Community Initiatives

Student EMTs Find New Home in Rowhouse Designed and Built by Architecture Students
A new rowhouse, designed and built by undergraduate students as part of CAPLA Design/Build, proved to be the "perfect fit" for a student EMS team. The rowhouse, which is the first of several under design and construction, opened in Summer 2020.

Equitable Green Infrastructure Research Led by Architecture Assistant Professor Courtney Crosson Featured in ScienceDaily
Research exploring the potential of green infrastructure for mitigating flood impacts, particularly related to the mobility of low-income and minority communities, was published in a National Institute for Transportation and Communities report led by Courtney Crosson and featured in ScienceDaily.

UArizona Urban Planning Graduate Student Project Helps City of Tucson Address Displacement Risk, Wins State Planning Award
Students from the CAPLA’s MS Urban Planning program have been recognized by the American Planning Association Arizona chapter for their work with the City of Tucson on planning and policy responses to displacement and gentrification.

Park(ing) Day 2020: Physically Distanced but Socially Connected
Park(ing) Day 2020, an annual worldwide event that encourages landscape architects, community members and students to transform metered parking spaces into temporary parklets, brought together MLA and BLA student's for CAPLA's project on Tucson's 4th Avenue.

Tucson Verde Para Todos: CAPLA Faculty and Landscape Architecture Students Engage South Tucson Community through Green Infrastructure
Tucson Verde para Todos aims to address injustices around green infrastructure by promoting a strategy to address inequities in green infrastructure funding, siting and implementation through collaborative, participatory community engagement, as at Star Academic High School.

CAPLA Heritage Conservation Project Director Guides Urban Planning Graduates and Neighbors in Creating a Cultural Asset App for Tucson
Each year Helen Erickson brings together graduate students in her preservation planning course with neighborhood residents on a project designed to benefit the community. This year they created the Tucson Community Treasures app.

Sustainability Laboratory and Urban Garden (SLUG) at CITY High School
Designed by CAPLA Assistant Professor of Architecture Christopher Trumble and Washington University in St. Louis Associate Professor of Urban Design Linda Samuels and built with CAPLA students and others, CITY High School's Sustainability Laboratory and Urban Garden (SLUG) converted an unusable alleyway into a dynamic, multipurpose space.

Paulus Musters Leads CAPLA Design Thinking (and Building) Efforts to Protect Healthcare Providers from COVID-19
As part of the Arizona Makers Fighting COVID-19 group, Materials Labs Manager Paulus Musters is using CAPLA facilities and tools such as laser cutters and 3D printers to create face shields, aerosol boxes and face mask frames to protect healthcare workers and first responders.

CAPLA Architectural History Professor Opens Women in Architecture: The Legacy of the Bauhaus in the U.S. Exhibition in Phoenix
The Women in Architecture: The Legacy of the Bauhaus in the United States exhibition curated by Lisa Schrenk is on display in the Gallery of the Arizona chapter office of the American Institute of Architects in Phoenix through March 12.

Drachman Design Build Coalition Residence 4
The Drachman Design-Build Coalition Residence 4 is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom residence of 1200 square feet in area. This residence combines thermal mass Integra-block with light gauge steel frame plus insulation.

Drachman Design Build Coalition Residence 3
The Drachman Design-Build Coalition Residence 3 is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom residence of 1200 square feet in area. The main building features include two courtyards that allow natural light and ventilation to reach all habitable spaces, a sliding wall panel that enables reconfiguration of interior space, a super-insulated building envelope, and innovative use of polycarbonate sheathing.

Trombe Wall House
The Trombe Wall House is a three bedroom, 2 bath residence of 1300 square feet in area. It was designed and constructed by School of Architecture faculty (Mary Hardin and David Bullaro) and students in 2013-2014.

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