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.
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.
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.
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.
Lecturer Christopher Tucker wins AIA Design Pedagogy Award for innovative Abiotic Studio
Christopher Tucker, a lecturer in architecture at CAPLA, received the American Institute of Architects’ Design Pedagogy Award for his Abiotic Studio, a fourth-year course that challenges students to engage with ecological realities and reimagine post-industrial landscapes through more-than-human perspectives.
Transforming Cooper Center Cabins Through Sustainable Design
CAPLA students, alumni and faculty are redesigning the Cooper Center’s aging cabins to create more sustainable, student-friendly spaces.
Jesus Robles Showcases Tucson-Inspired Work at the Venice Biennale
Jesus Robles, an Assistant Professor of Practice and co-founder of the architecture studio DUST, was selected to showcase Tucson-inspired work at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, one of the world’s leading platforms for design innovation.
Alumna Helen J. Kessler ’75 establishes travel fellowship endowment to expand learning opportunities
The Helen J. Kessler, FAIA International Travel Fellowship will provide CAPLA students with transformative international learning experiences. Kessler ’75 B.Arch created the endowment to share the impact that global travel and study had on her own career.
Lecture Recap | Essence: A Lecture by coLAB Studio
Speakers from coLAB studio discussed the intrinsic nature and indispensable quality that determines an individual's character as a designer.
Reimagining the Colorado River in the context of Water Management in Arizona | Lecture by Kathy Jacobs
The Colorado River is the backbone of water management in the southwest, serving seven states and Mexico. Ongoing drought conditions that are linked to climate change threaten Colorado River water deliveries to Arizona, but also provide an opportunity to rethink the allocation of water rights and to focus on a more sustainable approach to management.
Teresa Rosano Receives Dual Honors at the 2025 AIA Arizona Design Awards
In November, Associate Professor Teresa Rosano received two top honors at the 2025 AIA Arizona Design Awards: the Architects Medal and a Community Design Award for a student-led capstone project. The recognized project—the Tucson Hope Factory Micro Shelter Village—aims to support unhoused communities in Southern Arizona through a collaborative, student-designed micro-shelter prototype.