The Texas A&M University College of Architecture hosted a grand opening for its new COA North facility in historic downtown Bryan, a Texas Cultural District. The celebration at the March First Friday included tours of the facility and showcases of student and faculty work.
COA North helps meet the college’s increasing need for flexible classroom, studio, and exhibit space, while providing an opportunity for students and faculty to participate in Bryan’s vibrant downtown experience.
“The addition of Texas A&M University’s College of Architecture’s studios and classrooms in Downtown Bryan expands our already vibrant arts community to the north end of the Texas Cultural District,” Bryan Mayor Andrew Nelson says. “It is a distinct opportunity to showcase the work of students while supporting the flourishing interest in our arts community through their talents. Partnerships like this positively impact our local economy, bringing people out and about to enjoy all that our historic Downtown has to offer.”
COA North is located at 401 North Main Street in Bryan, at the corner of East 23rd and North Main Street.
The college has had a presence in downtown Bryan through various exhibits since 2010, and hosts monthly exhibits that are open to the public during Bryan’s monthly First Friday events. The exhibit space was previously known as Viz North, but the new COA North name was created to reflect the addition of academic efforts from all the college’s disciplines.
“We are excited to bring students and faculty from all of our departments together to collaborate in a community-based space,” College of Architecture Dean Jorge Vanegas says. “In addition to holding classes and studios at COA North, we are dedicated to providing students and faculty with an opportunity to present their work to the public through exhibitions. This is an important component of their academic and professional development.”
The college’s departments include Architecture, Construction Science, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning and Visualization.
