
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.

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.

CAPLA's [ABouT] Journal Reimagines Architectural Discourse with 'Change' Edition
The student-run [ABouT] journal is carrying forward the tradition of delving deep into architecture and design topics with the latest issue -- [ABouT] Change.

CAPLA Bids Farewell to Emilio Romero
The CAPLA community bids farewell to Angie Smith, the director of development, whose time with CAPLA was marked by immense growth, collaboration, and numerous achievements in fundraising efforts for the College.

In the News: Dr. Esther Sternberg Discusses Office Design Impact on Wellbeing, Productivity
University of Arizona professor of medicine Dr. Esther Sternberg, director of the Institute on Place, Well-being and Performance and research director at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, shares her research examining how work environments effect people's health and productivity.

Laura Carr, Ellen Worth Win 2024 Darryl D. Dobras Awards for Excellence
Senior Lecturer Laura Carr and Marketing Specialist Ellen Worth have been selected as recipients of the Darryl D. Dobras Award for Excellence, the highest annual honor for employees within the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture.

Drachman Institute, Southwest Partners Charts Path to Net Zero Urban Water Future
The "Achieving a Net Zero Urban Water Future Across the Southwest" workshop, funded by a National Science Foundation Research Coordination Network (RCN) grant, gathered academics, water managers, and government officials from Albuquerque, Denver, Los Angeles, and Tucson—areas reliant on the Colorado River.

New Beginnings: Julie Reed, Undergraduate Advising Coordinator
Julie Reed, CAPLA's new undergraduate advising coordinator, emphasizes utilizing available resources and seeking guidance when needed for student success. With a background in academic advising, she brings strong support and a passion for creativity and sustainability to the college community.

Three Teams Advance to 2024 Solar Decathlon Finals
The U.S. Department of Energy hosts the Solar Decathlon Design Challenge annually, which gathers students worldwide to present their teams' innovative technologies and designs aimed at fostering the development of the next generation of clean energy buildings. This year, teams from CAPLA will compete alongside students from 37 other universities worldwide, including some from as far as Tehran, Iran.

Interdisciplinary Authors Discuss Intersection of Health and the Built Environment in Their New Book
A new interdisciplinary book, "Measuring the Impact of the Built Environment on Health, Wellbeing, and Performance," explores how technology can gauge and enhance health in homes and offices. It offers insights, methodologies and pandemic-related considerations for optimizing building designs

Celebrating the Natural World: Myles Peña, Lecturer in Architecture
Myles Peña, Lecturer in Architecture at CAPLA, finds inspiration in celebrating nature's beauty within design. With a background in various architectural realms, he now focuses on teaching young minds, sharing his expertise in design principles and technical components.