The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Dr. Tamar Zinguer, Associate Professor of Architecture, has been selected to participate in the prestigious 2026 Summer Residency at the National Humanities Center (NHC).
The competitively awarded residency will take place from June 1 through June 26, 2026, at the Center’s campus in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The National Humanities Center is one of the nation’s leading institutes for advanced study in the humanities, providing scholars with dedicated time, resources, and a vibrant intellectual community to support major research projects.
During her residency, Zinguer will write a full chapter of her forthcoming book manuscript, Sandbox: An Architectural History of Play. The chapter, titled “Play Mountains (c. 1960),” examines significant playground designs in New York City during the 1960s. It considers visionary but unrealized proposals—such as Isamu Noguchi and Louis Kahn’s lunar landscape design for Riverside Park—alongside experimental sand-art techniques occasionally used in public spaces, including Costantino Nivola’s bas-relief murals. The chapter also analyzes innovative designs that became influential models for other cities, including the Jacob Riis Housing Project Playground by Paul Friedberg and the Adventure Playground in Central Park by Richard Dattner. In addition, Zinguer traces the legal and public debates surrounding sandboxes during the decade, culminating in New York City’s ban on sandboxes in the early 1970s amid growing concerns about sanitation.
Zinguer’s participation in the NHC Summer Residency is made possible with support from the OU Arts & Humanities Forum. As an institutional sponsor of the National Humanities Center, OU conducts an internal competition to nominate faculty members for national consideration, making this selection both a campus and national distinction.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture congratulates Dr. Tammy McCuen, Robert E. Busch Professor of Construction Science, on beginning her term as president of the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC), an international organization dedicated to advancing construction education through teaching, research and service.
Following years of contributions to the College’s research and strategic initiatives, Gibbs College shares that Associate Dean for Research and External Engagement Angela M. Person, PhD, will step down from her position at Gibbs College as she moves to Tucson with her family, effective June 30, 2026.
On April 24, 2026, the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture hosted its annual Graduate Student Showcase, a celebration of research, design innovation, and creative exploration across all graduate programs within the College.
