The vision of the School of Architecture is to empower students to make creative contributions in the cause of architecture.
The mission of the School of Architecture is to cultivate a collaborative learning community focused upon critical thinking and ethical responsibility. We embrace established fundamentals and encourage the exploration of emerging innovations in design and technology.
Reflections Vol. XV Fall 2024
The Fall 2024 semester is complete. It has been a good year for the School of Architecture, but one that saw changes in our programs. We replaced two professors that left us at the end of last year with two new faculty: Michael Frush and James Piccone, and they hit the ground running with great success. The search for the new Head of the School of Architecture is underway, with candidates expected to make on-campus visits during the spring semester, and an appointment anticipated by the beginning of the summer. We will keep you updated on when the candidates will be visiting the School of Architecture. We are excited about these opportunities to continue the growth of our programs by bringing in fresh new perspectives and expertise through new hires.
The fall semester saw our second- through fifth-year design studios working on extraordinary projects, a selection of which will be shared with you in this newsletter. The results from each of these studio courses, as well as the other courses taught by our faculty within the School of Architecture, are proof of the high-quality education the students in our programs receive.
This past summer we had 52 students, along with eight faculty, participate in our month-long Study Abroad program on two different trips: one to Europe and one to Asia. This group of students was one of the largest groups to ever attend our international travel program, and they returned with new ideas and perspectives on architecture, culture, and design.
Enjoy the articles and updates in this newsletter, and let us know what you are up to. We always want to tell the world about the good things both our students and alumni are accomplishing!
John Phillips, P.E. Professor and Interim Head School of Architecture
john.j.phillips@okstate.edu
Website: https://ceat.okstate.edu/arch/
Facebook: Oklahoma State University School of Architecture
Instagram: @OkStateArch
THANK YOU, 2024 FRIENDS!
$25,000+ CORINTHIAN LEVEL
Kenneth Gray
Elizabeth & Richard Halley
Harris Foundation
Valda & Randy Kreie
Michael Albracht
Kathleen Gardner
$5,000+ IONIC LEVEL
Alpha Consulting Engineers, with Thom Campbell
Architects Collective
Sharon & Michael Damore
Jeanette & Rand Elliott
Susan & Robert Evans
FSB Architects & Engineers
Janet & Brad Gaskins
Glenn Partners, with Patrick & Briar Glenn
Virginia & James Hart
Jerry & Renee Conduff
Patrice & William Lundeen
Mallory & Price Buckley
Kerri & David Powell
Wallace Design Collective PC
Neal Willison
The Friends of the School of Architecture has been a great success since it was established. The support of our Friends is tremendous, allowing our programs to be supported across a number of initiatives. Thanks so much for your support! In a recap of the gifts received over the past year, the following loyal and true alumni have provided their support for the School of Architecture, joining the Friends of the School of Architecture.
AIA Oklahoma
Suzanne & Dallas Branch
Coreslab Structures
Deborah & Roy Dean
Aubree Diebolt
Edward & Lauren Brien Bond
Chere & Kevin Fergerson
Graham Architects
Keen DC
Kirkpatrick Forest Curtis Engineering
Deanna & Tim Lovett
Hui Min Liaw & Ko Makabe
Linda & Phillip McCurdy
Patricia & John Meek
Phyllis & Steven O’Hara
Oklahoma City Section
Anna & Steven Parks
Pella of Oklahoma
James Piatt
Mark & Susanne Thompson
Leesha & Eric Vogt
Katherine & Keith Yancey
This semester was the first cohort of students in recent history to take integrative design studio during their fifth year. Fifteen interdisciplinary teams were composed of architecture, architectural engineering (structures), architectural engineering (construction project management), as well as two exchange students from Politecnico di Milano. Each team created a design proposal for a new integrated arts facility located next to the McKnight Center on the southern edge of OSU’s Stillwater campus.
The studio, led by Professors Keith Peiffer, Jay Yowell, Christina McCoy, and Khaled Mansy, emphasized performance-based design and collaboration throughout the design process. Students used feedback from design-assisting tools like energy modeling (Cove tool and eQuest) and experimental testing of scale models (testing daylight models under an artificial sky dome) to drive design decisions. Guided by the faculty team, they also met with mentor architects and engineers, product representatives, and fire protection students to gather valuable input for the development of their projects.
With the generous support of several donors, the studio was able to award $13,520 to recognize excellent work produced by the students this semester!
