“Six”-cessful Designs with Impact
Hines College alumni, faculty, and students secured six honors at the AIA Houston Design Awards, with projects ranging from built projects to conceptual work. These recognitions include innovative solutions, design for community, attention to sustainability, and contributions to the architectural landscape.
Alumni Spotlight: Mariel Piña (B.S. '11)
Mariel Pîna (B.S. '11) always wanted to pursue a career that merged her passions for creativity and helping people. Of her time at the Hines College, she said, "I learned from lectures, experimentation, and, sometimes, failure. Working in a creative environment with high standards prepared me for the professional world of design."
Transformative Travels Abroad
This past summer, Hines College architecture students took journeys that advanced their pursuit of academic excellence and deepened their knowledge in new ways. As they navigated new environments in Italy and Japan, they forged relationships across borders, adapted to diverse perspectives, and expanded their horizons.
Alumni Spotlight: Nicholas Orchard (B.S. '18)
Industrial design alum Nicholas Orchard (B.S. '18) shared advice to students: "No matter what anyone else is doing, think for yourself, interpret things however you see fit, and do what you think is right. Trust yourself. Even failures are achievements if you use them as learning opportunities."
Meet Our Alumni Award Winners!
The University of Houston Architecture and Design Alumni Association and the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design congratulates another exceptional group of accomplished alumni award winners.
Imagining a Plan to Power Up Houston’s Near Northside Community
Over the summer, Hines College architecture students Yen Co, Yulisa Tran, Lucia Poggioli, Jailyn Benavides, Leslie Alamirra, and Lauren Smith won the inaugural “Power the Community” International College Design Competition, earning a $7,000 prize for “Distinguished Design – Urban Planning.”
New On Board: New Leadership Council Members Advance Key Goals
The Leadership Council recently welcomed several new members with extensive experience supporting the Council’s current goals to strengthen industry connections with students and complete fundraising for the Construction Robotics and Fabrication Technology (C.R.A.F.T.) Lab.
The Hines College Annual Report is Now Available!
The Hines College's Year in Review: Catch up on an incredible year of student, alumni, faculty, and staff stories and achievements! Our Annual Report 2023–2024 is available now online. Learn about how our college community has made a lasting impact as they advanced research and design in the world around them.
New Faculty Shaping College Curriculum
The Hines College welcomes two new faculty members and elevates three members to new positions this year. All five members bring decades of architecture and design experience in professional and academic fields. Read on to learn about these faculty members' diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
Hines College Professor Receives Texas Society of Architects Educator Award
The Texas Society of Architects’ 2024 Honor Awards has named Hines College Professor Rafael Longoria as the recipient of the Award for Outstanding Educational Contributions in Honor of Edward J. Romieniec, FAIA. Congratulations to Professor Longoria, who has taught at UH for 36 years, for this incredible achievement!
Alumni Spotlight: Tarek Moubayed (M.Arch. '23)
Recent graduate Tarek Moubayed (M.Arch. '23) now works as an architect at AECOM. He said he pursued his studies at the Hines College because: "Design, in and of itself, is a process of bringing people together to solve problems... This is the kind of environment I felt I was exposed to at the College, and it is one I am grateful for."
Alumni Spotlight: Andres A. Pacheco (M.Arch. '03)
Andres A. Pacheco (M.Arch. '03) recently won three AIA Awards for his work as a senior associate at VMDO Architects. "Being able to work on any project at hand is what truly motivates me the most every day. I am so thankful for that opportunity," he shared.
SITting at the Top
The SIT Furniture Design Awards recognized four University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design industrial design (ID) students for their talent and creativity. The international competition honors professional and emerging designers.
Mind Matters
The University of Houston and Hines College have expanded their efforts to better support their community and provide the resources needed to improve mental health and well-being. Read about how our community creates meaningful spaces and programs to advance mental health at the College.
Linking Up for Community Health
Since partnering with the Harris Health System in 2018, the Hines College’s industrial design program students have worked with occupational therapy professionals from Harris Health to help and empower underserved communities in Houston.
Going #NoFilter with UH Close Up
A hobby in photography led recent Hines College graduate Felipe Harker (B.Arch. ’24) to find a way to document memories on campus and create a community online through the Instagram account, @UHCloseUp.
Fit to Win
Hines College industrial design students have earned recognition for the second year in a row for the FIT Sport Design Awards. The program recognizes professional and student designers across many categories including apparel and equipment for innovation, performance, and sustainability.
All in the Details
The Texas Society of Architects announced the winners of its 2024 Design Awards. Hines College adjunct faculty member Jesse Hager and his firm CONTENT Architecture won an award for their work on Sudor Sauna Studio in Houston.
The spring 2024 issue of DIMENSION is now available!
Not only are we cultivating innovative research, developing design for greater accessibility, and collaborating with partners in our greater community, but we also serve our own College community. Learn how our impact creates meaningful change and supports each other.
Pursuing a Worthy Future: Class of 2024
The Class of 2024 includes students who began their academic journeys at the Hines College before, during, and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. These graduates have shown they can overcome all odds despite their challenges.
New On Board: PDR Principal Marc Bellamy
This spring, industry leader and alumnus Marc Bellamy (B.Arch. '00) joins the Hines College's Leadership Council as the advisory group continues to advance the College's strategic initiatives.
Commercializing Beyond Zero
Government officials, industry executives, academic leaders, and students gathered at Amergy Bank Tower on April 17 for “Good Business and Beyond Zero” – a symposium exploring the past, present, and future of commercializing beyond net zero.
Alumni Spotlight: Andre Simapranata (B.Arch. '12)
Andre Simapranata (B.Arch. '12) recently completed a project in Bali, a residential villa called Tanatakah. He said, "The Hines College fully prepared me with the skills to take on this kind of project and see it through."
Hines College Alum Honored for Historic Preservation Legacy
Preservation Houston honored alumnus David Bucek, FAIA (’90), with the 2024 President’s Award. The recognition spotlights the Hines College alumnus’ commitment to safeguarding Houston’s historic and influential architectural past.
Alumni Spotlight: Micki Washington (M.Arch. '04)
Micki Washington (M.Arch. '04) is the Workplace Strategy and Change Management Lead for the Americas at BP. Her work includes developing strategies for businesses and gathering research on a variety of topics that include inclusive design practices, workplace trends, real estate statistics, and more.
Finding Coolness in the Heat
Hines College assistant professor Dalia Munenzon and UC Berkeley assistant professor Elizabeth Galvez were awarded an AIA National Upjohn Research Grant for their proposal Collective Comfort, a public program reimagining cooling centers as educational resilience hubs in Phoenix.
From Project to Passion
For a sixth consecutive year, the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design has again achieved top honors in the annual Bienenstock Furniture and Interior Design Competition with a win by third-year industrial design student Valente Zambrano.
