Angela Lee, a University of Oklahoma Architecture alumna, has recently been elevated to the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) College of Fellows. Only 3 percent of AIA members have been awarded this distinction.
Each year, following a rigorous review process, the AIA elevates select member-architects to its College of Fellows, an honor awarded to members who have made significant contributions to the architecture profession. The fellowship program was developed to elevate architects who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and made a significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level.
Lee was elevated in the practice category, “Object Two,” which recognizes architects’ work to advance the science and art of planning and building by advancing the standards of practice. Fellowship in this object is granted to architects who have made notable contributions through their work in the practice of architecture. Practice includes firm management, administration, and project management or specialty areas.
Currently Principal and Regional Managing Director of Asia Pacific Singapore for HKS, Inc., Angela Lee has dedicated herself to healthcare design and planning for the last 27 years. According to Lee’s FAIA nomination profile, her career has worked to bridge “continents and cultures by advancing the art and science of medical planning, developing pandemic-ready and applied research, and transforming communities to support public health.”
Sunbay Park Condotel – Ninh Thuan, Vietnam
As an architecture intern, Lee realized her passion for serving the healthcare community through design and planning. She has spent her career with HKS serving as the lead on several incredible project across the globe, including St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Philippines and Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas.
Lisa Chronister, FAIA, AICP, Assistant Planning Director at City of Oklahoma City, and OU alumna, says, “I have known Angela Lee for over thirty years, since we were architecture students at the University of Oklahoma. She has remained the same intelligent, focused, and compassionate person that I always knew – qualities that have led to her substantial career success, and which are recognized and valued by many others.”
Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas – Austin, Texas
She continues, “Angela leverages her personal roots in Asian-Pacific culture with her decades of architectural practice experience to transfigure healthcare projects around the world. To do so, she delicately balances international accreditation standards with the nuances of local cultural practices and social sensitivities.”
In an age where public health has become more and more vital, Lee’s work has become even more important. According to her nomination profile, she works with “local healthcare systems throughout Asia to marry international standards with local practices and culture, with much of her effort focusing on hospital disaster preparedness and designing environments for the aging population.”
Angela Lee’s work is incredibly impressive and the Gibbs College of Architecture congratulates her on her well-deserved elevation to the AIA College of Fellows!
St. Luke’s Medical Center – Quezon City, Philippines
About the FAIA Selection Process
Each year, fellows are selected by a seven-member Jury of Fellows.
The 2022 jury included: Steven Spurlock, FAIA, Chair, Quinn Evans Architects, Washington, DC; Rainy Hamilton Jr., FAIA, Hamilton Anderson Associates, Detroit, MI; Lisa Lamkin, FAIA, Brown Reynolds Watford Architects, Inc., Dallas, TX; Rebecca Lewis, FAIA, DSGW Architects, Duluth, MN; RK Stewart, FAIA, RK Stewart Consultants, Salt Lake City, UT; Allison Williams, FAIA, AGWms_studio, San Francisco, CA; and Anna Wu, FAIA, University of North Carolina, Durham, NC.
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.
