David Brian Hill Named Dean of UH’s Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture & Design

A new era will soon begin for the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design. Veteran educator, researcher and practitioner David Brian Hill will join the University of Houston as the college’s next dean effective Feb. 1, 2027.

The UH System Board of Regents officially approved Hill’s appointment as the college’s next dean. He will succeed Patricia Belton Oliver, who will retire from her post in 2027.

“The University of Houston and the Hines College of Architecture and Design are on a great trajectory in one of the most dynamic cities in the country,” Hill said. “I have a lifelong passion for design and for the way ideas become places, buildings and objects that shape people’s lives, and the Hines College’s programs speak directly to that passion.”

Hill emerged as the sole finalist for the dean’s role following a national search. He is presently head of the School of Architecture at North Carolina State University’s (NCSU) College of Design, where he has taught since 2007.

At NCSU, he also serves as professor of architecture and co-founded the Coastal Dynamics Design Lab at the College of Design, an interdisciplinary initiative focused on helping vulnerable coastal and riverine communities adapt to environmental hazards and climate change.

Hill noted that he is particularly drawn to the college’s commitment to addressing both local and global issues. He looks forward to collaborating with faculty and students on initiatives that deliver a meaningful impact across Houston and beyond.

“Through architecture, environmental design, industrial design and interior architecture, the college has a remarkable culture of making, research labs that engage real-world challenges, strong ties to practitioners, and a long tradition of serving the community,” he said. “Its faculty and students are tackling significant design problems, and I want to work with them to explore new interdisciplinary opportunities and build resources to support their work. The Hines College a place where design education can be a national model.”

Another draw to UH is the students, he said. During his campus visit, he was able to observe a close-knit bond between them and their faculty mentors.

“I was especially moved by the students I met,” he said. “Their love for the Hines College, for each other, for the faculty and for local practitioners came through in every conversation. During my interview, students pulled me into their studios because they were eager to show me their work, and I loved the spontaneity and pride in those moments.”

Hill has presented at several architecture and design conferences and earned numerous grants and awards from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA). These include AIA/ACSA Decade of Design Grant (2014), the ACSA Faculty Design Award (2009) and the ACSA Housing Design Education Award (2013). Other grants and awards include the NCSU Strategic Research Initiatives Grant (2010), and the NCSU Libraries Faculty Award (2014).

Additionally, Hill collaborated with Nelson Tang and Laura Garafolo to win New York City’s Office of Emergency Management-sponsored “What if New York City…” post-disaster housing international design competition.

Hill’s teaching experience extends to studios at Boston Architectural College and Harvard University Graduate School of Design’s Career Discovery Program.

He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and holds a Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture from NCSU. He earned a Master of Architecture from Harvard University.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity and for the warm welcome I’ve received from students, faculty, staff and university leadership,” Hill said. I also want to thank Dean Patricia Oliver for her sixteen years of leadership, which built a solid foundation for the college’s future. On a personal note, I’m thrilled to be coming to Houston, and I look forward to exploring more of its neighborhoods, architecture, arts, sports, and food as I become part of this vibrant, welcoming city. As UH approaches its Centennial, I’m honored to be the next dean, and I can’t wait to get started.”

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