The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture mourns the passing of alumnus J. Todd Scott, FAIA, whose career was dedicated to documenting, preserving and reimagining historic architecture across the country.
Scott earned his architecture degree from the University of Oklahoma before building a distinguished career focused on historic architecture and the built environment. He later moved to Astoria, Oregon, and then Seattle, Washington, where he worked for King County.
For 20 years, Scott served as a Preservation Architect for King County, where his work reflected a deep commitment to the value of the built environment and the places that connect communities to their history. As an architect and urban designer, he championed historic landmarks as well as overlooked spaces, helping communities recognize, preserve and reimagine the places that tell their stories.
Scott’s contributions to the field earned national recognition. In 2024, he was inducted into the American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows, an honor earned by fewer than three percent of architects nationwide.
His passion for thoughtful design and his dedication to the built environment leave a legacy in the communities he served and the places he helped shape. Gibbs College extends its sincere condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and all who were touched by his life and work.
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.
Research initiated by Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture alumna Naila Hasan during her master’s studies at the University of Oklahoma has continued through faculty collaboration and resulted in a peer-reviewed publication in HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce Esther Thorp, Tyler Boydstun and Chukwuma Nwokoye as the winners of the 2026 Construction Innovation Translation Hub (CIThub) Student Ideas Competition.
