When you attend a university, there are always a handful of special professors who stand out for their professional skills, talents and ability to encourage students to achieve.
At the University of Oklahoma, for the past 21 years, one of these exceptional individuals has been Associate Professor of Architecture David Boeck
Already a practicing architect, David was hired by the university in 2003 specifically to teach students the practical skills needed to function in the field of architecture outside the classroom. In all, he’s taught thousands of students who’ve gone on to highly successful careers.
Now, David is retiring at the end of the spring 2024 semester to focus on his art, his private practice and his philanthropic work.
“Retiring will be only a transitory period for me,” he said. “In fact, I am using the word ‘transitioning’ to describe this period. I have stayed a practicing architect throughout. I think it’s impossible for an architect to quit entirely. It’s a creative process, and you don’t want to stop being creative. I am 71. Frank Lloyd Wright did 70% of his projects after the age of 70!”
Among the more notable buildings David has designed in recent years is the distinctive Holy Ascension Orthodox Church, complete with gold dome, located at 3350 12th Ave. NE in Norman. Meanwhile, would-be clients continue to reach out.
In recent times, he has been focusing on projects that assist his clients to age in place.
“There are a lot of people who are now older and want modifications to improve accessibility,” he said. “Along with sustainability, accessibility is an area I began to focus on, especially after I had knee surgery and wasn’t able to climb the stairs to the bedrooms in my own house. It made me aware of how big an issue it is for people as they get older."
Originally from Wisconsin and Michigan, David was raised as a Lutheran and often watched Christian-themed animation shows. It was during an episode of “Davy & Goliath,” where the children were trying to figure out what they wanted to do when they grew up, that he began to question his own future.
“I always sketched and drew,” he said. “Then my dad suggested architecture. I also had an uncle who studied under Bruce Goff, who was one of the top architects in the nation and who did a lot of work in Oklahoma. Third, OU was one of the most important architecture schools in the country, so that was how I ended up in Norman, and then one job led to another.
“Fifty-three years later, I’m still here, and I love it!” he added. “I grew up in college towns and I love the culture, which makes Norman a perfect fit.”
David earned three degrees from OU: a bachelor’s degree in architecture, a bachelor’s degree in environmental design and a master’s degree in architecture, with an emphasis on sustainability.
After several years in the private sector, he accepted the OU teaching position. It wasn’t a surprising choice, given that his father was an economics professor, his mother taught home economics, and three of his four siblings are or have also been teachers.
One of its appeals, he noted, was the opportunity to teach students how to do architectural renderings by hand.
“Art and architecture work together, and research has shown that the brain/hand connection is much better than the brain/keyboard connection,” he observed.
“I taught rendering classes and freehand classes, and I was determined that the students be able to develop and sketch their ideas at a moment’s notice when brainstorming with a client. That can make all the difference in whether or not you get the job.”
In addition to his teaching career, David has always been a practicing artist, using markers and colored pencils as his primary medium. His sketchbooks and published works are full of vibrantly colored sketches of every type of building and scenery imaginable, from locations around the world. One of his most inspirational sites is Santa Fe, New Mexico, which he visits several times a year to sketch and play golf.
Among David’s favorite works is a recent series of sketches of buildings and mosques around Istanbul. Others include many drawings from Arezzo, Italy, home of OU’s International Studies Center. He also accepts commissions and has exhibited his work at numerous venues.
David’s pace was slowed a bit recently after experiencing a heart attack and subsequent bypass surgery early in 2024, but he’s recovered enough to resume his busy schedule.
In addition to artwork and private clients, he uses his skills to help the community, most recently becoming a board member for the Rose Rock Habitat for Humanity (formerly known as Cleveland County Habitat), which has expanded its services into Shawnee and Pottawatomie counties. He serves as the organization’s specialist for designing accessible houses, and is also working with local developers to encourage them to design homes that allow older and disabled people to age in place.
In addition, David has served on Norman’s Historic District Commission, the Planning Commission, the Mayor’s Environmental Concerns Committee, the Norman Senior Association and Union, as well as the Housing Authority and various long-range planning committees. In 2016, he was presented with the American Institute of Architects International Community Service Award.
“I turned 70 last year, and having the heart attack and bypass surgery made my life change,” he said. “I have less stamina than I used to, but I’m determined that if I wake up every morning, I need to be doing something important.”
“Art and architecture work together, and research has shown that the brain/hand connection is much better than the brain/keyboard connection."
"I think it’s impossible for an architect to quit entirely. It’s a creative process, and you don’t want to stop being creative."