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OU Institute for Quality Communities
CHRISTOPHER C. GIBBS COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE INSTITUTE FOR QUALITY COMMUNITIES e UNIVERSITY of OKLAHOMA
The Institute for Quality Communities is a community engagement program in the University of Oklahoma Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture. The program was founded in 2008 by former OU President David L. Boren and First Lady Molly Shi Boren. IQC partners with Oklahoma communities to address local challenges, and brings best practices to Oklahomans through the biennial Placemaking Conference. IQC manages the Environmental Design degree program for undergraduate students.
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IQC serves Oklahoma’s towns and cities while educating the
next generation of leaders. The community is our classroom for interdisciplinary teams of students. We build partnerships with mayors, city managers, and civic organizations across Oklahoma to identify challenges in the built environment. Students learn by experience to gather community input, analyze existing conditions, and develop conceptual planning and design solutions. These partnerships enhance learning and help Oklahomans reshape their towns and cities in ways that improve health, economy, and quality of life.
We have completed more than 50 community projects in 28 Oklahoma counties. These have resulted in formally adopted plans, successful grant applications, and implemented changes.
IQC connects Oklahomans with stories and ideas that inspire
them to take action. We host the Placemaking Conference, a biennial event featuring nationally-renowned experts in city design and development. The Placemaking Conference is about how we design and build towns and cities. Design of the built environment is of critical importance to challenges facing Oklahoma, with links to important outcomes in public health, fiscal solvency of local government, economic development, and talent retention.
The Placemaking Conference has attracted a total of 3,000 visitors from 60 Oklahoma counties. Holding this conference is an essential component of our efforts to reach community advocates, civic leaders, and industry professionals.
