The CAPLA Student Experience
At College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, you'll find the tight-knit, supportive community you need to thrive.
Though you may join us at CAPLA because you want to become an architect, designer, landscape architect, real estate developer, urban planner or sustainability manager, you'll find much more to the student experience than just classes and career prep.
As a small college in a large Research 1 university, we offer a unique, collaborative and hands-on environment for learning how to plan, develop, design and create a more sustainable future. Are you ready to build a changing world?
At CAPLA, you feel like you are part of something bigger than yourself, which encourages you to be the best version of yourself.
Emma Nakpairat '24 BLA
Design Your Experience
No matter your major or your areas of interest, you'll be sure to find a club that suits your needs. CAPLA's student organizations facilitate cross-disciplinary activities, provide leadership for greater student involvement in service projects, organize an array of events and work with professional affiliates on local projects and networking.
Our world-class Materials Lab allows students to explore, model, fabricate and test design ideas in a state-of-the-art environment with equipment accommodating a wide range of materials, including metal, wood, concrete, ceramics, glass and plastics. With CNC tools, the labs support digital as well as analog fabrication.
We think you’ll agree that Tucson—a quirky, authentic community that is the multicultural heart of the Sonoran Desert—is the coolest desert city in the world. Named one of the 12 best places to live by Outside magazine because of our striking natural setting, Tucson is not easily defined but is easily loved.
Design Reviews: Inside the Critique Process for CAPLA Students
Reviews and critiques are an essential component of the design thinking and learning process for many CAPLA students. We've put together a series of videos from students and faculty that will help you learn about the importance of critiques, what they look like, how to prepare, tips for after a critique and how reviews have been adapted for a post-pandemic world.
CAPLA Student Profiles
Meet a few of CAPLA's students by viewing their student profiles. You'll find a rich mix of backgrounds and experiences create a diverse and dynamic student community:
Community Connection: Lesley Peréz ‘26 MSUP & ‘27 MS.Arch
Lesley Peréz (’26 MSUP, ’27 MS.Arch) is a dual-degree graduate student at CAPLA committed to advancing equity through design and policy. Inspired by her upbringing in East Los Ángeles, her work focuses on creating accessible, community-centered spaces where people can thrive. At CAPLA, she has served as a student ambassador, contributed to housing policy research with ARCHES, and engaged in community outreach through the Indigenous Society of Architecture, Planning and Design—shaping a future career in planning, transportation, and design at local and global scales.
A Force to be Reckoned With: Francisco Zazueta ‘26 B.Arch
Francisco Zazueta, a fifth-year Bachelor of Architecture student at CAPLA, was awarded the 2025 Presidential Citation by the AIA Southern Arizona Chapter for his leadership as president of the AIA Student Chapter. Recognized for his optimism and dedication to strengthening connections between students and professionals, his work focuses on mentorship, community engagement, and expanding opportunities for architecture students. Through initiatives with NOMAS and AIAS, Zazueta uses leadership and design to support a more connected, just, and resilient architectural community.
Leadership in Full Bloom: Esmeralda Rubi Carrasco ‘26 MLA
Esmeralda Rubi Carrasco, Class of 2026, is pursuing a Master of Landscape Architecture at CAPLA after earning her Doctor of Business from Grand Canyon University. Inspired by her family’s garden center, Ponderosa Cactus, she’s passionate about plant-forward, community-rooted design that honors the Sonoran Desert.
CAPLA Student Work
View a sampling of the design work and class projects created by CAPLA students:
Applied Active Transportation Class Aims to Improve Bike and Pedestrian Safety on Campus
A CAPLA studio led by Senior Lecturer Joey Iuliano is turning student interest into action by focusing on improving walking and cycling conditions on campus. In collaboration with Parking & Transportation Services and the Office of Sustainability, students analyze crash data and develop design proposals for key campus corridors to improve safety and connectivity. Inspired in part by last fall’s fatal traffic accident near campus, the course aims to produce practical ideas that could inform future campus planning.
Teresa Rosano and Greg Veitch’s Capstone Studio wins ACSA Collaborative Practice Award
Architecture Professor Teresa Rosano, Research Coordinator Greg Veitch, and their students won the 2026 ACSA Collaborative Practice Award for their “Tucson Hope Factory Micro Shelter Village” project. The studio partnered with the community to design and build micro-shelters, emphasizing equal collaboration between students and community members. This approach fostered student agency, teamwork, and meaningful impact. The project was praised for advancing inclusive, community-driven architecture. Rosano and Veitch will present the work at the ACSA conference in Chicago.
Gather Light: ARC 201
Students in CAPLA’s ARC 201 studio, guided by faculty including Christopher Domin and others, completed the "Gather Light" project focused on understanding and designing in harmony with the Sonoran Desert environment. Through observation, drawing, and modeling, students explored how light, nature, and architecture interact. Key activities involved studying desert plants, translating their forms into design systems, and developing canopies that filter light and enhance outdoor spaces. The project emphasized hands-on learning, teamwork, and iterative design using 2D and 3D representations to create thoughtful architectural interventions that respect and respond to the desert landscape.
Ask a Student About Their CAPLA Experience
Find out what it’s like to be a CAPLA student first-hand. Reach out to any of our student ambassadors, who are glad to answer your questions about the studio experience, faculty interaction, student life and more: