Projects & Other Work

“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.

Last spring, CAPLA students partnered with Community Gardens of Tucson to explore new possibilities for the Mary Meredith Community Garden. Led by Architecture Lecturer Chris Tucker, students in the BA.DAP program’s Spatial Design Studio developed design proposals for the garden’s school-side grounds, considering how the space could support children’s outdoor experiences and the surrounding ecosystem.

CAPLA’s Drachman Community Engaged Scholars Program is a new initiative that connects students with faculty mentors to work on projects that serve local communities. We asked this year’s students about their experience in the program and how it has impacted their lives.

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. 

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 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.

CAPLA faculty, students and researchers joined SCORCH’s Greenspaces and Health Photovoice Study, a participatory project that invited community members to document how parks, trees and other green spaces shape their health and daily lives. The collaboration highlights CAPLA’s interdisciplinary approach to research and design, connecting community voices, public health and the built environment.

Nataliya Apanovich, a CAPLA lecturer, won the Gerald J. Swanson Prize for Teaching Excellence. She’s known for innovative, student-centered, community-focused sustainability education.

As Tucson works to address its housing shortage, research from the University of Arizona's Drachman Institute is helping guide key policy decisions. Assistant Research Professor Bill Mackey's work on zoning, land use and housing regulations is providing city leaders with research-based options to increase housing opportunities across the city.

University of Arizona alumnus and faculty member Ladd Keith has become a nationally recognized leader in extreme heat resilience, translating research into policies that help communities adapt to rising temperatures. His work has shaped federal and international heat governance while advancing the university's land-grant mission of creating practical solutions for society.

Anselmo Vinhas, CAPLA’s Class of 2026, reflects on growth, favorite projects (3D-printed housing for Angola), cherished memories, and his next steps: U.S. experience and launching a business in Angola.

Nathan Becenti ‘25 M.Arch founded CAPLA’s ISAPD chapter, mentored Indigenous students, and now works at Line and Space, empowering future architects.