Community Connection: Lesley Peréz ‘26 MSUP & ‘27 MS.Arch
Lesley Peréz (’26 MSUP, ’27 MS.Arch) is a dual-degree graduate student at CAPLA committed to advancing equity through design and policy. Inspired by her upbringing in East Los Ángeles, her work focuses on creating accessible, community-centered spaces where people can thrive. At CAPLA, she has served as a student ambassador, contributed to housing policy research with ARCHES, and engaged in community outreach through the Indigenous Society of Architecture, Planning and Design—shaping a future career in planning, transportation, and design at local and global scales.
CAPLA Planning Faculty, Recent Alumna Study TUSD’s Climate Impact
A report led by Associate Professor Philip Stoker and alumna Alyssa Fink delivers the most comprehensive climate assessment of Tucson Unified School District’s 2024 operations to date. The study establishes a greenhouse gas baseline and outlines strategies to reduce emissions, energy use and costs, supporting the district’s sustainability goals. Sponsored by Jobs With Justice, the project also highlights the impact of student-led, community-based research.
Sustainable Returns: Anthony Van Dao '22 BS SBE
Anthony Van Dao, who grew up in Tucson, entered CAPLA's Sustainable Built Environments program after coming to UArizona first as a B.Arch student. After taking time off and realizing his passion was sustainability, he returned to UArizona for the SBE program.
Blueprint for Entrepreneurship: Innovative Architect Diane Reicher Jacobs ’88 B.Arch on Starting Your Own Firm
Diane Reicher Jacobs ’88 B.Arch left behind a successful trajectory in corporate architecture to start architecture firm Holly Street Studio in 1999. Here, she shares three valuable entrepreneurial lessons she's learned for designers and others striking out on their own.
Beyond the Studio: Courtney Crosson, Associate Professor of Architecture and Director, Drachman Institute
Assistant Professor of Architecture Courtney Crosson joined CAPLA in 2016. She enjoys connecting students’ academic knowledge with real projects in the community, with a particular focus on water in the built environment and community outreach.
Associate Professor of Architectural History Lisa Schrenk Provides Historic Context for Phoenix Home & Garden Story About Post-COVID-19
How will Phoenix, Arizona rise from the ashes of COVID-19? That's the question Phoenix Home & Garden magazine asked local design professionals for an August 3, 2020 story—including CAPLA's Lisa Schrenk, associate professor of architectural history.
Planning Associate Professor Arlie Adkins Discusses Pedestrian Fatalities in Arizona NPR Feature
Arlie Adkins, CAPLA associate professor of urban planning, provides insight on the pre-pandemic increase in pedestrian deaths in an August 28, 2020 Arizona Public Media (NPR) story in The Buzz titled "Revising the Danger to pedestrians in Tucson."
Architecture in the Time of COVID-19: CAPLA Students and Faculty Adjust to Online Learning
In a September 1 article in The Daily Wildcat, CAPLA faculty and students discuss measures to make hands-on studio courses work in an online setting, particularly in light of how students learn so much from each other in studio.
As Rural Western Towns Grow, So Do Their Planning Challenges
A new study by Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture and Planning Philip Stoker examines the planning challenges that residents and officials in the rural mountain American West have been watching unfold for years at "gateway communities."
UArizona College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture and Ascension Wheelchair Lifts Partner to Promote Universal Design
Architecture students in the CAPLA Integrations of Place Studio will learn about accessibility and universal design and have the opportunity to win $5,000 in prizes thanks to sponsorship by Ascension Wheelchair Lifts.
Meeting the Sustainability Challenge—on Earth and Beyond: Suzanne Ries ’21 BS SBE
Suzanne Ries, who is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, entered CAPLA's Sustainable Built Environments program after coming to UArizona first as a B.Arch student. After a car accident that required an intense recovery process, she made the difficult decision to switch majors—igniting a passion for sustainable buildings and much more.