Tucson: Innovative building

A new guard of architects and designers is changing the look of Tucson by designing fresh, innovative, and environmentally sound buildings.

Architects like Rob Paulus and the husband-and-wife team behind Ibarra Rosano Design Architects are using materials like Rastra, made from 85% recycled Styrofoam; recycled denim and adobe in their ultra-modern homes and urban infill projects.

Next up: a large-scale mixed-use project from Ibarra Rosano that includes a 10-acre working organic farm; and from Paulus, modern live/work spaces in a dilapidated downtown building.