Telesis, the Gibbs College of Architecture’s award-winning student journal, is releasing its third edition in Spring 2022. This edition, “Isolation,” serves as a platform to discuss the systemic change required – at both the infrastructural and social level – to dismantle the equally systemic injustice and inequality.
“Isolation” explores how design can influence one’s sense of belonging, a question Telesis will continue to explore in forthcoming editions. Topics such as incarceration, discrimination, and disaster displacement were areas of focus in contributors’ investigations regarding how design can be used to improve conditions for isolated individuals.
A spread from "Isolation."
According to the publication, “Isolation as otherness is a lens through which we understand our obligation to tear out the roots of structures of prejudice and injustice. It lays bare the systems and institutions whose foundations need not be salvaged as they were built on the sands of division, oppression, and supremacy. It asks not only that we reconcile where we have been, but more importantly that we have the courage to imagine where we must go next.”
This edition of Telesis was coordinated by instructor Evan Sack, with support from Prof. Marjorie Callahan, Dr. Angela Person, and Ben Decuyper.
A spread from "Isolation."
Produced by students, Telesis has been recognized by national awards and grants for its exceptional quality. During its first year, the journal was awarded the Douglas Haskell Award for Student Journals. Benjamin Prosky, Assoc. AIA, and executive director of the Center for Architecture said, “The jury was particularly impressed with the fresh and relevant content included and the beautifully printed and created journal.” This fall, the journal was awarded a grant from the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in Fine Art which will assist with the publication of the next issues, “Habitation” and “Adaptive Practice.”
Students on the Telesis team enroll in an architecture course which allows them to work on the team long-term as well as develop skills in programs like Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. Students interested in working on Telesis can enroll in ARCH 4970/5970 for the Fall 2022 semester or contact faculty advisor Dr. Angela Person (a@ou.edu).
Flip through Telesis "Isolation" below!
To purchase this and past issues of Telesis as well as view PDFs for all issues of Telesis, visit the Telesis Student Journal page.
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.
