Gustavo Gonzalez Contreras earned first place in the The Ecological Design Challenge student category for Aftercast, a modular bench system that reimagines site furniture as ecological infrastructure. Developed in a studio, the project addresses flooding and erosion by stabilizing soil, guiding water flow, and supporting plant life.

Fallon Marie Barrett (B.S. ’08, B.Arch. ’13) is an Assistant Project Manager with the City of Houston. A dedicated member of the National Organization of Minority Architects, she brings a people-centered approach to her work while continuing her path toward architectural licensure. Her story highlights resilience, community, and the many career paths shaped by a Hines College education.

"Superstructure Ecology," a speculative research project by plodes® studio led by Roya Plauché, Hines College interim director of environmental design, received an Honorable Mention at the International Design Awards in Bangkok. Selected from entries representing more than 70 countries, the project was recognized for reimagining architecture as ecological infrastructure rather than a static object.