Written by Lauriston Brewster

The Glassell School of Art is the teaching institute of the MFAH that offers studio-art courses, art-history instruction, workshops for adults, and classes for students ages 3 to 18.

The Glassell School is also home to the distinguished Core Residency Program for postgraduate artists and critics and will house Junior School and Studio School Art students.

An image of the BBVA Compass Roof Garden, a sloping, walkable green roof offering dramatic views of the Sarofim campus
The BBVA Compass Roof Garden, a sloping, walkable green roof offering dramatic views of the Sarofim campus

The  85,000-square-foot facility, designed by Steven Holl Architects, features the BBVA Compass Roof Garden, a sloping, walkable green roof offering dramatic views of the Sarofim campus, the Brown Foundation, Inc. Plaza, a one acre public green space that provides outdoor space for relaxation, studying and performances, and a coffee bar for students and the general public.

And, of course…there’s the infamous “bean.” We’re not going to re-hash that tired debate regarding which city has a better bean, but will say that Anish Kapoor’s “Cloud Column” is truly a marvelous sight to behold.