NEWSLETTER - March 13, 2026

Awards & Distinctions

Lisa Anoka and Michael Flores Elected to Texas Tech Student Government

Lisa Anoka and Michael Flores have been elected as senators for the Huckabee College of Architecture (HCOA) and will serve on the Student Government Association (SGA) at Texas Tech for the 2026-2027 academic year.

Lisa is a second‑year honors student and current senator for the HCOA, making this her second consecutive year on the SGA. She also serves as the historian and graphic designer for the Texas Tech chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS) and is a member of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). Her campaign platform included initiatives that explore affordability within the college, particularly materials and resources for students.

Michael is a third-year student and also serves as treasurer for Studio Hacks, event coordinator for AIAS, and as an editor for CROP. His campaign platform included encouraging greater collaboration with other disciplines, such as civil engineering, art, and interior design through partnerships between student organizations.

Lisa Anoka

Michael Flores

Site Visits

Graduate Students Visit Texas Tech Athletics Facilities to Learn About Large-Scale Projects

Second-year graduate students in the ARCH 5604 studio, “Jules Rimet’s Dream,” visited the Womble Training Center and AT&T Jones Stadium on the Texas Tech University campus on February 13^th, 2026. Led by Assistant Professor Dr. Ali Ghazvinian, the studio focuses on the design of a reconfigurable sports stadium as part of its curriculum.

Students visited the recently added and renovated sports facilities to learn more about the design and programmatic complexities of a large-scale project such as a stadium. The visit included the back of the house facilities, the south end zone, and the field of the stadium. Students heard from Assistant Athletics Director for Academic Excellence Marissa Tidwell about the program of a sport venue and had the opportunity to explore less-visited parts of the facility.

GR2 Studio Visits Senior Living Site and Nationally Recognized Projects During Austin Trip

Second-year graduate students in Assistant Professor Dr. Lingyi Qiu’s design studio traveled to Austin, Texas, from February 25–27, 2026, for an immersive field trip examining senior living, mixed-use development, and community-centered design. The trip supported the studio’s design focus, “An Intergenerational Union: A Campus-Integrated Hub for Lifelong Learning and Active Aging.”

Students toured The Arbour at Westminster, a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), where they observed design strategies supporting residents across independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care. The visit included access to the roof, mechanical rooms, and an active construction site, providing insight into building systems, construction processes, and interdisciplinary coordination. The tour was possible through a professional connection with Pi Architects in Austin.

Students also visited several nationally recognized projects, including the Austin Central Library and a LEED Gold–certified H-E-B grocery store, both designed by Lake|Flato, the Blanton Museum of Art designed by Snøhetta, the Domain and Mueller developments, the adaptive reuse of the historic Seaholm Power Plant, and the University of Texas campus.

The field experience connected studio work with built precedents and professional practice, strengthening students’ understanding of aging-focused housing, sustainability, and adaptive reuse within rapidly growing urban contexts.

Conferences & Presentations

Ersela Kripa and Stephen Mueller Speak on Histories of UV Exposure at Architectural League of New York

Professor Ersela Kripa and Associate Professor Stephen Mueller were invited to give a lecture on March 2^nd, 2026, at the Architectural League of New York as part of their Current Work series.

Current Work is a lecture series featuring leading figures in the worlds of architecture, urbanism, design, and art. In the lecture, Professor Kripa and Associate Professor Mueller discussed their work on "Ultraviole(n)t Exposures," a Mellon Foundation grant project that documents histories of UV exposure in relationships to systemic disinvestment in the border region, including El Paso and Ciudad Juárez.

Dr. Lingyi Qiu Presents on Mobility Considerations for Children in Residential Areas

Assistant Professor Dr. Lingyi Qiu was invited to participate in the International Union of Architects (UIA) Community Architecture & Human Rights Work Programme webinar, “Is My City Safe?” The webinar took place on February 25^th, 2026, and brought together architects and urban planners from multiple countries to discuss the relationship between safety, human rights, and the built environment.

Dr. Qiu’s talk, titled “Is My City Safe for Children? Rethinking Independent Mobility in Neighborhood Environments,” presents her research on children’s independent mobility, highlighting how neighborhood design influences both perceived and actual safety, as well as broader quality-of-life outcomes. The event supported an international dialogue on how architectural and urban design practices can contribute to safer, more inclusive communities.

To learn more about the webinar topic, click here.

Exhibitions & Publications

HCOA Alumni Featured in Architecture Pulse Magazine for Leadership in Contemporary Design

Ryan Woods (B.Arch, 2011) and Rachael Rome (M.Arch, 2013) were featured in the February 2026 issue of Architecture Pulse magazine for their contributions to the advancement of design discourse. The article, titled "Two Nation, One Vision: Architects Defining Contemporary Design," highlights industry leaders for their "ability to translate vision in measurable impact."

Ryan Woods is Design Director at The Beck Group in the company's Atlanta studio. He has been involved in the development of numerous commercial and civic projects, including Peachtree Center and Phipps Plaza. In 2025, Ryan received the Fast Company Design and Innovation award for his work on The Melody, a rapid housing development in Atlanta.

Rachael Rome is Director of Mental and Behavioral Health Design at HKS. She has led the planning and delivery of over 60 healthcare projects, and has expertise in numerous healthcare environments including psychiatric hospitals, neurodiverse sensory labs, and holistic wellness destinations internationally.

To access the article, click here.

Ryan Woods

Rachael Rome

Publications

Share your Stories: 100 Years of Architecture at Texas Tech

CALLING ALL STUDENTS, ALUMNI, FACULTY, FORMER DEANS, AND STAFF: As we look forward to celebrating the 100^th anniversary of Texas Tech’s architecture program in 2027, we’re calling on the HCOA community to share their memories and experiences with the program.

YOUR STORIES are a vital part of the shared history of our College. Our upcoming book, Limitless Horizons: The First 100 Years of Texas Tech’s Architecture Program, will highlight this rich legacy.

We invite YOU to help us fully capture the impact and influence of Texas Tech’s architecture program with stories that reflect the experiences we all remember, share, and celebrate! Be sure to submit your stories before the deadline on March 31^st! 

All contributors will be recognized in the book.

To share your stories or make a contribution to the publication, please reach out to Noel Barrick and Gary Lindsey at architecture.limitlesshorizons@ttu.edu.

Donations are critical to the advancement of our program. With your contributions, we can fund our merit-based scholarships, recruit extraordinary faculty, fund research endeavors and improve our facilities. No gift is too small to make an impact on our students, faculty, and staff. If you're interested in giving, the Texas Tech University Office of Institutional Advancement has a convenient web portal for making secure, online donations to one of the established Huckabee College of Architecture funds. Click here to donate.

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