A new pergola designed by Urban Design students Virginia Paiva and Samiul Haque was recently installed at Chapman Green in downtown Tulsa. The pergola was funded by a grant from the Claritin® Clarity Parks Project, which helps restore community outdoor spaces that have been impacted by natural disasters. The grant was administered by the Project for Public Spaces, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating and maintaining community places.
Chapman Green is a public park that is used for a variety of community events, including Tulsa Mayfest. However, with the park’s previous lack of shade and Tulsa’s sometimes severe summers, the park could quickly become unbearably hot. Led by Shawn Schaefer, director of OU’s Urban Design program, the students conducted in-depth observations and research to determine innovative design solutions for the park. In collaboration with several organizations and the local community, the students developed the idea to install a pergola.
The pergola designed by Virginia Paiva and Samiul Haque.
The project originally began in 2020, but it was delayed for several years due to the pandemic and other issues. The pergola now joins 20 previously planted trees to provide shade for park visitors. According to Schaefer, the project was a true community collaboration. Schaefer and his students would like to thank the local stakeholders and organizations that contributed, including:
Feature Image: Chapman Green, photo by Stephan Pingry.
Gibbs College is pleased to present the exhibition 200 Digital Drawings by Professor Tiziana Proietti, currently on display in the Gould Hall Living Room.
Gibbs College of Architecture Professors Amber Brown and Amy Leveno led 29 students to Dallas, Texas, in September for a learning experience as part of their Design 7 Studio course.
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture professor and Institute for Quality Communities Director Dr. Amber N. Wiley’s book, Model Schools in the Model City: Race, Planning, and Education in the Nation’s Capital, has received two major honors from the Urban History Association.
