News & Headlines

For John Hagenah, B.Arch. ’76, and his wife, Dana, the impact of a single act of generosity was the inspiration to establish a scholarship at the University of Arizona College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (CAPLA).

Two teams from CAPLA earned national recognition, taking first place and runner-up in the Design & Construction category of the 2026 Hack-a-House Competition. The national competition challenges students to develop innovative solutions to solve the affordable housing crisis.

Associate Professor of Real Estate Planning and Development Daniel Kuhlmann was recently appointed the Master of Real Estate Development Program Chair. He shared how he wants to guide the program in the years to come.

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.