Rice President Reginald DesRoches said the role of the arts program is in enhancing the university's “excellence, impact and engagement with Houston,” in the release.
The details
Sarofim Hall, adjacent to the Moody Center for the Arts, will span 83,000 square feet and is being designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro. The art center is said to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and experimentation, and aims to redefine arts education, according to the release.
Architect Charles Renfro, of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, drew from Rice's artistic heritage in designing Sarofim Hall, incorporating elements from the Butler buildings built by Dominique de Menil in the 1960s, according to the release.
“I understand how much the arts at Rice mean to everyone,” Renfro said
Sarofim Hall's design encourages collaboration among art students, with movable walls and adaptable spaces reflecting Rice's commitment to innovation, according to the release.
“Rice students are very creative, but they come thinking creative in terms of the science world,” Rice’s Dean of Humanities Kathleen Canning said. “They often only begin to discover this other talent, a very much related talent, when they enroll in art courses.”
What’s next
Upon completion in fall 2025, Sarofim Hall will serve as a space for artistic exploration and collaboration, nurturing future artists, scholars and innovators, according to the release.
