA 5535 Studio: Ecological Planning and Design, led by Prof. Afsana Sharmin, took on an ambitious hypothetical project to redesign key parts of the OU campus. Their mission: to tackle the critical real-world challenge of stormwater management through innovative green design.
Petya Stefanoff, Chair of the Educational Committee with the American Planning Association, Oklahoma Chapter (APA-OK) and Gibbs College PhD candidate, has developed a new training program for local government officials. The program, focused on land use, zoning principles, and land development, recently certified its first graduates with Certified Citizen Planner status.
