We Are Building
Whats Next.

Start your design journey here.
Design the buildings, spaces, and products that transform how the world lives.

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, Industrial Design, and Environmental 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

#6best value architecture school in US (College Factual)
8centers and labs advancing research and community outreach
#34of 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

College News

Hines College Newsroom

September 15, 2026

Alumni Spotlight - Jeffrey Cruzen ('76)

Jeffrey "JB" Cruzen (B.Arch. ’76) is a retired Chief Architect with Houston Airport System In this month’s Alumni Spotlight, he reflects on his career, lessons learned from his time at the CoAD and gives some advice to current students.

June 30, 2026

Designing Better Steps

Mehdi Mortazavi has earned first place in a national rehabilitation design competition for a thesis project addressing mobility challenges for people living with multiple sclerosis. ProxiStep, a soft, passive lower-body exosuit, improves gait balance and reduces walking effort through a human-centered design approach grounded in extensive patient and clinical collaboration.

June 24, 2026

The Wearable Future

Award-winning projects from Hines College students Mehdi Mortazavi and Dillon Narcisse show how wearable technology can become more intuitive, accessible, and responsive to human needs. Recognized in the FIT Sport Design Awards, their work explores how design can translate emerging technologies into tools that support performance, usability, and everyday experience.

May 29, 2026

Donna Kacmar Named Professor Emeritus

Donna Kacmar, FAIA, has been awarded the title of Professor Emeritus following her retirement at the close of the Spring 2026 semester. For twenty-six years at the Hines College, Kacmar shaped generations of architects through design studios, research, and mentorship while advancing scholarship in architecture, materiality, and the built environment.

May 28, 2026

Alumni Spotlight: Ashley Chiarelli (B.Arch. & B.S. '12; M.S. '23)

Ashley Chiarelli (B.Arch. ’12, B.S. ’12, M.S. ’23) is Associate Partner and Director of Strategy and Foresight at Kirksey Architecture, helping organizations navigate complex decisions before design begins. In this month’s Alumni Spotlight, she reflects on her nontraditional career path and the value of thinking beyond traditional practice.

May 27, 2026

Now Available: The Spring 2026 Issue of DIMENSION Magazine

As environmental, technological, and social challenges continue to reshape our communities, the Hines College is expanding how we think about the future of design education, research, and practice. This issue, Designing What’s Next, highlights faculty and students whose work is opening new directions for a changing world, from climate adaptation and post-oil futures to historic preservation, cultural sustainability, and emerging approaches to landscape and resilience.

See more stories and news from our news archive and publications.