The University of Oklahoma Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture Hall of Fame (GCA HOF) recognizes a select number of high-character individuals who have made a significant and lasting positive impact over time to Gibbs College (GCA), its students, staff, faculty, alumni, and/or to communities across the globe. The impact may have been, or continues to be, in the form of service and mentorship, sustained professional excellence, and/or advancement and financial support. Arnold Henderson is part of the 2024 Hall of Fame class.
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The Architecture Program Development Fund #32009 supports the Division of Architecture.
Arnold G. “Arn” Henderson, FAIA was born November 10, 1934, in Oklahoma. He earned degrees in architecture and architectural engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1961 and a Master of Architecture from Columbia University in 1964. He served as Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Illinois from 1964 to 1968; and as Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma for 34 years. In 2002, he retired as Professor Emeritus of the University of Oklahoma Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture.
Throughout his career, Henderson was committed to the University of Oklahoma’s architecture program, including the teachings of Bruce Goff and the American School legacy. He was a devoted advocate of historical preservation in Oklahoma and throughout the nation.
Historic Preservation Review Committee, 2001. Arn Henderson, second from right.
He worked closely with the Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office to preserve architectural gems throughout the state, including numerous Goff-designed buildings. He joined the Society of Architectural Historians in 1999 and served as the Oklahoma Archipedia Coordinator for Classic Buildings from 2014 until his death.
Three drawings by Arn Henderson.
Henderson was a poet, artist, and author of several books. Notable books that he authored or co-authored include Bruce Goff: Architecture of Discipline in Freedom (2017); Architecture in Oklahoma: Landmark & Vernacular (1978); and The Physical Legacy: Buildings of Oklahoma County, 1889 to 1931 (1980).
Henderson House designed by Arn Henderson.
Henderson designed his home in Norman, Oklahoma, which was completed in 1976 and recognized with an Award of Excellence from the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Institute of Architecture (AIA).
In 1996, he was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows for his exceptional work and contribution to the architecture industry and his community. In 2013 he received the Oklahoma Humanities Council’s highest honor, the Oklahoma Humanities Award, for his study of architecture as it relates to Oklahoma. Arn was father to two sons, Alex and Eric, and husband to Beatriz. Arn Henderson passed away on June 27, 2019.
Robert L. Wesley, a pioneering architect and beloved mentor, has died at age 88. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Wesley joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in 1964 and became the firm's first Black partner in 1984. Throughout his career, he contributed to significant architectural projects while maintaining a strong commitment to civic engagement and professional mentorship.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to celebrate a series of recent accomplishments by Dr. Jim Collard, Professor of Practice in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design, whose work continues to shape conversations around Indigenous economic development nationally and internationally.
University of Oklahoma Gibbs College of Architecture Dean Hans E. [PA1.1]Butzer returned to one of his most significant works on December 15, joining survivors and past and present board members for the groundbreaking of a $15.8 million expansion of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
