CAPLA Lecturer Valerie Lane Aims to Accelerate Tucson Casita Construction

Sept. 6, 2023
Who
Valerie Lane, Senior Lecturer in Architecture
What
Leading new Tucson-based business partnership working to help the community meet supplementary and affordable housing needs.
Where
Tucson and Pima County, Arizona
Image
Infill casita

The Urban Infill Project's "Lumen" accessory dwelling unit, available in studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom models. Image courtesy Valerie Lane.

 
In a story published on July 29, 2023, Arizona Daily Star highlighted a new Tucson-based business partnership working to help the community meet supplementary and affordable housing needs. One of these passionate individuals is University of Arizona College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture Senior Lecturer in Architecture
Valerie Lane.

Image
Valerie Lane

Valerie Lane, Senior Lecturer in Architecture.

The Urban Infill Project, established in 2023, provides pre-permitted accessory dwelling unit (ADU) designs that are ideal for homeowners seeking to add flexibility to their property. Lane and her partner, development liaison Lisa Bowers, have worked to cultivate relationships with the City of Tucson and Pima County, resulting in a streamlined permitting process for ADUs, enhancing accessibility to the community.

In the article, Bowers says of her co-founder, “Valerie brings creativity and design to it. Many people will use the ADU designs for intergenerational living, and she understands how people move around the home.”

“The Urban Infill Project is not just about housing, it’s about the incredible people of Tucson,” says Lane. “We believe in the power of community and the capacity to thrive when individuals have the freedom to adapt their homes to changing needs. Our mission is to provide the tools, guidance and support to Tucson homeowners, enabling them to shape their own living spaces while fostering a sense of belonging within their communities.”

Read the full article here.

Lane, who graduated from CAPLA with her Bachelor of Architecture in 2008, is a licensed architect who began teaching in the UArizona Master of Architecture program in 2014 and the B.Arch program in 2015. She currently teaches architecture studio courses. Lane is also the owner of FixCity, an architectural firm, and Valley Alley Development.

  

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.