A collaborative project between the University of Oklahoma and the Universidad Nacional del Altiplano in Peru (UNAP) was recently awarded a grant to investigate affordable and sustainable housing in the Andes. The project, “Inti Wasi Sustainable and Affordable Cold Climate Housing,” received funding from the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund.
The Innovation Fund stimulates higher education partnerships between the United States and the rest of the Western Hemisphere. The program increases student training and exchange opportunities and strengthens collaborations among governments, businesses, and academia across the Americas.
The OU and UNAP project will facilitate student travel and collaborations between the U.S. and Peru to plan, design, and implement a solution to the affordable housing shortage in the Andes region. Beyond providing an opportunity for students to experience different places and cultures, it will also engage students in finding solutions to real-world problems through travel study and service learning.
The program will be led by Ben Bigelow, an associate professor and director of Construction Science, and Victor Maqque, the managing director of the Latin America Sustainability Initiative (LASI). It will also be supported by René Peralta in the Architecture department and professor Jorge Villegas from UNAP.
If you are a student interested in joining this summer’s trip to Peru, contact Ben Bigelow at bigelow@ou.edu. Watch the video below or click here to learn more about this project. To learn more about the Innovation Fund and see the full list of recipients, click here.
Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Petya Stefanoff, who is pursuing her doctorate in the Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) program, has been appointed the new role of Director of Community Development for the City of Shawnee, Oklahoma. She joined the city in 2024.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design and director of the Institute for Quality Communities, has received national recognition for her book Model Schools in the Model City. The book has been named a finalist for the 2026 the PROSE Awards.
Gibbs College of Architecture Regional + City Planning Professor of Practice Vanessa Morrison and Associate Professor of Architecture Deborah Richards’ Open Design Collective received top honors at the inaugural BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Studio KIN Pitch Night Competition, held last month in Brooklyn, New York City.
