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University of Oklahoma

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University of Oklahoma Architecture Celebrates Grand Opening of “Outré West” Exhibition

 

The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture proudly announces the highly successful opening of the Outré West: The American School of Architecture from Oklahoma to California exhibition. Held on August 22, 2024, at the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, the event drew hundreds of attendees.

Organized by lead curators Dr. Angela Person, Dr. Stephanie Pilat, and Marco Piscitelli, Outré West showcases the innovative journey of Oklahoma-trained architects who later influenced California’s architectural scene. Hans Baldauf, FAIA, Dr. Rachel Engler, Christopher Loofs, and Amber Sarmiento also curated sections within the exhibition.

Outré West was made possible with support from the OU Vice President for Research and Partnerships and thanks to OU Libraries’ recent acquisitions of the archives of John Marsh Davis, Violeta Autumn, Donald MacDonald, and Mickey Muennig. It features an impressive array of large-scale photographs, architectural models, and archival materials that vividly illustrate the transformative impact these architects had on both Oklahoma and California’s built environments.

A highlight of the exhibition is the full-scale installations, including recreations of Mickey Muennig’s Big Sur studio and Moon Gate. These installations, meticulously recreated by Gibbs students under the guidance of OU lecturer Ken Marold, offer visitors an immersive experience into the bold, unconventional designs that characterize the American School of Architecture.

The opening night was not only a celebration of architectural innovation that originated at the University of Oklahoma in the 1950s and ’60s but also a gathering that drew a diverse crowd, from students and professionals in the field of architecture to art lovers and general enthusiasts. Attendees discussed the iconic designs, sharing personal memories of the featured homes, and examining intricate scale models of notable structures such as Herb Greene’s Prairie House and Bruce Goff’s Bavinger House.

The evening also included a panel discussion led by the curators, which explored the exhibition’s development process, the far-reaching impact of the American School on architecture, and Bruce Goff’s innovative teaching methods. The discussion drew a packed house.

Looking ahead, the exhibition will run through January 27, 2025, at the Eleanor Kirkpatrick Main Gallery. Oklahoma Contemporary has planned a series of events to complement the exhibition, including a “Budding Builders” family program on September 14, the Outré West Symposium on October 17 led by the curators, and a Veterans Day event exploring the military’s influence on the American School of Architecture.

For more details on the exhibition and upcoming related events, please visit the Oklahoma Contemporary’s website.

University of Oklahoma

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University of Oklahoma Gibbs College Appoints New Director of Architecture Division

 

The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma (OU) is pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel Butko, AIA, to a four-year term as Director of the Division of Architecture, effective July 1, 2024.

With deep prior design and construction industry experience, incoming Director Butko has combined interests in music, evidence-based design, and science. Since joining OU in 2010, he has served in several administrative roles, taught design studios and lecture courses, led architectural acoustic research, and advised students on nationally recognized projects. An award-winning educator and researcher, Butko has been honored with an EPA P3 Award, ASA Rossing Prize in Acoustics Education, Architect R+D Award, ACI Award, AIA OK Outstanding Educational Contributions Award, and more.

“Daniel impressed the search committee, which oversaw the national search, with his enthusiasm for collaboration, ability to connect with students, and his widely recognized acoustics and building technology research,” stated Gibbs College dean Hans E. Butzer, FAIA.  

“Since 2010, Daniel has played a leading role in shaping the architecture program’s curriculum, which was recently lauded by the National Architectural Accreditation Board for its rigor and comprehensive approach.”

As Director of the Division of Architecture, Butko will lead the implementation of the Division’s recently approved Strategic Plan, in coordination with the GCA and University of Oklahoma strategic plans. His responsibilities will include promoting and supporting faculty in their pursuit of rigorous research, creative activity, and community engagement, including fostering cross-disciplinary initiatives. He will also be responsible for enhancing interdisciplinary collaborations within the college and across the university. Butko will coordinate closely with the Deans regarding program resourcing and success metrics, student enrollment, and faculty development. Additionally, he will work closely with the Dean and the College’s Director of Development to help meet fund-raising and endowment goals.

“I am excited and honored to serve as the Director of the Division of Architecture where our talented faculty, staff, students, alumni, communities, and industry partners will continue cultivating innovative architecture,” said Butko.

“Together we will build upon our extensive history of design excellence, technical prowess, and collaborative research. Our role in accessible, sustainable, resilient, and culturally engaged solutions will inspire additional teaching, research, and service initiatives and successes.”

Butko takes over the helm of OU’s internationally acclaimed architecture program from Dr. Stephanie Z. Pilat, who served two impactful terms as division director (2016-2024). In the 2023-2024 academic year, both of the division’s professional programs were re-accredited. Under Pilat’s leadership, the program has doubled in size, hired many exciting new faculty, collaboratively developed its strategic plan, and updated the Studio Culture Policy based on the latest research on learning and teaching.

Pilat has also co-led the American School Project, a collaborative effort with dozens of faculty, staff, and students to rediscover OU Architecture’s historical roots. This project included an exhibition at the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale, as well as the 2020 “Renegades” exhibition and its award-winning catalog. Working with OU Libraries, the team helped create the American School Archive and secure funding to ensure this work continues in perpetuity.

“As a trusted colleague in the division, Daniel Butko has a reputation for being professional, reliable, kind, and supportive. He has developed and led many important initiatives including our cooperative education program, which helps place students in internships,” said Pilat.

“He has helped develop the curriculum for some of our most complex courses. He has been a wonderful mentor to junior faculty and has earned the trust and respect of colleagues. We are fortunate to have Daniel Butko stepping in to lead the Division of Architecture as our new Director.”

Reflecting on this transition, Dean Butzer said, “Daniel is the ideal person to take over from Stephanie, as he also cherishes the program’s existing strengths and is eager to leverage new opportunities to help define the future of the American School.”

Please join us in congratulating Director Butko on his new role.

University at Buffalo, SUNY

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The University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning Welcomes Kearon Roy Taylor as the 2023–24 Peter Reyner Banham Fellow

 

The University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning is pleased to welcome Kearon Roy Taylor as the 2023-24 Peter Reyner Banham Fellow.

The Banham Fellowship in the Department of Architecture at The University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning is intended to support design work that situates architecture within the general field of socio-cultural and material critique.

Roy Taylor is an architectural designer, educator, and organizer joining us from Toronto, ON, where they serve as Associate Partner of Lateral Office and lecturer at the University of Toronto Daniels.

Beginning with a critical mapping of Buffalo’s neighborhoods, Roy Taylor’s project ILLIQUID ASSETS will examine tactics and strategies of locating and fortifying sites of social reproduction against the tide of gentrification and financialization gripping the contemporary late-capitalist city.

Roy Taylor’s past work with Lateral Office engaged architecture’s territorial ambitions through both built work and exhibition, with multiple projects in collaboration with Inuit and First Nations communities across Canada’s North. As organizer and activist, Roy Taylor has served as co-steward of The Architecture Lobby’s Tkaronto chapter, where they were engaged in the creation of the collaborative mapping project countermap.land for documenting racist and colonial spaces in “Canada.”

Roy Taylor also coincidentally shares a birthday with the namesake of the Fellowship.

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