Design Workshop will join Texas A&M University on October 28 to break ground on the Aplin Center, A landmark facility in College Station that transforms student learning by integrating education, community, and environment. This center will serve as a hub for experiential learning in hospitality, retail, and food and nutrition sciences, supporting Texas A&M’s dedication to practical innovation and interdisciplinary education.
“We’re honored to collaborate on a project that redefines how landscape architecture supports learning, community and campus identity,” said Robb Berg, President of Design Workshop. “The Aplin Center’s outdoor spaces will be designed to foster connection, showcase innovation and reflect the spirit of Texas A&M.”
A key aspect of the Design Workshop’s design is the preservation and relocation of four mature live oak trees. This effort ensures these iconic trees will continue to define the site’s character for future generations. Surrounding them, the team is planning inviting seating areas and adaptable gathering spaces that honor natural heritage while fostering environments for learning and collaboration. By elevating tree preservation to a central design driver, the project illustrates how landscapes can both honor ecological history and shape the future of campus identity.
Approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, the three-story, 211,724-square-foot center will act as a new entrance to campus and serve as a national benchmark for interdisciplinary education. It will include teaching labs and practical spaces for viticulture & enology, fermentation, coffee roasting, product development, sensory evaluation, meat and food science, as well as hospitality operations. This design illustrates how education can go beyond traditional classrooms to include dynamic, hands-on environments.
Design Workshop is collaborating with Pickard Chilton, DLR Group and Hines on this project.