From this exhibit, an Awards Chair is selected by the Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. This Awards Chair then selects and assembles a diverse Awards Jury made up of local and non-local professionals. This jury reviews the work presented here and selects the winning student projects.

This years' Design Awards Chair is Cade Hayes from the Tucson, AZ based architecture studio, DUST Architects

ARC302 - Gene King

ARC401 - Gabe Garcia

ARC410f - Linea Skura + Sasha Terpilovkaya

ARC410f - Gabe Garcia

ARC498 - Hasan Hashem

ARC909 - (Team) Elena Aubree, Francisdo Fernandez, Jackie Hogan, Julie Polovitch

ARC301 - Lauren Harper

ARC401 - Joy Chou

ARC498 - Studio Community Design & Action

ARC498 - Jacob Woods

ARC510b - Minha Saadi

To Live is to Leave Traces

Tucson, AZ

Fall 2024

Instructor's:

Christopher Domin (studio coordinator), Stefan Mostert, Oscar Lopez, Siri Trumble, Michael Silver

High School

Tucson, AZ

Spring 2025

Instructor's:

Siri Trumble (studio coordinator), Sheehan Wachter, Myles Pena, Valerie Lane, Trevor Watson

Performance + Art Center

Bisbee, Arizona

Fall 2024

Instructor's:

Teresa Rosano (studio coordinator), Eduardo Guerrero, Bill Mackey, Michael Becherer, Trevor Watson

Collective Housing

Phoenix, AZ

Spring 2025

Instructor's:

Eduardo Guerrero (studio coordinator), Michael Kothke, Morgan Oster, Bill Mackey, Cari Alcombright

Resource X Change

Tucson, AZ

Fall 2024

Instructor's:

Michael Kothke (studio coordinator), Laura Carr, Myles Pena, David Brubaker, Morgan Oster

Spring 2025

Prof. Eric Weber

Economies of Earth : Abiotic Architecture

Spring 2025

Prof. Christopher Tucker

Rodeo Wash Reimagined

Spring 2025

Prof. Courtney Crosson

Shifts in Scale

Spring 2025

Prof. Brendan Shea

Spring 2025

Prof. David Brubaker

Tucson, AZ

Fall 2024

Prof. Noemie Despland-Lichert

Fall 2024

Prof. Eric Weber

The Hopi Transportation Center at Tawa'ovi

Hopi Nation

Fall 2024

Prof. Laura Carr

Fall 20254

Prof. Jesus Robles

Fall 2024

Prof. Eduardo Guerrero

Spring 2025

Prof. Christopher Domin

Spring 2025

Prof. Clare Robinson

Spring 2025

Prof. Jesus Robles

Spring 2025

Prof. Teresa Rosano

Spring 2025

Prof. Susannah Dickinson

The Book, The Banister, The Belfry, The Bath House, and The Block

Fall 2024

Prof. Brendan Shea

Laos Transit Center–El Pueblo Center Community Gateway

Fall 2024

Prof. Kenny Wong

North Phoenix Town Center

Phoenix, AZ

Fall 2024

Prof. Craig Nealy

Architecture of Possibility

Spring 2025

Prof. Laura Carr

Spring 2025

Prof. Christopher Trumble

Senior Lecturer

CAPLA Academic Events Committee

Events Committee Chair

Oscar Lopez, Assoc. AIA

Senior Lecturer

Committee Members

Teresa Rosano, Morgan Oster, Ashley Simone, Khadija Didan, Ella Parsons

School of Architecture Director

Ryan Smith

Laura Vertes, AIA, is a Principal at Swaim Associates, Ltd. in Tucson. She joined Swaim Associates, Ltd. in 2007 and became a principal in 2019. Laura has been in the architecture field for 20+ years, specializing in managing complex projects from concept through construction and serving as a client advocate to uphold the project vision through every stage. Laura is passionate about helping clients develop their project vision in a way that positively supports their core identity and mission. She approaches design empathetically, seeking to gain a deeper understanding of each team member to create a positive atmosphere for design. With persistent optimism and a solution-oriented approach, Laura aims to resolve challenges head-on to deliver exceptional results. She brings her passion and skills to her current service as President-Elect for the AIA Southern Arizona Board of Directors, helping to support a vibrant professional community for architects.

Natalia’s experience spans over 16 years, and comprises a wide variety of project typologies, scales, and geographies.  Originally from Dallas, she graduated from The University of Texas at Austin. She is a Senior Designer and Project Manager with DUST. She has overseen the full development of projects from initial design concepts through their construction and has directed the collaboration and coordination of large teams for multi-faceted projects. She is passionate about designing spaces that are both conceptual and sensitive in spirit while honoring the connection to the surrounding environment and cultural roots. Her previous work experience includes over a decade with Studio Rick Joy, where she played a key role in designing and managing the studio’s work and team

Richelle is an Architectural Designer at studioCABAN, where she plays a key role in designing luxury hospitality and residential projects throughout North America. Her background as a poet influences her understanding of design as a creative practice of investigative storytelling that transcends the bounds of language and assumes a physical form. 

Previous to her work at studioCABAN, Richelle completed an award-winning workshop (2022-2023) led by Estudio Macías Peredo (Guadalajara, MX) and El Dorado (Kansas City, US), where her work was recognized for outstanding design and selected for further development by the partners Estudio Macías Peredo.

Cade Hayes | DUST Architects

Founding Principal, Licensed Architect. As co-founder of DUST, based in Tucson, Arizona, Hayes views architecture as an embodied response to light, time, and terrain. Raised along the northern edges of the Chihuahuan Desert and educated on the Llano Estacado plains of West Texas, the vast, arid landscapes have profoundly influenced his sensibility. His work is shaped by a deep connection to the tactile and the temporal: walls that breathe, thresholds that invite slowness, and spaces that listen, revealing life through intimacy and stillness. With each project, DUST continues its search—for essence, for place, and for the timeless presence of being.

Hayes has shared his dedication to architecture with emerging architects through past teaching roles at the University of Arizona and Texas Tech University, where he led design studios and fabrication courses. A licensed architect in six states and a member of the GSA’s National Register of Peer Professionals, Hayes has served on design award juries across the country and frequently lectures on DUST’s work.

Founding Principal

Annheliza has over 15 years of experience as an architectural project manager and designer.  She thrives as a leader within her projects throughout all design phases and has overseen numerous award-winning projects through construction. She brings extensive experience in coordinating large collaborative teams of architects and consultants for projects ranging from master planning, high-rise commercial, hospitality, high-end residential to retail.

Her passion to lead encourages streamlined systems which result in efficiency and a designed product of the highest quality strongly rooted in the studio’s core values. As a mentor she enjoys promoting studio operations that support team participation and learning from active construction sites.

Prior to establishing studioSAMA in 2023 she played a pivotal role at Studio Rick Joy for over 7 years as Senior Project Manager and Designer and was involved with overseeing general studio management.  She has also worked for other internationally renowned offices throughout South Africa and the UK.

Along with her professional practice she teaches at the University of Arizona and regularly participates in student design reviews.

Annheliza is passionate about designing strong conceptual spaces that find inspiration in the observation of the surrounding environment in order to capture the spirit of the place.

Winner - Laura Darby

Honorable Mention - Emily Kulka, Laura Darby, Montse Bover

ARCC King Medal

Montse Bover

Research Thesis Award

Montse Bover

R&I Capstone Award

Tectonic Inquiry - Claudia Kelly

Urban Agency - Jed Perea

Metaphysics of Light - Linea Skura

Adaptive Futures - Nwaf Aladani

Community Design & Action - Entire Studio

The Ronald R. Gourley Award for Design Excellence

Tectonic Inquiry - Rawan Alenezi

Urban Agency - Damien Narum-Brelay

Metaphysics of Light - Linea Skura

Adaptive Futures - Nwaf Aladani

Community Design & Action - Entire Studio

M.Arch Project Award for Design

Entire Studio

AIA Medal

B.Arch - Jed Perea

M.Arch - Nicolas Montaño

Stream Awards

Technology B.Arch - Linea Skura

Technology M.Arch - Tom Lichty

History & Theory B.Arch - Emily Kulka

History & Theory M.Arch - Jackie Hogan

Practice B.Arch - Moe Franco

Practice M.Arch - Peter Hall

Design Communications B.Arch - Annick Puchette

Design Communications M.Arch - Laura Darby

We are a net zero school, meaning we have the designation of teaching net zero design to our students from the Department of Energy. To this end, the Solar Decathlon students travelled to Golden, Colorado and with Professor David Brubaker, competed in an affordable energy efficient housing competition. The project was in partnership with the U of A. The group came home with two honorable mention awards in this national competition. Will you please stand, all students from the studio and professor David Brubaker, for this excellent work.

BofA

Similarly, this year Professor Eduardo Gurrero, Daniel Kuhlman and students participated in the Bank of America Low Income Housing Challenge that included design and proforma development of a deeply affordable housing project competing against numerous teams. The students were awarded honorable mention. I would like all the students from the BofA competition and their professors to stand as well to be recognized.

Shruti Penumarthty

Alyssa Fink

Jordan West

Francisco Encinas

The SoA Events and Lectures Committee

Khadija Didan

Ella Parsons

The SoA DPRC Committee

Linea Skura

Nicolas Montaño

The SoA ASAC Committee

Brett Lewis

Nicole Patek

Cademon Burgtorf

Saday Bowles

Serena Huaraque

Dillon Tisdale

Audree Custer

Claudia Kelly

Matthew Murray

Anna Osafo

Nathan Becenti

The SoA Student Club Leaders

Doyin Oduwole, AIAS

Maritza Noriega, Puente

Alyssa Fink, Building Better Alliance

Tommy Gutierrez, Alpha Rho Chi

Pele Kruse, WIAS

Francisco Zazueta Encinas, NOMAS

David Brubaker

David is a graduate of the B.Arch program and has been teaching the past several years with us. He is returning to full time practice and will not be here next year. We have been very lucky to have him with the school for that time and hope he will return to teach soon.

This Award is voted on by the students.

The SoA Research Award

Beth Weinstein

This year’s award goes to a faculty member that worked feverishly to complete a book project amongst a heavy teaching load. The text is already gaining international attention, and she will be focusing on this during a much-deserved sabbatical this fall. She was also recently promoted to Full Professor.

The SoA Service Award

Susannah Dickinson

This year the winner is someone who has worked as the chair of the CFM for the past 3 years, advancing the voice of the faculty in the college and beyond. The outcome of the committee has led to transparency in shared governance and more discourse between the Dean, faculty and administrators. Further, the committee structure of the college is becoming more efficient and streamlined.