The Studio
How the CAPLA community is building a changing world.
In The Studio, you'll find stories, thought leadership, profiles, and project narratives and galleries by and about the CAPLA community of faculty, staff, alumni and students.
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New CAPLA Dual Degree Program Connects Architecture and Urban Planning
Sarena Rabinowitz, one of the first students in CAPLA’s new MS.Arch/MSUP dual degree, is combining architecture, planning and research to shape community-centered design.
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Internship in Action: School to Studio
An interview with Josh, an architecture student from Phoenix studying at the University of Arizona, and Rob, a Tucson architect and U of A alum.
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Michael Grassinger named CAPLA 2026 Alumnus of the Year
CAPLA is proud to announce Michael Grassinger MSUP '78 as its Alumnus of the Year. Grassinger will be recognized during CAPLA's Homecoming Garden Party on Friday, October 23 and at a university-wide celebration in March 2027.
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Architecture with an Historical Emphasis: Angela Person, Professor of Architecture
Join us in welcoming Angela Person to CAPLA! In addition to her role as Professor of Architecture at CAPLA, she is also the new Executive Director of Museums & Community Engagement in the University of Arizona’s Office of Research & Partnerships.
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Hands-On Practice: Drachman Institute Community Engaged Scholars
CAPLA’s Drachman Community Engaged Scholars Program is a new initiative that connects students with faculty mentors to work on projects that serve local communities. We asked this year’s students about their experience in the program and how it has impacted their lives.
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Projects
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Philip Stoker Leads Effort to Modernize Lake Tahoe’s Sustainable Recreation Plan
For decades, the Lake Tahoe Basin has worked to balance preserving the region’s renowned natural beauty and recreational opportunities with accommodating the millions of visitors and growing communities drawn to the area. A team of researchers from the University of Arizona, University of Utah and Vancouver Island University is taking on that challenge through a two-year, $350,000 project to modernize Lake Tahoe’s sustainable recreation goals.
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A Love Letter to the U of A: Laura Vertes, B.Arch '03 Designs the Wildcat Welcome Center
For many, the journey to becoming a Wildcat begins before they ever set foot in a classroom. It might start with a campus tour, a conversation with a student ambassador or a glimpse of Old Main. The Wildcat Welcome Center opened on Wednesday, Sept. 9, and has officially become a cornerstone of that experience.
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CAPLA Professor Michael Kothke Wins AIA Award for Casa Luce
CAPLA Professor Michael Kothke and Kathy Hancox won a national AIA Interior Architecture Award for Casa Luce, a Tucson renovation honoring adaptive reuse, sustainability, and the Sonoran Desert.