The School of Architecture offers a top-notch education in a diverse range of disciplines that address critical, complex challenges in our natural, built and virtual environments.
About Us
Creative Immersion
Study alongside a team of creatives and detail-oriented peers driven to be the best at what they do.
View gallery
“Growing up, I always wanted to be an engineer, but part of me was very artistic. Architecture is an excellent combination of math and art.” Jun Lee / ‘24
“I chose Texas A&M because of the Aggie Network. A friend who is an alumnus told me great things about the program. That's what drew me here.” Chukwudi (Chudi) Nwokoma / ‘23
“This degree prepares me for licensure and propels me into this challenging field. I believe architecture can drive social change.” Katharine Koehler / ‘23
“Plants have always been a hobby— growing and learning about them. After discovering landscape architecture, it piqued my interest.” Lauren Kasel / ‘25
“I chose the School of Architecture because it blends well with my future career. It's a supportive learning environment, thanks to helpful faculty and staff.” Lillian Vukin / ‘22
“My sister was an Aggie, so I'd visited campus a lot. I really liked the vibe; the energy people have, and things like Fish Camp helped me fit in!” Philips Fafiyebi / ‘23
“I'm really enjoying the construction science program. After shadowing architecture firms and looking at engineering, I realized construction science would be a great fit for me.”
Together with visiting design critics and theorists from around the world, architecture faculty and students explore a range of design investigations, expand knowledge, and confront the challenges of the contemporary built environment. Collaboration thrives in Gund Hall’s distinctive trays, five continuous tiers of open studio space.
The Department’s philosophy of design excellence integrates the imaginative and skillful manipulation of form, as well as the ability to draw inspiration from a broad body of knowledge. The architecture curriculum includes design studio, theory, visual studies, history, technology, and professional practice, with design as the central focus of instruction.
Gund Hall’s studio trays form both the physical and pedagogical core of the GSD experience, drawing together students and faculty from across the departments of architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning and design. The creative, collaborative atmosphere of the trays is supplemented by Gund Hall’s advanced information infrastructure, media-enriched presentation spaces, vast library resources, and open access to fabrication technologies, enabling architecture students to develop, discuss, exchange, and materialize ideas through a comprehensive range of platforms and media. The student experience is further enriched by the School’s renowned lecture and public program series, exhibitions, and publications, as well as the resources available across Harvard University and the nearby Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Students in the Department of Architecture are integrated into an active network of internationally recognized designers, dedicated to addressing the changing needs of the modern world.
As new ways of thinking emerge in the profession of architecture, the field grows increasingly complex and requires new techniques of inquiry and design. For generations, the GSD has educated committed individuals who have assumed leadership roles in shaping the built environment. Today’s graduates in architecture continue this tradition by pioneering new design approaches to the challenges posed by contemporary society.
The fall 2023 edition of the Hines College's award-winning magazine highlights how our students, faculty, and alumni are making waves in the design community developing accessible design for those most in need, envisioning new approaches to the past, and challenging each other as architects and designer. Discover how our research and innovation are pushing the boundaries of design.
Design Students Who Mean Business
A new wave of entrepreneurs is emerging this holiday season — University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design students are leveraging their talents to navigate the intersection of creativity and commerce.Hines College Student Organizations You Should Know: The Architecture Lobby at UH
The Architecture Lobby at UH has returned to help students prepare for careers through workshops, learning about firm culture, and how to apply for internships. The Lobby also hosted sessions with industry professionals, allowing students an opportunity to candidly discuss the profession.Celebrating 20 Years of Industrial Design
The Hines College celebrated its Industrial Design program's 20th anniversary on November 17 with a day of learning, networking, and celebratory events. Established in 2003 as the only ID in Texas and the surrounding four-state region, the program has risen to the top quickly, garnering international acclaim from the design community.Hines Researchers Partner with City of Houston to Address Resiliency
Professor Bruce Race, Ph.D., joined by assistant professors Mili Kyropoulou and Dalia Munenzon, will partner with the City of Houston to help address resiliency and stormwater and heat island mitigation in the Fifth Ward. A $1 million grant from the EPA will fund their work with the community.UH Architecture and Engineering Team’s Thermodynamic House to Compete in Housing Event
A UH team of architects, engineers and designers will put their creative minds to the test as part of a new competition to design innovative, unique and fully operational homes to lead the housing transformation and showcase their talents.Recent Graduate Develops 3D Printable Prostheses to Restore Amputees' Finger Mobility
David Edquilang ('22) first designed Lunet as an undergraduate industrial design student at the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design. The design, honored with multiple international awards, is a groundbreaking, easy-to-use 3D printable finger prosthesis that offers amputees a low-cost solution to restore finger functionality.Envisioning a New Astrodome Through an Integrated Approach
Hines College assistant professor Mili Kyropoulou and her team recently achieved first place in the Lowdown Showdown Competition for their original design, repurposing Houston’s infamous Astrodome using building performance data to inform their strategy.Scholarship Award Recognizes Power of Personal Identity
The Architects Foundation recently awarded University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design alumna Michelle Ovanessians (' 23) the 2023 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship.Ivy League Bound: Hines Students Take the Next Step
This fall, two Hines College alumni commenced the next step in their academic careers, beginning graduate studies at two Ivy League universities – Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) and Princeton University School of Architecture.Hines College 2022–2023 Annual Report
See a recap of the year’s extraordinary advancements and achievements by the College community and how the Hines College looks to the future.Explore the Hines College of Architecture and Design
Browse the wealth of information on our website regarding our College, degree programs, special programs, and student resources. Take a look around!The Future of Design Technologies in Fabrication and Materials Research Has Arrived
Our new Construction Robotics and Fabrication Technology (CRAFT) Lab is coming to fruition under the direction of the inaugural Bill Kendall Memorial Professor of Design Technologies Andrew Kudless.Your Future Career Starts Here
DesignIntelligence ranks the Hines College of Architecture and Design
14 of the “Most Hired From Architecture Schools” in the United States. The College also ranks
31 of the “Most Admired Undergraduate Architecture Schools” in the US by DesignIntelligence. Our Industrial Design program ranks
6 in the US and
14 in the world by Red Dot.
From Houston to the World
The Hines College is internationally recognized for bringing exceptional student work to the world stage. We make a global impact by sharing with the world what we learn from our exploration of Houston. Our extensive study abroad programs immerse students in local cultures and reveal the impact of design on all peoples.Impacting Real People
Community impact is at the heart of all we do. The Community Design Resource Center and our student studios at every level are always striving to develop design that betters local, national, and international communities.
Impact a world driven by design.
The Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design offers its students a platform of integrated disciplines—Architecture, Interior Architecture and Industrial Design—from which to negotiate the complexities of contemporary practice in a world that is grappling with diminishing economic and natural resources, the realities of post disaster reconstruction, and at the same time, continued rapid urbanization.
Our programs foster an environment where ideas find form, where practices that are socially equitable and fundamentally ecological establish a model from which to develop Houston’s future, and inform and share design strategies globally.
“We teach with the idea that Houston is our laboratory, challenging students to push the boundaries of architecture and design in this complex and diverse metropolis, and therefore, make a difference in the world."
- Dean Patricia Belton Oliver, FAIA, DPACSA
By the Numbers
-
4best value architecture school in US (College Factual)
- 8centers and labs advancing research and community outreach
-
31of 467 architecture schools in the US (Architecture Colleges Rankings)
- 1945year the College of Architecture was founded at UH
-
4out of the top 30 Industrial Design programs in the US (College Values Online);
14 in the world (RedDot)
- 30+years as a leader in Design/Build education
- 850+undergraduate and graduate students
On Our Feed
Latest News
- News Archive
- Publications
DIMENSION Magazine - Fall 2023
The fall 2023 edition of the Hines College's award-winning magazine highlights how our students, faculty, and alumni are making waves in the design community developing accessible design for those most in need, envisioning new approaches to the past, and challenging each other as architects and designer. Discover how our research and innovation are pushing the boundaries of design.Design Students Who Mean Business
A new wave of entrepreneurs is emerging this holiday season — University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design students are leveraging their talents to navigate the intersection of creativity and commerce.Alumni Spotlight: Cindy Villarreal ('07)
Cindy Villarreal, AIA, MBA, WELL AP ('07) finds her diverse work rewarding as well as being an example of a minority woman architect. She said, "There were many voices (and statistics) along the way that all said my becoming a registered architect was highly unlikely, but the voice inside me that believed I would be was the loudest. I hope to be that positive voice for someone."Hines College Students Organizations You Should Know: The Architecture Lobby at UH
