The Studio
How the CAPLA community is building a changing world.
In The Studio, you'll find stories, thought leadership, profiles, and project narratives and galleries by and about the CAPLA community of faculty, staff, alumni and students.
The Studio
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Leading Women in Architecture Society: Pele Kruse ‘26 B.Arch
Pele Kruse, Class of 2026, is earning her Bachelor of Architecture as the first Samoan student in the program. Passionate about sustainable, community-focused design, she’s dedicated to uplifting underrepresented communities through architecture. As president of the Women in Architecture Society and a standout in studio projects, Pele is preparing to return home and help shape the future of architecture in American Samoa.
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Clare Robinson and Kelly Eitzen Smith honored with 2025 Darryl B. Dobras Awards
Clare Robinson and Kelly Eitzen Smith are the 2025 recipients of the Darryl B. Dobras Awards for Excellence. Robinson was recognized for her leadership in the School of Architecture, while Eitzen Smith was honored for her work supporting accreditation and assessment in the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning.
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Architecture Student Helps Reconstruct Ancient Greek History
Architecture student Gene King is helping digitally reconstruct ancient Greek buildings at Mt. Lykaion, Greece, using a mix of classical research and modern tools like AutoCAD. Her work blends design, history, and technology, and has reshaped how she views modern architecture.
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Drachman Institute celebrates community partners, impact
The Drachman Institute recognized 28 community leaders nominated by CAPLA faculty for their outstanding collaboration and leadership across diverse organizations. These awardees represent a wide range of sectors, including local government, nonprofits, and tribal communities, highlighting the strong partnerships fostered through the Drachman Institute.
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Alumna and Architect Diane Reicher Jacobs Shares Journey and ‘Triple Dare’ with Graduates
Architect and alumna Diane Reicher Jacobs, FAIA '88 shared during her convocation address her unconventional path into architecture and the core values that have guided her work: truth, beauty, and love. She encouraged graduates to embrace the uncertainty ahead with curiosity and care, ending with a heartfelt “triple dare” to go forth and build better places.
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Projects
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Course: ARC 201 | Professors Christopher Domin, Oscar Lopez, Stefan Mostert, Mike Silver, and Siri Trumble | Students: Ava Beveridge & Katie Sweiven
Gather Light: Ava Beveridge '28 & Katie Sweiven ‘28 B.Arch
For the ARC 201 Design Studio, students worked on defining a shadow caster threshold in a publicly accessible space. The "Gather Light" project was led by professors Christopher Domin, Oscar Lopez, Stefan Mostert, Mike Silver, and Siri Trumble.
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Museum of the All Souls Procession: Merle Weisshaupt '26 B.Arch
The architecture of Tucson's Museum of the All Souls Procession serves as a daily reminder of multicultural strength, bridging past and future. The museum's design embodies the procession, uniting history and modernity with weathered steel and wood, mirroring the cyclical renewal of tradition.
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The Temporal Passage: Jacob Downard '22 B.Arch
The architecture of The Temporal Passage responds to the site's volcanic conditions by being conceptually rooted in scale, time and the moving materials of our living earth in an attempt to convey the magnitude of these natural forces. It further explores the spatial and conceptual juxtapositions between the human-operated straight line and the ensured chaos of nature.