Faculty-led, student-powered research advances heat and health innovation
Third-year B.Arch student Brett Lewis earned first place in the poster competition at the 2026 Big Idea Challenge Research Showcase for his work on a climate-responsive cooling unit developed in CAPLA’s Human Factors and Wellness class. M.Arch student Nick Yang also received fully funded National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-Corps+) training, reflecting the growing impact of faculty-led, student-powered research at CAPLA.
Class of 2026: ‘Shaping how people live’
Francisco Zazueta, B.Arch '26, was recently featured by Arizona Public Media for a story as much about perseverance as it is about design.
Architecture Lecturer Sandra Bernal-Cordova Named USGBC Women in Green 2020 'Shero' for September
The U.S. Green Building Council recognizes “Women in Green Sheroes”—women who “demonstrate how the power of purpose can shape our lives, our careers and our changing world.” This month, the honor was bestowed upon CAPLA Lecturer in Architecture Sandra Bernal-Cordova.
Poetics of Space: Jesús Edmundo Robles Jr, Assistant Professor of Practice in Architecture
Assistant Professor of Practice in Architecture Jesús Edmundo Robles Jr, who teaches Techne 2 and second-year studios and is a principal at DUST Architects, has a focus that "oscillates between sustainable material development and poetics of space."
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."