The Importance of Shade
In a hot summer climate, shade is an important part of making people comfortable outside. When famed photographer Dorothea Lange visited Sallisaw, Oklahoma in August of 1936, she noticed farmers were gathered on the shady side of the street to sit or stand in groups...
Make Guthrie Weird
Guthrie, Oklahoma is famous for its beautifully preserved downtown, which was named a National Historic Landmark in 1999. The city got lots of attention for hosting a music festival with more than 40,000 attendees last summer. Guthrie has been doing a great job...
ODOT Experiments with Optical Illusion Crosswalk
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is experimenting with a new way to make crosswalks more visible to motorists. This is welcome news, since many of Oklahoma's state highways travel through walkable residential neighborhoods and main streets. A Safer Crosswalk?...
These Ugly Facades Were Actually Time Capsules
Ongoing renovations of 1920s and 1930s commercial buildings in Oklahoma City have been revealing buried architectural treasures in the last few months. "Updated" facade treatments applied decades ago are being stripped away, revealing that they have been preserving...
A Gathering Space for the Alva Courthouse Square
Alva, Oklahoma is located near the Kansas border in far northern Oklahoma. Alva has become a partner for the Oklahoma Arts Council's Cultural District Initiative. Alva is the county seat of Woods County, and the county courthouse is located in a two-block green square...
2014 Statewide Preservation Conference
IQC partnered with the State Historic Preservation Office to host the 26th Annual Statewide Preservation Conference in Norman. Norman, with the university campus and surrounding historic neighborhoods, was a great place to get back to the basics and learn...
IQC Welcomes New Director Ian Carlton
We are excited to share that Dr. Ian Carlton will be the new executive director of the IQC. His wife Rebecca Sanders will also join the College of Architecture's Regional and City Planning Division. Welcome to the team! Urban Development Expert Ian Carlton Named...
StART Norman: Better Block
Research Traffic speeds ranged from 20-46 miles per hour, with the fastest 20% of drivers averaging over 35 miles per hour. Traffic speed is a critical factor of pedestrian safety. A speed of 20 miles per hour is ideal for a commercial district. A goal for...
Google Helps Track Urban Changes
Google Maps is one of the tools we use every day. With maps, aerial imagery, birdseye views, and street view, it is extremely useful for everyone at the IQC. A while back, Google made it possible to view historic satellite imagery for many regions, making it...
Oklahoma Community-Building Headlines
Here are the recent headlines and news from around our state about planning, placemaking, and community building in Oklahoma. To recommend a news story you think we should share, please let us know. [separator line="yes"] A Better Block event was held in Norman, and...
IQC Students Build a Better Block in Norman
Students in the IQC Tactical Urbanism Workshop have been working with the Norman Arts Council on a plan for a Better Block event to kick off a month of celebrations for START Norman. The event transformed a block of Norman's Main Street Friday, April 11 through...
The Largest and Fastest-Growing Metro Areas
The Census recently released 2013 Population estimates for the county and metro area levels. Oklahoma City remained on the list of the top 10 fastest-growing metropolitan areas, at number 9. The ten fastest-growing cities between 2012 and 2013 were Austin, Houston,...