Rice University officials broke ground May 8 on what is slated to become the Moody Center Complex, a new $115 million, 75,000-square-foot student hub projected for completion in the fall of 2027.

Guests at the groundbreaking event included students, staff, faculty and alumni. Alumna and Moody Foundation Board Member Elle Moody addressed students in a May 9 news release saying she hopes the new facility will bring students a sense of belonging.

“To all our students, I want to share my hope that this facility will give you every opportunity to form meaningful connections, not only with one another but with a vast network of scholars and leaders across the U.S. and [the] world,” Moody said. “I hope that this will be a place for you to feel the sense of belonging that is core to the Rice experience.”

The new facility will feature a pavilion that could host both indoor and outdoor events. (Renderings courtesy Olson Kundig)
The new facility will feature a pavilion that could host both indoor and outdoor events. (Renderings courtesy Olson Kundig)

The cost

Financial support for the project came from a $100 million commitment from the Moody Foundation, the largest single donation in Rice's history, according to the release, as well as $15 million from the Brown Foundation.

“As a Rice trustee, George R. Brown cared deeply about excellent teaching and the undergraduate student experience at Rice. It is especially fitting, then, that we are here to celebrate a new center for student life at Rice,” said Brown Foundation President Isabel Lummis.

The university plans to expand student enrollment, aiming for approximately 5,200 undergraduates by 2028 — a 30% increase since 2020. (Renderings courtesy Olson Kundig)
The university plans to expand student enrollment, aiming for approximately 5,200 undergraduates by 2028—a 30% increase since 2020. (Renderings courtesy Olson Kundig)

Looking forward

The facility’s features will include a large programming pavilion that could host indoor and outdoor events, including performances, lectures and multi-cultural celebrations. The building will also house a variety of spaces, such as a coffee shop, meeting rooms and study areas, which were designed, according to the new release, to meet the needs of Rice’s growing student body.

Rice University plans to expand student enrollment, aiming for approximately 5,200 undergraduates by 2028—a 30% increase since 2020. Five years ago, Rice had about 4,000 undergraduate students. The university anticipates a total of enrollment of around 9,500 students, according to the news release.