“Art” is a small word with a large, multifaceted definition far exceeding its character length. While many people may define art as that which is on display at a local gallery, art can actually be found, in one way or another, across just about any discipline imaginable. It makes sense, then, that Rice University’s new Moody Center for the Arts is conceived as a multi-disciplinary lab that will contain “an experimental platform for creating and presenting works in all disciplines,” ArchDaily reports.
The 50,000-sf building will be located in the new arts district of the campus along with the Shepherd School of Music and James Turrell’s Twilight Epiphany Skyspace. The structure will be composed of an art gallery space, a 150-seat black box theater, an experimental performance space, and a café. A natural-light-filled atrium, which contains a maker lab and immediate access to a wood shop, metal shop, paint booth, rapid prototyping areas, classrooms, a technology library, and AV editing booths, is envisioned as an interior campus quad.
The building’s exterior will feature a brick-clad upper story with cantilevers that create covered walkways below. The floor-to-ceiling glass-encased entry level will provide a strong juxtaposition to the second level’s brick exterior.
A new artist-in-residence program will also be housed in the Moody, with Mona Hatoum set to be the first resident beginning in spring 2017, just a few months after the building is scheduled to open to the public on February 24, 2017.
Currently under construction, the Moody is funded by a $20 million grant from the Moody Foundation, a charitable organization with an emphasis on education, social services, children’s needs and community development. Among others, the Brown Foundation is also providing funding.
Rendering courtesy of Michael Maltzan Architecture, Inc. via ArchDaily
Rendering courtesy of Michael Maltzan Architecture, Inc. via ArchDaily
Photo courtesy of Michael Maltzan Architecture, Inc. via ArchDaily
Rendering courtesy of Michael Maltzan Architecture, Inc. via ArchDaily
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Jun 10, 2016
Form4 designs curved roofs for project at Stanford Research Park
Fabricated of painted recycled aluminum, the wavy roofs at the Innovation Curve campus will symbolize the R&D process and make four buildings more sustainable.
University Buildings | Jun 9, 2016
Designing for interdisciplinary communication in university buildings
Bringing people together remains the main objective when designing academic projects. SRG Design Principal Kent Duffy encourages interaction and discovery with a variety of approaches.
Building Team Awards | May 31, 2016
Gonzaga's new student center is a bustling social hub
Retail mall features, comfortable furniture, and floor-to-ceiling glass add vibrancy to the new John J. Hemmingson Center.
University Buildings | May 26, 2016
U. of Chicago approves Diller Scofidio + Renfro design for new campus building
With a two-story base and 165-foot tower, the Rubenstein Forum will have room for informal meetings, lectures, and other university events.
University Buildings | Apr 27, 2016
SmithGroupJJR’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Building named 2016 Lab of the Year
Sustainable features like chilled beams and solar screens help the University of Illinois research facility use 50% less energy than minimum building energy efficiency standards.
University Buildings | Apr 25, 2016
New University of Calgary research center features reconfigurable 'spine'
The heart of the Taylor Institute can be anything from a teaching lab to a 400-seat theater.
University Buildings | Apr 13, 2016
Technology defines growth at Ringling College of Arts & Design
Named America's “most wired campus" in 2014, Ringling is adding a library, visual arts center, soundstage, and art museum.
University Buildings | Apr 13, 2016
5 ways universities use new buildings to stay competitive
From incubators to innovation centers, schools desire ‘iconic gateways’ that appeal to students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and the community.
University Buildings | Apr 4, 2016
3 key trends in student housing for Boston’s higher education community
The city wants to add 18,500 student residence beds by the year 2030. CannonDesign's Lynne Deninger identifies three strategies that will help schools maximize value over the next decade or so.
University Buildings | Mar 15, 2016
Behnisch Architekten designs Harvard’s proposed Science and Engineering Complex
The 497,000-sf building will be the home of the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
