Designed by Steven Holl Architects, The three-story Glassell School of Art provides state-of-the-art studios and active social spaces within the 93,765-square-foot structure. The BBVA Compass Roof Garden and adjacent Brown Foundation, Inc. Plaza also serves the expanding needs of the school and the unique mix of students of all ages.
Photography by © Richard Barnes
Sited on two acres, adjoining the Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden designed by Isamu Noguchi, the building replaces the school’s 1979 facility. The enrollment of about 7,000 students is expected to grow to 8,500 with the expanded course offerings of the enlarged facility.
Photography by © Richard Barnes
The L-shaped building defines two edges of the plaza. Its sloped, walkable roofline, anchored by a stepped amphitheater, extends the plaza up and along the roof to a garden above. The exterior is constructed from 178 unique precast concrete panels that create a rhythm across the exterior surface as they alternate with 170 glass panels that provide natural light to all studios and classrooms. A three-story, broad-stepped forum activates the center of the school’s interior.
Sketch
Project Info:
Architects: Steven Holl Architects
Location: 5101 Montrose Blvd, Houston, TX 77006, United States
Associate Architect: Kendall/Heaton Associates
Landscape design: Deborah Nevins & Associates, Inc. in collaboration with Nevins & Benito Landscape Architecture, D.P.C.
Construction: McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Area: 93765.0 ft2
Project Year: 2018
Photographs: Richard Barnes
Project Name: Glassell School of Art
