Dr. Bryce Lowery, an Associate Professor of Regional + City Planning, was recently quoted in an article about digital billboards in The Wall Street Journal.
Public debates in cities like San Diego, Madison, Austin and Los Angeles continue to suggest ongoing disagreements about where bright digital displays should be permitted in cities: part of vibrant commercial districts, but unwanted in residential communities. According to Dr. Lowery, “The use of public visual space for private interest has always sparked people. The digital billboards have just transformed the conversation.”
Dr. Lowery suggests a collaborative approach that brings advertising companies, communities and land use planners together. Collectively, they can explore innovative ways to create commercial vibrancy while promoting the quality of life for residents.
Learn more about this debate and read the full article.
Feature Image courtesy of Nantes Metropole/Rodolphe Delaroque.
The Gibbs Design in Action Awards (GDAA) program, led by Dr. Wanda Liebermann, has announced its 2026–2027 funded student projects. The initiative supports design and research work that addresses social, cultural, and economic issues in the built environment through collaboration with faculty and community partners.
The OU Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) 2024 collaboration with the Historic Threatt Filling Station has been recognized in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's newly released Byways Report: The Scenic Route to Rural Prosperity – a story-driven publication exploring how road trip culture and place-based tourism can fuel economic growth in rural communities.
The Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Camille Germany, Chief of Staff, has been named the 2026 recipient of the university-wide Jennifer L. Wise Good Stewardship Award.
