College History

The College of Architecture is comprised of five disciplines: Architecture, Construction Science, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture and Regional and City Planning. Three of the disciplines originated in other colleges on campus at various times.

Interior Design is the oldest, having begun in 1916 in the College of Fine Arts as a program in Domestic Art, and moved to Home Economics as a B.A. in Interior Design in 1951.

Architecture was formally established by Joseph Smay, in 1926 as a department in the College of Engineering, although a few architecture courses were taught in the Engineering College as early as 1922. From 1936 to 1946, Henry Kamphoefner from the University of Illinois became the chairman of the School of Architecture. Studio courses during these years followed the Beaux Arts Institute of Design tradition that was practiced in other American schools of architecture. The teaching objective was to gain national recognition for the School by winning design awards for student work from the Institute's New York juries. Kamphoefner left the University of Oklahoma to found the School of Architecture at North Carolina State University at Raleigh, and later became the nation's second recipient of the prestigious AIA/ACSA Topaz Medal for his contribution to architecture education.

Regional and City Planning began in 1947 as an interdisciplinary program, and in 1961 formally became the Department of Regional and City Planning in the College of Arts and Sciences.

In 1948, Bruce Goff was appointed chairman of the School of Architecture and an abrupt change in the School's design philosophy set it apart from all other schools of architecture. This new approach stemmed from the American tradition of romantic individualism and was dominant in the School through the mid-fifties. During this era, the school's educational goals centered on developing imagination and creativity in design within a professional curriculum. From 1956 to 1969, the School continued to place an emphasis on individuality and creativity in design with professionalism as the primary focus. Mendall Glickman and John York served as directors of the School during this period of time.

In 1968, the University President appointed a committee composed of academic and professional leaders to investigate the role of the University in architectural education as it related to the changing needs of society. The committee recommended the establishment of a College of Environmental Design to serve the University as "an educational melting pot for creativity and diversity." In 1970, the School of Architecture separated from the College of Engineering and was renamed the College of Environmental Design. Dr. Murlin Hodgell served as the Director of the School of Architecture and the first Dean of the newly established College of Environmental Design from the late 60's until 1982. During his tenure, a Construction Science program was developed to complement the Architecture programs within the College of Environmental Design.

In 1982, Interior Design moved to the College of Environmental Design, and the Bachelor of Interior Design was fully accredited in 1992 by FIDER, the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research. In 1981, the Division of Construction Science was established in the College, and the Bachelor of Science in Construction Science degree was accredited in 1989 by ACCE, the American Council for Construction Education.

The multidisciplinary emphasis of the College was expanded under the leadership of Raymond Yeh who assumed the Dean's position in 1983 coming to OU from his position as Head of the Architectural Department at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. In 1984, the College was renamed the College of Architecture and divided into four professional divisions: Architecture, Interior Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Construction Science. Professional masters degree programs in Construction Science and Landscape Architecture were approved by the State Regents in 1984. The Regional and City Planning masters program was moved from Arts and Sciences in 1987 and joined the College of Architecture as the fifth division. Regional and City Planning received full accreditation status by the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) in 1991. The graduate program in Landscape Architecture received full initial accreditation in 1995.

In 1990 the College began moving out of classroom and studio space under the north bleachers of the football stadium and into the old Petroleum Geology building, Gould Hall. Presently Architecture, Construction Science, and Interior Design are housed in Gould, with the College library and the bookstore. Regional and City Planning and Landscape Architecture are located in the Carnegie building on Parrington Oval.

The College reached another milestone in 1994 with the appointment to the deanship of landscape architect Deborah Dalton, the first non-architect dean of the College and first female dean at OU. Dalton served until 1997, when she assumed full-time teaching responsibilities in the Landscape Architecture division.

Harvard-educated, award-winning architect Bob G. Fillpot, FAIA, joined the College as Dean in 1998. A highly successful practicing architect in the Houston area since 1967, he left his career in 1996 to study at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. By broadening students’ exposure to the arts and humanities and instilling a commitment to community involvement and life quality issues, he and the faculty of the College are working together to revitalizing design education.

Today, the College of Architecture offers undergraduate degree programs in Architecture, Interior Design and Construction Science. Graduate degree programs are offered in Architecture, Construction Science, Landscape Architecture, and Regional and City Planning. The College’s program at the OU-Tulsa campus offers a unique graduate program in Urban Studies, tailored primarily to the needs of working professionals. Approximately 600 undergraduate students and 100 graduate students participate in these degree programs, with instruction provided by over 30 faculty with diverse backgrounds in the five related professional disciplines. The College enjoys an international reputation with graduates in highly successful professional practice throughout the nation and around the world. The College is known for innovative programs emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach to solving physical design problems.

The present College mission focuses on providing quality professional education in five disciplines though a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs in an interdisciplinary setting, with emphasis on service to the community and interaction with the various design professions.