News & Headlines

CAPLA Student Reef Townsend earned national recognition for Arid Futures Pavilion, a design that explores how contemporary architecture can respond to the Sonoran Desert through thoughtful site integration, material choices and sustainability.

CAPLA Student Ella Parsons earned national recognition for Aguán, a project that looks to the Sonoran Desert’s longstanding building traditions to inform a sustainable relationship between architecture and the natural world.

This presentation explores the Tucson Mission Garden's history and the agricultural traditions of the many cultures that have farmed this land over time, and introduces the garden’s newer plots. Sadongei and Martinez discuss the challenges of growing food as Tucson’s seasons become hotter and drier, offering lessons that connect history, culture, and the future of sustainable food systems in the desert Southwest.

“ISAPD in Our Hands: Student Chapters Shaping the Future” explored how student chapters of the Indigenous Society of Architecture, Planning, and Design (ISAPD) can foster learning, cultural engagement, advocacy and professional growth within universities and their communities.

CAPLA is proud to announce Michael Grassinger MSUP '78 as its Alumnus of the Year. Grassinger will be recognized during CAPLA's Homecoming Garden Party on Friday, October 23 and at a university-wide celebration in March 2027.

Join us in welcoming Angela Person to CAPLA! In addition to her role as Professor of Architecture at CAPLA, she is also the new Executive Director of Museums & Community Engagement in the University of Arizona’s Office of Research & Partnerships. 

For Javi Barcelo, B.Arch ’27, architecture is deeply connected to place, culture and community. His City Immersion Scholarship gave him the opportunity to explore those connections firsthand in Mexico City, an experience that ultimately helped shape the direction of his capstone project.

For decades, the Lake Tahoe Basin has worked to balance preserving the region’s renowned natural beauty and recreational opportunities with accommodating the millions of visitors and growing communities drawn to the area. A team of researchers from the University of Arizona, University of Utah and Vancouver Island University is taking on that challenge through a two-year, $350,000 project to modernize Lake Tahoe’s sustainable recreation goals.

For many, the journey to becoming a Wildcat begins before they ever set foot in a classroom. It might start with a campus tour, a conversation with a student ambassador or a glimpse of Old Main. The Wildcat Welcome Center opened on Wednesday, Sept. 9, and has officially become a cornerstone of that experience. 

Powerhouse: The Engaged Regionalism of Judith Chafee’s Architecture explores the visionary work of architect Judith Chafee and her approach to integrating art, architecture, culture and environmental stewardship in the Southwest.

We’re excited to welcome several new faculty members to CAPLA this academic year, bringing fresh perspectives, expertise and energy to our community. Join us in welcoming these talented educators and scholars as they contribute to our teaching, research and the future of the built environment.

Fifth-year B.Arch student Rachel Hink gained hands-on experience in architecture and community engagement through her summer internship with BWS Architects. From contributing to site plans and project meetings to participating in CanStruction, a community outreach event benefiting the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, the experience gave Hink valuable insight into how architecture can serve and strengthen communities.