A Design Center for Colorado Communities
The University Technical Assistance Program (UTAP) is a clinical teaching practice at the University of Colorado Denver College of Architecture and Planning. This work has been funded by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) for several decades and has provided technical services to rural and small local government units in nearly every county of the state.
We provide design and planning services to cities, towns, and neighborhoods across the state while giving students a chance to work on real projects. Our staff and multi-disciplinary teams collaborate with clients to advance community-driven ideas through applied research and innovative design. We take projects from abstract ideas to inspiring design solutions that raise crucial support and funding and ultimately enhance the quality of community life throughout Colorado.
Our Impact
We have worked on 3,000+ projects; serving hundreds of communities in 50 out of 57 rural counties in Colorado.
75% of our projects are ultimately implemented.
52% of Coloradans have benefited from a UTAP project​.
95% of our students are hired within the first month of graduation.
Meet Our Team
Jeffrey Wood
UTAP Field Supervisor
Southeastern Region
Jeffrey Wood is truly a native son of two states. Born in San Diego, he spent his formative years in Los Angeles, even while lucky enough to spend most of his summers at 8700 feet above sea level in Grand Lake, Colorado. He finally settled in Boulder for an extended spell --at least while studying Environmental Design at the University of Colorado. From there it was off to Berkeley (University of California) where he earned his master’s degree in architecture. With a license in hand, he opened a private architectural practice in the Bay Area, providing jobs and leaving a lengthy list of happy clients he now considers friends. After some 30 years, it was time to give back to the university he so loved and when a chance in the University Technical Assistance program at UC Denver opened up, he made his way back to Colorado.
Weekends and holidays you can still find him in Grand Lake, hiking, biking, boating and managing to stay just ahead of the maintenance needs of a 70 year old cabin. When time allows, he also toils at his not so secret goal of writing the next great American novel, or perhaps the next screenplay to be adapted by Wes Anderson. The UTA experience has opened his eyes to the wonders of the far corners of this state that he might have missed along the way-- and also to the incredible youthful energy infused by the student employees of the program. After a dozen years of coaching youth and college baseball, it became apparent that one skill set he has is motivating and mentoring young people. When you love your job, you almost never have to work!