The fourth-year studio focused on the evolving complexities of residential design, tackling three housing projects at three different scales this fall: an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), an urban duplex, and a mid-rise housing tower designed for Olympic athletes in Oklahoma City. The studio was led by Professor Seung Ra and Assistant Professor Blake Mitchell. The semester culminated in the mid-rise housing tower, which challenged students to design adaptable living spaces that could meet the short-term needs of the 2028 Olympics and transition seamlessly into sustainable, long-term urban housing. Students developed structural grids, shading systems, and outdoor living areas to create innovative, flexible designs responsive to changing occupant needs. The studio provided a rich opportunity to explore housing’s role in shaping cities, demonstrating how small-scale interventions like ADUs and duplexes inform larger urban frameworks.
Third-year studio worked on three distinct projects this fall: a roadside filling station, an urban monastery, and a multimodal transit station. The studio was taught by Professor Nathan Richardson, Associate Professor Jerry Stivers, and Assistant Professor Michael Frush. The semester ended with an expansion of the Oklahoma City Santa Fe Train Depot for the W&W Steel competition. In that project, students explored a planned expansion of Amtrak service for the downtown Oklahoma City station. The competition was a great opportunity to study and showcase the potential of steel construction. The competition has been a regular feature of the fall third-year studio, and provides students a tour of the W&W/AFCO Steel facility in Oklahoma City—this year, coordinated by Assistant Professor Alex Campbell. This year’s prize winners were Matthew Kanter (First Place), Hannah Graham (Second Place), Jacob Varnell (Third Place) and Micah Simmons (Honorable Mention).
Second-year studio was a large cohort this year, with 91 students. The studio was coordinated by Assistant Professor Sarah Ra, joined by five other faculty: Assistant Professors Jared Macken, Bailey Brown, James Piccone, and Visiting Professors Jacey Watson and John Dunn. Students completed four projects in the studio. Beginning with an abstract additive and subtractive design exercise, students explored various modes of generating form and space. The second project, an artist’s habitat, focused on working with an expanded functional program within a constrained volume of space. After completing a precedent study, the final project engaged a hypothetical local project, a permanent home for the Stillwater Farmer’s Market. Students grappled with context and site analysis, site development, formal expression, and materiality. A studio-wide site visit allowed students to explore downtown Stillwater and to experience new development projects underway in the area.
▲ (top and bottom) Journal sketching activity.
This past summer, students in the Europe program visited Italy, France, and Denmark, experiencing some of the most impactful places in the history of western society. The course was taught by Professor Nathan Richardson, Associate Professor Jerry Stivers, Associate Professor Jay Yowell, and Assistant Professor Jared Macken. Students documented their experience in journals through sketching, collage, and writing. The journals were made at the School of Architecture in an accordian-style format allowing for a more complete exhibition of work. In addition, students wrote a series of essays to prepare for the trip, document the experience, and reflect on things they learned along the way. Next summer, the same faculty will teach the program, visiting Italy, Spain, France, and Belgium. Our travel study program is partially supported through scholarships provided by many generous donors and supporters of the School of Architecture.
This past summer, students in the Urban Asia program visited Japan and Korea with stops in Tokyo, Kyoto, Busan, and Seoul. The course was taught by Professor Seung Ra, Assistant Professor Sarah Ra, Assistant Professor Alex Campbell, and Assistant Professor Blake Mitchell. Students documented their experience through film, photography, and journals. The work was exhibited in a collaborative publication, “Tip of the City,” and at the School of Architecture. In addition, students wrote a series of essays to study the city and reflect on their experience. Next summer, the same faculty will teach the program, again visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, Busan, and Seoul. Our travel study program is partially supported through scholarships provided by many generous donors and supporters of the School of Architecture.
▲ Congratulations and best wishes to our Fall 2024 graduates!
Newsletter designed and published by John Phillips, Nathan Richardson, and Keith Peiffer at the Oklahoma State University School of Architecture. Printed on Mohawk Via Light Gray with a smooth finish. Bound at the Oklahoma State University School of Architecture. Original content authors retain copyright of their creative work.
©2024 The Oklahoma State University School of Architecture
Image Credits (page numbers in parentheses): OSU Photographer (1), Student Compilation (3), Keith Peiffer (8-9), Sarah Ra (14-15), Nathan Richardson (16-19); & Chelsea Wooldridge (20).
