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.
The Sky is the Limit: Tiara Stephen '24 MS Urban Planning
Master of Science in Urban Planning student Tiara Stephen came to Tucson from Brooklyn to explore the Desert Southwest and work at the University of Arizona. Not long after, she joined the MSUP program, furthering her passions for affordable housing and community access.
UArizona Architecture Undergraduate Student Provides Insight for Efforts to Improve Bike Safety in Tucson
Fourth-year B.Arch student Cassidy Frost, an avid cyclist, was interviewed in a recent Arizona Daily Star article on how Tucson hopes to make cycling safer and more accessible.
UArizona Bachelor of Architecture Program Receives Zero Energy Design Designation from U.S. Department of Energy
CAPLA’s B.Arch has earned the prestigious U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Design Designation (ZEDD), which recognizes academic programs that teach best practices of zero energy design and require students to apply those concepts in zero energy design projects.
Drachman Institute Will Help Establish New Center to Study Housing Equity and Sustainability with $3M Federal Grant
Researchers from the UArizona Drachman Institute, along with colleagues from ASU, NAU and the University of New Mexico, will research housing security, climate and health with a focus on Hispanic and underserved communities in the arid Southwest.
Nature Sustainability Article by CAPLA Emerging Faculty Fellow Proposes Model for Sustainability Transition in the Global South
Seth Okyere, a CAPLA visiting assistant professor and Emerging Faculty Fellow, contributed to an article published this summer in Nature Sustainability, which publishes significant original research about sustainability, including policy dimensions and possible solutions.
Learning from the Sonoran Desert: Brendan Sullivan Shea, Visiting Assistant Professor of Architecture
Brendan Sullivan Shea joined CAPLA this fall as a visiting professor of architecture. His research, creative work and teaching focus on digital fabrication and desertification, while his advice to students is simple: if you can, travel.
Lecture Recap and Video: Hamid Mostofi on 'System Dynamic Modeling for Sustainable Urban Planning & Developments'
In this CAPLA Lecture Series lecture, Hamid Mostofi introduces the theory, tools, and techniques associated with systems thinking and simulation methods which can help assess and explain the relationship and connections between components of sustainable urban planning and development.
Teaching as Mediation: Noémie Despland-Lichtert, Emerging Faculty Fellow and Visiting Assistant Professor of Architecture
Noémie Despland-Lichtert joined CAPLA this fall as our second Emerging Faculty Fellow. An accomplished teacher, researcher and practitioner, she spent the last year in Brussels and has also worked at Taliesin West, the Canadian Centre for Architecture and the Architecture Department of Getty Research Institute, among others.
CAPLA’s Ryan E. Smith Leads Efforts on HUD Research Roadmap to Address Challenges in Offsite Housing Construction
Architecture Professor Ryan E. Smith, director of the School of Architecture, is lead author on a HUD report outlining policy, finance, labor and other parameters for growth of offsite housing construction in the United States: Offsite Construction for Housing: Research Roadmap.