Georgia State University, Creative Media Industries Institute

Atlanta, GA

As part of its plan to provide an immersive, centralized campus experience in the heart of downtown Atlanta, Georgia State University recently debuted a one-of-a-kind media center adjacent to Woodruff Park. Cooper Carry designed the new Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII) to achieve the university’s vision to teach “Communication, Creativity and Commerce” to Georgia’s next generation of leaders in the entertainment and information industries. This adaptive reuse project involved converting what was formerly a bank check-processing and loan office building into a vital new higher education facility.

The center nurtures media entrepreneurs with a flexible startup incubator space, including a makers lab. Research will be a vital part of the center, allowing students the opportunity to extend their education via project-based research. The overarching focus is on industry collaboration, especially concentrated on the film, TV production, music, and game design industries. These state-of-the-art facilities provide the ideal training ground for students to seamlessly transition into Georgia’s $9.5 billion film industry upon graduation.