The Architecture Lobby at UH has returned to help students prepare for careers through workshops, learning about firm culture, and how to apply for internships. The Lobby also hosted sessions with industry professionals, allowing students an opportunity to candidly discuss the profession.Alumni Spotlight: Sean Fleming (MAAS '20)
Sean Fleming (MAAS '20) studied architecture history before continuing his studies at the Hines College. Now a photographer, he shared, "Many architectural photographers I look up to were once architects themselves or formally studied design, and I believe their education shows in their work."Celebrating 20 Years of Industrial Design
The Hines College celebrated its Industrial Design program's 20th anniversary on November 17 with a day of learning, networking, and celebratory events. Established in 2003 as the only ID in Texas and the surrounding four-state region, the program has risen to the top quickly, garnering international acclaim from the design community.Hines Researchers Partner with City of Houston to Address Resiliency
Professor Bruce Race, Ph.D., joined by assistant professors Mili Kyropoulou and Dalia Munenzon, will partner with the City of Houston to help address resiliency and stormwater and heat island mitigation in the Fifth Ward. A $1 million grant from the EPA will fund their work with the community.UH Architecture and Engineering Team’s Thermodynamic House to Compete in Housing Event
A UH team of architects, engineers and designers will put their creative minds to the test as part of a new competition to design innovative, unique and fully operational homes to lead the housing transformation and showcase their talents.Building Heights in Education and Industry
Hines College professor Joe Colaco recently won the AIA Houston 2023 Educator of the Year Award. Growing up admiring the complexities of building design, for the last 53 years Colaco prepared students to pursue careers in architecture and engineering, hoping to pass along technical knowledge and skills to budding architects. Read more about his experiences.Alumni Spotlight: Alyse Makarewicz ('97)
Alyse Makarewicz ('97) studied architecture to combine her analytical and creative strengths. Since then, she started her firm 18 years ago to help keep women in architecture. Recently, AMB Architects was selected as AIA Houston's Firm of the Year 2023.Recent Graduate Develops 3D Printable Prostheses to Restore Amputees' Finger Mobility
David Edquilang ('22) first designed Lunet as an undergraduate industrial design student at the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design. The design, honored with multiple international awards, is a groundbreaking, easy-to-use 3D printable finger prosthesis that offers amputees a low-cost solution to restore finger functionality.Envisioning a New Astrodome Through an Integrated Approach
Hines College assistant professor Mili Kyropoulou and her team recently achieved first place in the Lowdown Showdown Competition for their original design, repurposing Houston’s infamous Astrodome using building performance data to inform their strategy.Scholarship Award Recognizes Power of Personal Identity
The Architects Foundation recently awarded University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design alumna Michelle Ovanessians (' 23) the 2023 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship.Alumni Spotlight: Ami Shah (M.Arch. '03)
The lessons Ami Shah (M.Arch. '03) learned at the Hines College helped propel her to success. "It provided a solid foundation, allowing me to expand my horizons and explore different design ideas and theoretical approaches in a way I had not before."Ivy League Bound: Hines Students Take the Next Step
This fall, two Hines College alumni commenced the next step in their academic careers, beginning graduate studies at two Ivy League universities – Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) and Princeton University School of Architecture.Welcoming in the Collegiate Experience
The Hines College student organizations welcomed new incoming students for an entirely in-person day of welcome on August 20. Welcome Day is wholly run by the Hines College's student organizations and supported by donations solicited from the Houston community.Alumni Spotlight: Jason Logan ('00)
Recently named the Director of the Keeland Lab, Hines College associate professor Jason Logan reflected on his time as a student. "It is difficult to pick one favorite memory, but they all come from the late nights at the Hines College, with the lifelong friends I made as a student.""The Irritable House" Revolutionizes Affordable Housing
The Texas Society of Architects recently announced Z4A Architects, led by Hines College faculty Rafael Beneytez-Duran and Ophelia Mantz, as a recipient of the 2023 Studio Award Winners.Alumni Spotlight: Jennifer Higgins ('07)
Jennifer started her Hines College journey during a high school summer program. Now a principal at THR3E Design, she says to students, " Never stop learning because architecture and design are ever-evolving fields."UH Communications Teams Win National and Regional Awards
The Division of University Marketing and Communications, Division of Research, Division of Student Affairs and Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design were recognized in national and regional competitions for their efforts to elevate the reputation and national profile of the University.
Alumni Spotlight: Lauri Goodman Lampson '88
Lauri says she learned the importance of strategic thinking at UH. To future designers, she advises, "Be curious and seek diverse perspectives. Ask why of your professors and yourself."