CAPLA students build housing in Agua Prieta during spring break
CAPLA students and faculty work together to lift the wall frame for a house they are building in Agua Prieta, Sonora. Agua Prieta is a small town near Douglas, AZ.
Photo by Cesar Careaga
University of Arizona College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture students traveled to Agua Prieta, Sonora, to design and construct housing for a local family in partnership with Rancho Feliz.
Working alongside local builders and community members, students helped complete a single-family home using the Highly-Johansen system, a construction approach designed to perform in extreme desert climates. The project marks the 54th home built in Agua Prieta through the Rancho Feliz program.
The collaboration reflects a hands-on, community-engaged learning model that connects design education with real-world impact. Students contributed to all phases of construction, gaining practical experience with building techniques, materials and on-site coordination while working in a cross-cultural environment.
Rancho Feliz’s housing program is grounded in a reciprocal model, in which participating families contribute labor and resources alongside volunteers. This approach supports both affordability and community investment, while addressing ongoing housing needs in the region.
For CAPLA students, the experience offered an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in a meaningful context—advancing their understanding of housing, construction and the social dimensions of the built environment.
