Construction has begun on the Frank Liu Jr. Academy for Music and Arts, or FLAMA, in Houston, Texas. The project will convert a 1930s J.A. Folger & Co. coffee plant into a 65,120-square-foot school.
OMA designed the scheme, which will retain parts of the historic industrial structure while adding new space for music and arts education. The project is located along the Buffalo Bayou East corridor.
The building is planned as a three-story facility organized around Montessori-inspired principles. Younger students will be placed on lower levels, with older students moving upward.
Classrooms will be arranged around shared gathering spaces the design team describes as “cymbals,” intended for informal learning, collaboration, and performances. Musical references are used throughout the design.
Completion is expected by August 2027. Archinect reported the project and noted that it follows OMA’s POST Houston project in the city.
