News from College of Architecture and Planning

People mingle and view the Common Ground Community Design Festival exhibition at the Denver Performing Arts Complex.

From the Classroom to the Community: Leyuan Li and Danny Wills Led Students in the Design of the Inaugural Denver Community Design Festival

What happens when architecture students step beyond the studio and participate in conversations with the people who are directly shaping our communities?

By Carmen New

September 30, 2026

Campus

Latest News

Matt Shea and students stand in front of ruins in Tivoli, Italy.

Summer Study Abroad Recap: CAP Students Travel to Rome, Chile, and Japan

Students visited Rome, Chile, and Japan this summer as part of the CU Denver Global Education program. These opportunities for international study provide students with immersive experiences, introducing them to cultures and perspectives that they will carry with them throughout their lives and careers.

New Vennegut Cabins at Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions as the sun begins to set in the forest.

ColoradoBuildingWorkshop Returns to Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions to Transform Its Historic Vonnegut Cabin Loop

As the University of Colorado prepares to celebrate 100 years of built environment education in Colorado, Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions is also celebrating 100 years of connecting communities to the outdoors.

Students Kara Hand and Mitch Widule laugh while reviewing a project with Matt Shea.

PCI-Supported Graduate Architecture Studio Reimagines Denver Fire Stations as Mixed-Use Civic Infrastructure

Over the last 10 years, Assistant Professor Matt Shea has taught graduate architecture studio six supported by PCI Mountain States, a chapter of the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute.

The headshots of all seven CAP outstanding graduates, from left to right, Samantha Guerra, Maddie Fulmer, Dania Morelli, Anna Nielsen, Phil Runnings, Bryn Hall, and Dan Schumacher.

CAP’s Spring 2026 Outstanding Graduates

The CU Denver Spring 2026 Commencement Ceremony was held on Saturday, May 16 at the Denver Coliseum. We are excited to share that Samantha Guerra Bolon (Bachelor of Science in Architecture), Madeline Fulmer (Master of Architecture), Dania Morelli (Master of Architecture), Anna Nielsen (Master of Architecture), Phil Runnings (Master of Landscape Architecture), Bryn Hall (Master of Urban and Regional Planning), and Dan Schumacher (Master of Urban Design) were recognized as the College of Architecture and Planning’s Outstanding Graduates.

CAP's Spotlight

Wannasiri Srivarathanabul: Designer, Architecture Instructor, Writer, Iron Chef Thailand Judge, and So Much More

Wannasiri “Vanessa” Srivarathanabul (Master of Architecture, 1996) moved to the United States from Bangkok, Thailand with her fiancé, now husband, and fellow College of Architecture and Planning alum, Vasin Srivarathanabul, as he worked on his architecture degree at the University of Arizona.

CAP Outstanding Graduates headshots. Top row (left to right) Emily Beeson and Erin Daly. Bottom row (left to right) Nicole Diaz, Willa Hendler, and Lucy O'Sullivan.

Spring 2024 Outstanding Graduates

The Spring 2024 Commencement Ceremony was held on Saturday, May 11 at the Denver Coliseum. Congratulations to Emily Beeson (Master of Landscape Architecture), Erin Daly (Master of Urban Design), Nicole Diaz (Bachelor of Science in Architecture), Willa Hendler (Master of Architecture), and Lucy O’Sullivan (Master of Urban and Regional Planning) for your recognition as the College of Architecture and Planning’s Outstanding Graduates.

Portraits of Aaron Daines, Jacob Taswell, Shaima Shahbaz, and Gregory Adelberg.

Celebrating CAP’s Fall 2023 Outstanding Graduates

The Fall 2023 Commencement Ceremony was held on Saturday, December 16 at the Colorado Convention Center. We’re excited to share that Aaron Daines (Bachelor of Science in Architecture), Jacob Taswell (Master of Architecture), Shaima Shahbaz (Master of Urban and Regional Planning), and Gregory Adelberg (Master of Landscape Architecture) were the College of Architecture and Planning’s Outstanding Graduates.

Dina Bleecker working on a project at a studio table.

Student Spotlight: Dina Bleecker, Master of Urban and Regional Planning

Dina Bleecker has lived in Indianapolis, Chicago, London, Brooklyn, and currently, Denver, providing her with a wide-ranging perspective on the needs of our cities and communities as they share similarities and vast differences.

More Spotlights

Denverite
Smiley’s demolition meant Denver lost an Art Deco building. But here are eight more examples of the rare architectural style in the city!

April 14, 2022

Smiley’s demolition meant the city had one less example of a relatively rare architectural style in Denver: Art

More CAP Headlines

CAP Events

View Cap's Calendar

College of Architecture and Planning

From the Classroom to the Community: Leyuan Li and Danny Wills Led Students in the Design of the Inaugural Denver Community Design Festival

Latest News

Summer Study Abroad Recap: CAP Students Travel to Rome, Chile, and Japan

ColoradoBuildingWorkshop Returns to Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions to Transform Its Historic Vonnegut Cabin Loop

PCI-Supported Graduate Architecture Studio Reimagines Denver Fire Stations as Mixed-Use Civic Infrastructure

CAP’s Spring 2026 Outstanding Graduates

CAP's Spotlight

Wannasiri Srivarathanabul: Designer, Architecture Instructor, Writer, Iron Chef Thailand Judge, and So Much More

Spring 2024 Outstanding Graduates

Celebrating CAP’s Fall 2023 Outstanding Graduates

Student Spotlight: Dina Bleecker, Master of Urban and Regional Planning

CAP in the News

9NEWS
Neighborhood coalition uses trust to buy up land and keep people from being priced out of their community

CBS4 Denver
With New Ownership On The Horizon, Broncos Aim To Beef Up Stadium Experience

CBS4 Denver
With New Ownership On The Horizon, Broncos Aim To Beef Up Stadium Experience

Denverite
Smiley’s demolition meant Denver lost an Art Deco building. But here are eight more examples of the rare architectural style in the city!

CAP Events

More CAP News

CU Denver Ranks No. 1 in Colorado for Social Mobility for Sixth Consecutive Year

Weather Shapes Bus Ridership—But Cost and Shelters Can Change the Equation

CU Denver Spring Graduates Turn Classroom Learning into Careers