PARK(ing) Day 2018

Sept. 25, 2018
Overview
PARK(ing) Day is an annual event in that encourages community members, students, and designers to transform metered parking spaces into temporary parklets.
Who
Master of Landscape Architecture Students and members of the Tucson community.
What
Park(ing) Day 2018.
Where
Parking spaces around the world.
Image

Master of Landscape Architecture students in the ASLA Student Chapter participated in the annual PARK(ing) Day event, with their popup park installation "Secret CARden" on 4th Avenue. They took over a metered spot between 6th and 7th Streets in front of Cafe Passé, transforming it into a small park space. The installation included plant materials and seating, the "CAPLA Cruiser," and materials to make a wildflower seed ball.

Signage informed visitors about the installation:

This parklet is a sneaky little garden workshop on a busy downtown Tucson Street. Our goal is to provide 4th Ave passersby with: some comfy seating and conversation; a place to eat their lunch or snack from nearby partner businesses; the option of making a seed ball to take home, plant, and care for, and a chance to interact with native plants.

Throughout the day, upwards of 50 people stopped by to make wildflower seed balls and talk with students about everything from public art, to native plants, to community livability. 

Image

According to ASLA Student Chapter President Nichole Caseber, "It was definitely a success! I feel it brought a lot of life and joy to everyone who interacted with us, and sparked a lot of curiosity and inspiration about how to improve and create new public space in our community."

All plants were donated by local nurseries and will be re-donated to a high school in South Tucson. All materials were borrowed, recycled, or built from scraps

Image

  

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
Francisco Zazueta

A Force to be Reckoned With: Francisco Zazueta ‘26 B.Arch

Francisco Zazueta, a fifth-year Bachelor of Architecture student at CAPLA, was awarded the 2025 Presidential Citation by the AIA Southern Arizona Chapter for his leadership as president of the AIA Student Chapter. Recognized for his optimism and dedication to strengthening connections between students and professionals, his work focuses on mentorship, community engagement, and expanding opportunities for architecture students. Through initiatives with NOMAS and AIAS, Zazueta uses leadership and design to support a more connected, just, and resilient architectural community.

Image
Beth Weinstein

Professor Beth Weinstein Promotes Book in Europe

Professor Beth Weinstein has been promoting her 2024 book on collaborations between architects and choreographers across Europe while researching the Centre d’Identification de Vincennes (CIV), a former internment site in Paris. Her work combines archival methods and community engagement through lectures, walks, and publications, aiming to raise awareness and achieve official recognition of the CIV as a memorial site.

Image
arc 201

Gather Light: ARC 201

Students in CAPLA’s ARC 201 studio, guided by faculty including Christopher Domin and others, completed the "Gather Light" project focused on understanding and designing in harmony with the Sonoran Desert environment. Through observation, drawing, and modeling, students explored how light, nature, and architecture interact. Key activities involved studying desert plants, translating their forms into design systems, and developing canopies that filter light and enhance outdoor spaces. The project emphasized hands-on learning, teamwork, and iterative design using 2D and 3D representations to create thoughtful architectural interventions that respect and respond to the desert landscape.