Myles Peña

Myles Peña serves as a Lecturer in Architecture at the University of Arizona's College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (CAPLA), teaching first-year foundations courses and third-year design studios since joining in fall 2023. His professional practice operates as a solo practitioner specializing in small-scale residential and commercial projects, with prior experience at NAC Architecture and SAB Architects on diverse building types including educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and multi-family residential developments.

Peña's research centers on biophilic design principles that integrate natural rhythms into built environments. He emphasizes highlighting light patterns filtered through tree canopies, intentional sky views, and spatial sequencing relative to site-specific vistas. His sustainable architecture philosophy prioritizes adaptive reuse of existing structures, mass timber construction, and designing with recoverable materials to extend building lifespans. He advocates for intentional habitat integration that considers both human occupants and local wildlife to combat development impacts while creating higher-quality spaces.

In pedagogy, Peña transfers professional processes to prepare students for real-world practice, emphasizing process over product and site-specific beauty discovery. His teaching philosophy encourages students to 'always know why' behind design decisions while maintaining openness to environmental contexts. Though no formal grants or research teams are documented, his studio instruction focuses on practical constraints and professional readiness through active demonstration of successful project traits.