In Houston, plans are being finalized for the first freestanding American building built to house and conserve modern and contemporary drawings.
The Menil Drawing Institute, named for Dominique de Menil, legendary arts patron and collector, is being designed by Johnston Marklee and Menil officials.
The $40 million, 30,150-sf building will be located between the Cy Twombly gallery and Richmond Hall, both distinctive art buildings in their own right.
The MDI will be built around three open courtyards, and two of these will be entry points into the single-story building. The third courtyard will be at the center of a restricted area meant for research.
On one side of the Institute, there will be exhibition galleries, while administrative offices and the conservation laboratory will be on the other end. In the center of the building, there will be a "living room" space where visitors, administrators, and scholars can mingle, according to CultureMap Houston.
Indoor and outdoor spaces will be unified by a thin, flat roof that will seem to be floating in the air when viewed from one side, and the roof will seem to be pierced by the trees in some places, according to the architects at Johnston Marklee.
The MDI will only be 16 feet tall because the architects did not want to block views of surrounding 1920s bungalows or the main art buildings.
Johnston Marklee is also designing a new Energy House for utilities that will be just south of the Cy Twombly gallery. There will be a park between the MDI and Energy House.
The 30-acre enclave will also include a new restaurant, Bistro Menil, designed by Stern and Bucek Architects, and landscaping by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc.
Construction is supposed to begin in 2015. A $110 million capital and endowment campaign is in progress. 
Related Stories
| Oct 4, 2013
Nifty video shows planned development of La Sagrada Familia basilica
After 144 years, construction on Gaudi's iconic Barcelona edifice is picking up speed, with a projected end date of 2026.
| Sep 24, 2013
8 grand green roofs (and walls)
A dramatic interior green wall at Drexel University and a massive, 4.4-acre vegetated roof at the Kauffman Performing Arts Center in Kansas City are among the projects honored in the 2013 Green Roof and Wall Awards of Excellence.
| Sep 23, 2013
Six-acre Essex Crossing development set to transform vacant New York property
A six-acre parcel on the Lower East Side of New York City, vacant since tenements were torn down in 1967, will be the site of the new Essex Crossing mixed-use development. The product of a compromise between Mayor Michael Bloomberg and various interested community groups, the complex will include ~1,000 apartments.
| Sep 19, 2013
What we can learn from the world’s greenest buildings
Renowned green building author, Jerry Yudelson, offers five valuable lessons for designers, contractors, and building owners, based on a study of 55 high-performance projects from around the world.
| Sep 19, 2013
6 emerging energy-management glazing technologies
Phase-change materials, electrochromic glass, and building-integrated PVs are among the breakthrough glazing technologies that are taking energy performance to a new level.
| Sep 19, 2013
Roof renovation tips: Making the choice between overlayment and tear-off
When embarking upon a roofing renovation project, one of the first decisions for the Building Team is whether to tear off and replace the existing roof or to overlay the new roof right on top of the old one. Roofing experts offer guidance on making this assessment.
| Sep 17, 2013
First look: BIG+MVVA proposal for Pier 6 at Brooklyn Bridge Park
BIG’s proposal for Brooklyn Bridge Park, a project that has revitalized the New York City waterfront, consists of a 6,000 ft2 (560 m2) triangular cross-laminated timber structure, serving both as pavilion and platform. Sloping upwards 17.5 feet (5.3 m) in height from the foot of the large gathering lawn, the platform provides magnificent views of the surrounding harbor, the Statue of Liberty, the Manhattan skyline, and the Brooklyn Bridge.
| Sep 11, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 3 coverage
Day 3 coverage of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo, taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Sep 10, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 2 coverage
The BD+C editorial team brings you this real-time coverage of day 2 of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Sep 3, 2013
'School in a box' project will place school in San Diego public library
Thinking outside the box, LPA Inc. is designing a school inside a box. With an emphasis on three E’s—Engage, Educate, and Empower—e3 Civic High is now being constructed on the sixth and seventh floors of a public library in downtown San Diego. Library patrons will be able to see into the school via glass elevators, but will not have physical access to the school.
