On Friday, November 14, the Hines College community gathered on campus to celebrate the College’s 80th anniversary in an unconventional way – with an un-gala. Designed to capture the energy and joy of a gala without the formality, the un-gala invited alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and students to reconnect while raising funds for emerging design technologies at the College.

When Hines College student Marshall Bradley first learned he had been selected for the Project Row Houses’ Floyd Newsum Summer Studios Mentorship + Residency Program, he knew it was more than a creative opportunity—it was a chance to explore the deep history and humanity of Houston’s Third Ward. Now, after completing the residency and presenting his exhibition in August and September, Bradley reflects on a summer that not only transformed his perspective as a designer but also deepened his connection to the community he sought to honor.

At the Hines College, the QuadZero Studio is training the next generation of climate-conscious architects and designers. Founded in 2016 by Hines College architecture professor Dr. Bruce Race, FAIA, FAICP, the studio has become a crucible for exploring what it truly means to design resilient cities. The name reflects the studio’s core mission: zero greenhouse gas emissions, zero energy waste, zero water waste, and zero landfill waste.