The City of Broken Arrow City Council recently adopted the Aspen Landing Waterfront Vision, an ambitious exploration of riverfront development conceptualized by OU Urban Design students. The vision is based on a study by students that identified potential to improve and expand over 230 acres of park land along the riverfront in southern Broken Arrow, known as Aspen Landing. Each year, the Urban Design Studio selects a service-learning project that allows students to gain real-world experience.
Led by Shawn Schaefer, Director of the Urban Design Studio, students collaborated with Broken Arrow Special Projects Planner Farhad Daroga and a group of community stakeholders. They conducted a variety of research and community engagement efforts as well as a study to discover the development potential of property in the south Broken Arrow region. This study provided a framework for their vision, which will guide the development of property along 1.5 miles of the Arkansas River waterfront.
The goal of the project is to attract new visitors and retain existing ones who attend athletic events in the city. The student’s suggestions included a 2,500-foot multi-use pier, a large outdoor amphitheater and the expansion of youth sports programs. They also recommended a variety of attractions such as a boardwalk, a kayak launch, a nature center and a Ferris wheel. The students presented their findings to the council on June 22, and the vision was unanimously approved on August 15.
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.
