Bridging academic achievement with the natural beauty of Marin
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DETAILS

LocationKentfield, California, United States
ClientCollege of Marin, Group 4 Architecture
SERVICE:
Size3 acres

Named for the College of Marin’s former 13-year superintendent, the new Dr. David Wain Coon Center for Student Success serves as the campus centerpiece along College Avenue. In collaboration with architects Group 4 and HMC, the college’s new library and study center reimagines a previously unwelcoming campus edge by transforming it into an open and inviting arrival point. Previously a parking lot and loading dock, the new campus entrance is adorned with several specimen trees and generous vegetation along Corte Madera Creek. A curved walkway leads to the Center for Student Success, complemented by a social plaza and views to the campus and hills beyond. The building’s siting and form, including a series of outdoor terraces, is choreographed to feature views of Mount Tamalpais, Marin County’s landmark. The building and flanking grand stairs engage the campus’ topography by having entrances at both the lower Creekside level and the upper Campus Glade level.

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