
Professor Bob Vint designs The Loft Cinema expansion
Tucson’s cherished independent nonprofit art-house theater, The Loft Cinema, is expanding—and leading the project is Bob Vint, assistant professor of practice at the School of Architecture.

Dean Nancy Pollock-Ellwand shares how global perspectives shape design on ‘International Exchange’
A Canadian and global academic leader, Dean Nancy Pollock-Ellwand reflects on her time in Japan and Australia, her work with UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the connection between culture and design—highlighting how emotion and global perspectives influence the built environment and the classroom.

Lecture Recap and Video: Jesus M Barajas on 'Equity in Project Prioritization and Planning at State and Regional Transportation Agencies'
Jesus M. Barajas shares findings from research about how departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations are addressing equity in their planning and project prioritization processes in this CAPLA Lecture Series lecture.

Building Immersive Environments: Erika Schmidt '20 BS SBE, '23 M.Arch
Erika Schmidt, who is originally from Maryland but grew up in Sahuarita, Arizona, graduated from CAPLA's BS in Sustainable Built Environments at the beginning of the pandemic. A sudden shift in career possibilities led her to enroll in the Master of Architecture program, but her passions for performance and design remain.

CAPLA Professor on Heat Mitigation and Management in the Southwest and the Broader Workforce
Leading extreme heat expert Ladd Keith, an assistant professor of planning and sustainable built environments in CAPLA, was interviewed for recent articles in The Hill and Arizona Science, an NPR radio program.

Reimagining the City in a Changing World: UArizona Hosts Inaugural Urban Humanities Global (Un)Conference
The inaugural Urban Humanities Global (Un)Conference held in Tucson March 3-5, 2023 will draw close to a hundred scholars, practitioners and community leaders to the Sonoran Desert to chart a path forward for the next generation of spatial transdisciplinary research, design and public engagement.

Lecture Recap and Video: Gulsah Akar on 'Determinants of Sustainability Mobility Patterns Among Older Adults'
Gulsah Akar focuses on the factors that lead to sustainable mobility patterns among older adults in this CAPLA Lecture Series lecture.

UArizona Students Take Home Top Honors in International Theme Park Design Competition
The UArizona Theme Park Entertainment Group, comprised of CAPLA and College of Engineering students, received the highest commendation overall—with distinctions for technical skill, feasibility, innovation and communication—at the esteemed Toronto Met Thrill Design Invitational held last fall at Universal Orlando Resort.

UArizona Distinguished Professor Mary Hardin Wins ACSA Design-Build Award for Stadium Rowhouses
University Distinguished Professor of Architecture Mary Hardin has been awarded an ACSA 2023 Design-Build Award for Stadium Rowhouses: Macro to Micro. One of just four national Design-Build Award recipients, Hardin leads hands-on design-build projects with undergraduate and graduate architecture students at UArizona.

A Passion for Solving Student Challenges: Sean Kramer-Lazar, Senior Academic Advisor
Sean Kramer-Lazar joined CAPLA in 2016, and now serves as a senior academic advisor, providing support for undergraduate students entering the BS Sustainable Built Environments (main campus and online) and Bachelor of Landscape Architecture programs. Learn more about Sean and his work and other passions in this profile.

The Key to Healthier Employees Could be a Quieter, or Louder, Office Space
A new study by researchers including Esther Sternberg, professor of architecture, landscape architecture and planning (joint appointment), suggests that too much—or too little—office noise has a negative effect on employee wellbeing. The sweet spot? About 50 decibels, comparable to moderate rain or birdsong.