
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.

Harlem Music Academy & Studios: Nikolas Altamura '21 B.Arch
Nikolas Altamura's Harlem Music Academy & Studios, winner of the AIA/School of Architecture Design Excellence highest honor for 2021, builds from the neighborhood's rich musical history to serve low-income, at-risk youth by providing access to expression through a music school proposed for a site in East Harlem.

Lecture Video: Rozana Montiel on 'Something for Nothing'
Rozana Montiel, founder and director of Rozana Montiel | Estudio de Arzquitectura (REA), joins us for the CAPLA Lecture Series on the topic of "Something for Nothing." View the video from Montiel's September 29, 2021 presentation.

Art, Design and Authentic Place: David D. Ortega '77 B.Arch
David D. Ortega, who is from Globe, Arizona and has lived and worked in Scottsdale since 1978, became the first architect and Latino mayor in the country when he was elected the 12th mayor of Scottsdale. He credits his background in architecture with informing his views as a civic leader.

UArizona Architecture Students Design a More Sustainable Tucson Thanks to CAPLA Partnership with GLHN
Since 2017, GLHN Architects & Engineers has sponsored and provided technical advising on four architecture studios designed to craft a more sustainable Tucson by the year 2050. This year, the focus turns to urban food systems.

The Architectural Laboratory of Frank Lloyd Wright
Associate Professor of Architectural History Lisa Schrenk shares the preface to her new book, The Oak Park Studio of Frank Lloyd Wright, which explores the suburban Chicago studio that served as one of the most important sites in the development of modern architecture in the United States.

Researchers from UArizona, ASU, UCLA and Aspen Global Change Institute Call for Attention to ‘Heat Governance’ to Protect Those Most at Risk from Extreme Heat
By implementing six guiding principles, researchers and decision-makers will not only address heat inequities but also create coordinated metrics and plans to adequately address extreme heat risks.

Accessibility for All: Irene Pineda ’22 MLA
Master of Landscape Architecture student Irene Pineda is from La Puente, California, located 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. She earned her BA in Communicative Disorders from San Francisco State University and served as a public school teacher before falling in love with the Sonoran Desert and joining the MLA program.

Advice for Aspiring Architects (from an Aspiring Architect): Gustavo Antonio Noriega ’20 B.Arch
Gustavo Antonio Noriega, who grew up in Sinaloa, Mexico, East Los Angeles and Tucson, graduated from UArizona at the height of the pandemic and following a sudden switch to online courses. In this interview, he offers advice to those just starting out in the architecture program, as well as those looking for their first jobs as they prepare for graduation.

Lecture Recap and Video: Jie Hu on 'Urban Design with Nature: Exploring Sustainable Urban Development in China'
Jie Hu, clinical professor of landscape architecture and chair of the Master of Sustainable Urban Design program at the University of Illinois, joins us for the CAPLA Lecture Series to discuss Shan-Shui City principles.