The CAPLA Student Experience

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?

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Quotation marks

 
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

Meet Emma

Design Your Experience

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Design review

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.
  

View Design Review Video Series

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:

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Ollie

Highlighting the Class of 2025: Ollie Freshour, SBE

Ollie Freshour is graduating with a BS in Sustainable Built Environments with an emphasis in Sustainable Buildings. As an online student, Ollie made the most of their experience traveling from Indiana to Tucson to connect with the CAPLA community and explore the ENR2 Building. From designing a sustainable park in Elkhart to planning a future as a certified arborist, Ollie is ready to make a lasting impact on urban environments.

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AnnaMaria

Highlighting the Class of 2025: Annamaria Pongratz BLA

Annamaria Pongratz is graduating with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and a minor in Art History. Reflecting on her time at CAPLA, she shared how the experience shaped her as both a designer and collaborator. This fall, she’ll continue her academic journey as a graduate student at CAPLA. One of her proudest achievements? Designing a sensory garden for a children’s museum in her planting design class—a project that reflects her creativity and care for inclusive, engaging spaces.


CAPLA Student Work

View a sampling of the design work and class projects created by CAPLA students:

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Ollie

Highlighting the Class of 2025: Ollie Freshour, SBE

Ollie Freshour is graduating with a BS in Sustainable Built Environments with an emphasis in Sustainable Buildings. As an online student, Ollie made the most of their experience traveling from Indiana to Tucson to connect with the CAPLA community and explore the ENR2 Building. From designing a sustainable park in Elkhart to planning a future as a certified arborist, Ollie is ready to make a lasting impact on urban environments.

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AnnaMaria

Highlighting the Class of 2025: Annamaria Pongratz BLA

Annamaria Pongratz is graduating with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and a minor in Art History. Reflecting on her time at CAPLA, she shared how the experience shaped her as both a designer and collaborator. This fall, she’ll continue her academic journey as a graduate student at CAPLA. One of her proudest achievements? Designing a sensory garden for a children’s museum in her planting design class—a project that reflects her creativity and care for inclusive, engaging spaces.

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:

Connect with CAPLA Student Ambassadors