Our Awards

The College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture is proud to acknowledge August and Gina Benzien as the 2023-2024 Alumni of the Year. The Benziens are among 15 alumni chosen from across the University of Arizona who will be honored during the Alumni of the Year Awards Ceremony on February 22.

Third-year Bachelor of Architecture students, mentored by Teresa Rosano and faculty, participated in a universal design awards program with AGM Container Controls, Ascension Wheelchair Lifts, and CAPLA. The challenge was to design a performance center in Bisbee, Arizona, fostering inclusivity.

CAPLA Lecturer Sandra Bernal was honored with the 2023 Darryl D. Dobras Award for Excellence, CAPLA's highest annual honor for employees.

CAPLA faculty excelled in City of Tucson's Casita Model Plan Competition, clinching spots in the top 10 designs, showcasing their innovative contributions to housing solutions in the community.

In a showcase of architectural excellence, CAPLA earned prestigious accolades at the 2023 AIA Arizona Design Awards. The distinguished recognition extends to not only the exceptional faculty but also talented students and accomplished alumni, reinforcing CAPLA's commitment to excellence in design and innovation within the architectural landscape.

MSUP student Ash Avila received the prestigious Dwight D. Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship, allowing her to explore the urban planning and transportation field, with a focus on climate and urban issues. Her long-term plan involves working on city government initiatives and pursuing a Ph.D. in the field.

Laura Carr, a Senior Lecturer in Architecture at the College of Architecture, Planning & Landscape Architecture, is part of a team that secured a $200,000 grant for the Native People's Design Coalition. This grant will support their efforts in collaborating with tribal communities to plan and design sustainable and resilient built environments.

Arthur C. Nelson, an emeritus professor of urban planning and real estate development, has received the Western Planner 2023 Stan Steadman Article of the Year award for his “Homes on the Range” article series.

The Ephemeral Essence of Plant + Place, a habitat garden designed for a community park by Krista Planinac '23 MLA, has been selected for the AzASLA Student Award of Excellence, which recognizes outstanding academic achievement.

Bo Yang, an award-winning professor of landscape architecture and urban planning and associate dean for research in CAPLA, has been named an ASLA Fellow for his "exceptional contributions to the landscape architecture profession and society at large."

Laura Hollengreen, associate dean for academic affairs at CAPLA, has been awarded the Ted and Shirley Taubeneck Superior Teaching Award for her Humanities Seminar Program course, Localizing the Sacred: Medieval Christian Architecture and Art. The annual award is based solely on student evaluations.

Two B.Arch student teams made the finals of this year's Solar Decathlon Design Challenge, while the Casa Verde team took third place in the Attached Housing Division. As much as we tout the students’ success, however, the more significant impact is on the students themselves.