The CAPLA Student Experience
At College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, you'll find the tight-knit, supportive community you need to thrive.
Though you may join us at CAPLA because you want to become an architect, designer, landscape architect, real estate developer, urban planner or sustainability manager, you'll find much more to the student experience than just classes and career prep.
As a small college in a large Research 1 university, we offer a unique, collaborative and hands-on environment for learning how to plan, develop, design and create a more sustainable future. Are you ready to build a changing world?
At CAPLA, you feel like you are part of something bigger than yourself, which encourages you to be the best version of yourself.
Emma Nakpairat '24 BLA
Design Your Experience
No matter your major or your areas of interest, you'll be sure to find a club that suits your needs. CAPLA's student organizations facilitate cross-disciplinary activities, provide leadership for greater student involvement in service projects, organize an array of events and work with professional affiliates on local projects and networking.
Our world-class Materials Lab allows students to explore, model, fabricate and test design ideas in a state-of-the-art environment with equipment accommodating a wide range of materials, including metal, wood, concrete, ceramics, glass and plastics. With CNC tools, the labs support digital as well as analog fabrication.
We think you’ll agree that Tucson—a quirky, authentic community that is the multicultural heart of the Sonoran Desert—is the coolest desert city in the world. Named one of the 12 best places to live by Outside magazine because of our striking natural setting, Tucson is not easily defined but is easily loved.
Design Reviews: Inside the Critique Process for CAPLA Students
Reviews and critiques are an essential component of the design thinking and learning process for many CAPLA students. We've put together a series of videos from students and faculty that will help you learn about the importance of critiques, what they look like, how to prepare, tips for after a critique and how reviews have been adapted for a post-pandemic world.
CAPLA Student Profiles
Meet a few of CAPLA's students by viewing their student profiles. You'll find a rich mix of backgrounds and experiences create a diverse and dynamic student community:
Rodeo Grounds Reimagined: Abigail Power ‘26 BLA
Abigail Power ‘26 B.LA recently reimagined the entry plaza of the Tucson Rodeo Grounds in LAR301, a studio led by CAPLA faculty Erik Schmahl and Kirk Dimond. Inspired by vaquero herding techniques, her design blends cultural history with ecological function through detailed plans, GIS mapping, and a physical model.
Ecological Cookbook: Gabriel Garcia ‘26 B.Arch
In ARC410F, Gabriel Garcia '26 B.Arch explored the intersection of architecture and ecology by designing with the Sonoran Desert’s spadefoot toad in mind. His ecological cookbook documents the species’ behavior, habitat needs, and environmental context, guiding a design approach rooted in sustainability and nonhuman-centered thinking.
Learning from the Best: Isabella Cleopatra de Sousa Proulx '25 B.LA
Isabella Cleopatra de Sousa Proulx ‘25 B.LA recently completed an internship with Universal Studios in Orlando, where she contributed to the highly anticipated Epic Universe theme park, opening in May 2025.
CAPLA Student Work
View a sampling of the design work and class projects created by CAPLA students:
CAPLA students reimagine accessible architecture through Universal Design
Bachelor of Architecture students were recognized in the 2024 AGM Universal Design Student Awards for innovative projects that centered empathy, accessibility, and the human experience. Winning designs by Taranm Akbary and Sadey Bowles reimagined inclusive spaces in Bisbee, showcasing how Universal Design can elevate both creativity and community impact.
MS.Arch Grad’s Research Award Signals Bright Future
As Montse Estrany Bover graduates with a Master of Science in Architecture from CAPLA, she leaves with a prestigious research award for her thesis on Catalunya’s historic agricultural landscapes. Now working at an architecture firm in Spain, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. to continue blending research and practice.
CAPLA celebrates World Landscape Architecture Month
In celebration of World Landscape Architecture Month, CAPLA and the Arizona Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects student chapter are taking over the Arizona ASLA Instagram account in April.
Ask a Student About Their CAPLA Experience
Find out what it’s like to be a CAPLA student first-hand. Reach out to any of our student ambassadors, who are glad to answer your questions about the studio experience, faculty interaction, student life and more: