Kwong Von Gilnow rich history Rice University architecture school "rich history" in renovation

American architecture studio Kwong Von Glinow has renovated parts of the architecture school at Rice University, adding three new spaces through a "programmatic re-invention" of the 1947 building in Houston, Texas, USA.

The 3,775-square-foot (350-square-metre) renovation took place inside the MD Anderson Hall, which was originally designed by Staub and Rather and expanded in 1981 by James Stirling and Michael Wilford.

The renovation coincided with the construction of a new sawtooth-capped addition by Karamuk Kuo adjacent to the building.

Kwong Von Glinow, which is based in Chicago, started its design process by researching the building's history and discovering that architect Philip Johnson had written that he "couldn't find" the Stirling and Wilford addition.

"This notion of 'finding' space became integral to our design approach," the studio said, explaining that in studying the designs, the team found a trapezoidal space in the building's Farish Gallery with exposed columns and beams that marked the intersection of the 1947 and 1981 designs.

"Our design approach for the renovation and programmatic re-invention of the three spaces was to reveal and expose the rich history of the building's context by acknowledging and enhancing the intervention's specific context," the studio said.

Kwong Von Gilnow located a new welcome centre, student and community forum and faculty and staff lounge along the school's central axis, adjacent to the Farish Gallery.

"In all three spaces, we used forms that work with and reference the original building to create distinct spatial moments, rather than relying on walls to define each area," the studio said.

Located in the southeast corner, the welcome centre is characterised by expansive glazing that opened the previous brick wall to the nearby quad and four offices with interior curved glazing that allows transparency of the school's inner workings.

A mirrored column references the signature west facade and serves as a light contrast to the monolithic welcome desk.

Directly above the welcome centre is the new forum, connecting MD Anderson Hall to Karamuk Kuo's new Cannady Hall with an accessible walking ramp.

Two tiers of circular seating form a gathering space, while piers and wood grains reference the diagonal wall and create breakoff spaces in the large multipurpose room.

The lounge space contains a monumental Corian reception desk that marks the dean's office reception area.

"A three-sided 'wedge-like' volume delineates private and public areas within the lounge, separating the reception from the amenity spaces for faculty and staff, such as the kitchenette, seating area and ADA bathroom," the studio said.

"The Wedge is formed so that its west face is angled to allow light into the windowless back area of the faculty and staff lounge."

Other recent projects by Kwong Von Gilnow include the renovation of the Swiss consulate in Chicago's John Hancock Center with Swiss firm HFF and a proposal for a vertical housing complex made up of multi-floor units that form towers within a tower.

The photography is by Mikael Olsson.

Project credits:

Design architect: Kwong Von Glinow
Architect of record: Sharp Architecture
Structural engineer: National Structural Engineering, Inc.
MEP engineer: T&D Engineers
Acoustic consultant: Threshold Acoustics
Contractor: Tellepsen Builders
Client: Rice University School of Architecture

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