The Institute for Quality Communities is the community engagement center in the University of Oklahoma Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture. IQC partners with Oklahoma communities to identify challenges in the built environment, engage residents and stakeholders, develop evidence-based and community-informed solutions, and equip students with the skills necessary to become effective professionals and civic leaders. IQC brings best practices in community development to Oklahomans through the biennial Placemaking Conference.
By the end of the 20th century, most towns and cities throughout the country – and certainly throughout Oklahoma – were struggling to deliver environments that fostered the quality of life that previous generations took for granted: vibrant main streets; public spaces where neighbors interacted daily; and safe, inviting open spaces where citizens of all ages gathered. We work with civic leaders to help citizens shape desirable places that define quality communities.
Former OU President David Boren expressed in his book A Letter to America, “Every decision should be made with the goal of increasing community.” We believe that great places are at the heart of great communities. The built environment strongly influences our social ties, how attached we feel to our communities, and our level of civic engagement. We help Oklahoma towns and cities reshape public spaces into environments that help forge community. In addition, the very act of reshaping our public spaces can galvanize community ties and spur further positive impacts.
Sign up for the Institute for Quality Communities newsletter to stay connected to the people and projects shaping more vibrant, walkable, and welcoming places across Oklahoma. Each issue offers a quick, engaging look at community design, public space improvements, and the work happening through IQC partnerships, giving you a clear sense of how thoughtful design can strengthen the places we call home.
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture professor and Institute for Quality Communities Director Dr. Amber N. Wiley’s book, Model Schools in the Model City: Race, Planning, and Education in the Nation’s Capital, has received two major honors from the Urban History Association.
Three University of Oklahoma students took a class assignment beyond the classroom, developing a large-scale solar energy plan that could help reduce electricity costs at the Sulphur Veterans Home.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design and director of the Institute for Quality Communities, has been named to the shortlist for the Museum of African American History (MAAH) Stone Book Award for her book, Model Schools in the Model City. The book was one of 14 titles selected from 158 eligible submissions for the 2026 award.
Over the course of a year, 64 students from OU’s architecture, interior design, planning and sustainable energy programs worked alongside faculty to develop planning and design recommendations for veterans’ homes in Ardmore, Claremore and Sulphur. The work could help guide future renovations, improve residents’ quality of life and support future funding requests.
Gibbs College of Architecture Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) Director and Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design (PLAD) faculty member Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., recently published a new book, Collective Yearning: Black Women Artists from the Zimmerli Art Museum.
Since 2021, the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) has partnered with the Institute for Quality Communities on the Community Economic Resiliency Initiative (CERI). Through this program, ACOG selects several communities in its region to receive support from the IQC. More information on the CERI initiative at ACOG’s website.
ACOG is the leading voice for regional collaboration in Central Oklahoma. Comprised of local governments that include 49 cities and four counties, ACOG’s mission is to to advocate for regional cooperation and address common issues; solve mutual problems and promote efficient government services; and to strive to improve the quality of life in Central Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma Municipal League (OML) has partnered with the IQC to offer the Quality Communities Grant to member communities since 2016. Through this partnership, dozens of Oklahoma communities have received matching funds for planning and design services from the Institute for Quality Communities. OML has also supported IQC programs like the Placemaking Conference and Quality Communities Retreats.
OML is the authoritative source of information, training, and resources on effective local government, and is recognized as the respected voice of Oklahoma municipalities in the state.
