Architecture in the Time of COVID-19: CAPLA Students and Faculty Adjust to Online Learning

Sept. 2, 2020
What
Arizona Daily Wildcat Article Featuring Architecture Assistant Professor of Practice Teresa Rosano and CAPLA Students Anisa Hermosilla '21 B.Arch and Valerie Rauh '22 B.Arch
Image
CAPLA Building at twilight

In a September 1 article in The Daily Wildcat, College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture students Anisa Hermosilla '21 B.Arch and Valerie Rauh '22 B.Arch discuss the challenges and opportunities for moving hands-on architecture courses, such as design studio and site planning, into an online format due to COVID-19.

“When it comes to our studio course, we rely more on each other than our professors,” Hermosillo says in the article. “Our professors are there for commentary and directing us.”

Rauh adds: “Definitely being able to see everyone else’s work. I miss being able to ask [other students] questions and see what they’re doing.”

Assistant Professor of Practice in Architecture Teresa Rosano notes that she "spent the summer asking her students for feedback on their courses to better prepare for the fall," and is focusing on behind adaptable.

And while challenges remain, “[b]oth professors and students have tried a variety of methods to replicate the studio environment," the article states. “Rosano has employed breakout rooms, discussion boards, Google Docs and image-sharing platform Wakelet to help students be able to share their ideas, inspirations and projects with one another.”

Read the full article on The Daily Wildcat.

  

Subscribe to The Studio

Sign up for CAPLA's monthly e-newsletter to get the latest news and events, insights from faculty and leadership, profiles of students and alumni and more.

Subscribe Now

Latest CAPLA News, Projects and Profiles

Image
Jackie Hogan Headshot

Research-Based Approach to Architecture: Jackie Hogan M.Arch + MS.Arch ‘25

Jackie Hogan (’25 M.Arch + MS.Arch) is a dual-degree graduate of CAPLA whose work bridges architectural practice and research-driven design. Drawn to architectural history, theory and ethics, she pursued the M.Arch + MS.Arch dual degree to explore how research can shape meaningful design decisions. During her time at CAPLA, she engaged in community-centered design through Laura Carr’s studio working with the Tuba City community and completed a thesis examining architecture’s role in disaster relief and climate-related emergencies. Now working at Line + Space, Hogan brings an evidence-based approach to projects, applying research to create thoughtful spaces that connect people, culture and the environment.

Image
Block Up

CAPLA Lecturer and Alumni Win 2025 AIA Arizona Ideas Competition

Senior Lecturer in Architecture Oscar Lopez and three CAPLA alumni won first place in the 2025 AIA Arizona Ideas Competition for their proposal “BLOCK UP.” The project reimagines the urban tower as a vertical civic framework for Phoenix, integrating public space, housing and climate-responsive design into a shared, adaptable structure. Developed through close collaboration between Lopez and alumni Sal Arellano, Trevor Watson and Cameron Noble, the proposal explores how density can expand community and access beyond the street level, highlighting CAPLA’s impact on forward-thinking, civic-minded design in Arizona.

Image
The white facade of Mission San Xavier del Bac is seen against a clear blue sky. A paved path leading to the mission passes through an earthen wall fronted by cactus and other desert plants.

Rehabilitation of the Retablo Facade at San Xavier del Bac | Lecture by Starr Herr-Cardillo

Learn about ongoing work to preserve decorative finishes and restore missing and damaged elements of the retablo facade of Mission San Xavier del Bac. This work is supported by the Semiquincentennial Grant Program, administered by the National Park Service.