The western entrance expresses a welcoming façade articulated by a large canopy that provides shaded informal space on a raised front porch framed by undulating woven brickwork to distinguish the entry. The surrounding green connects VADA and the Moody Center as an informal social space marked by the historic tree planted by Andy Warhol. To the north, the metal-clad roof wraps down the façade, framing the neighboring Moody with a material similar in tone. An exterior pedestrian street connects the two arts facilities as it demarcates a new outdoor space for active student engagement, mirroring the informal streets within the new building. The eastern façade articulates the kit-of-parts nature of the design and the potential for future expansion in each project phase. At the south, the façade marks the campus edge with traditional, variated brickwork, linking the identity of the building to the architectural legacy of Rice. Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of VADA, the different façades coalesce into a building that represents the diverse identity of the program imbued with the spirit of the campus history.

The design for VADA is a mountainous landscape defining the campus edge, dedicated to creative production; with a distinct expression on each elevation, it draws on different eras of material history at Rice, creating specific relationships to campus buildings and landscape. 

Johnston Marklee

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Rice University Visual and Dramatic Arts

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Client

Rice University

Location

Houston, TX, US

Years

2020

Floor Area

120,000 GSF

Partners

Sharon Johnston, Mark Lee

Project Team

Tori McKenna (Project Lead), Nicholas Hofstede (Project Manager), Miaojie Ted Zhang, Stephanie Tyler, Lindsay Erickson

Executive Architect

Kendall/Heaton Associates: Laurence Burns (Executive Principal), Nobuhiko Shoga (Principal In Charge)

Recognition

Finalist, Invited Design Competition
Rice University
July 2020

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