Rothko Chapel reopens in Houston following restoration works
New York-based studio Architecture Research Office led the restoration works at this celebrated sacred space
![Monument in the gardens of a reopened chapel](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rnkCobLpJhn5VbChbTsG2Y-415-80.jpeg)
Following over a year of closure for restoration works, the Rothko Chapel in Houston has now reopened to the public. The well known sacred space was dedicated in 1971 and features 14 monumental Mark Rothko canvases as per the original vision of the artist and John and Dominique de Menil, the Chapel’s founders.
The project is just the first phase of Opening Spaces, a $30-million master plan for its campus, conceived by New York-based firm, Architecture Research Office. The firm also oversaw the structure's restoration.
During this process, the building's skylight, lighting design and entryway were reconfigured to be better aligned with the project's original aim so that visitors can freely interact with the artworks. The lighting adjustments were made by specialist design firm George Sexton Associates. Changes have included removing obstructions in order to allow natural light in the open plan interior.
Complementing the chapel, this September also saw the opening of the Suzanne Deal Booth Welcome House, a new built pavilion, which sits immediately to the north of the Chapel. This addition serves as a gathering point for the monument, as well as a formal welcoming space for groups and guided tours and an area for interactive educational opportunities. It also includes a gift shop and bookstore.
The surrounding landscape was redesigned by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, providing ample and serene, green space. A sculpture, Broken Obelisk by Barnett Newman, also sits on the grounds, dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1971 – the same year as the Chapel’s founding.
This highlights the chapel's commitment to human rights and social justice. The structure has always served as an open spiritual space for both solitude and gathering, dedicated to ‘increased opportunities for spiritual growth and dialogue,' says the institution - welcoming to all, regardless of faith, spiritual or religious background.
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Feel at home at Auberge, Château La Coste's new inn for culture lovers
Auberge La Coste sits at the heart of the art-filled estate, minutes away from the joyful town of Aix-en-Provence
By Harriet Thorpe Published
-
This Nova Lima apartment is a Brazilian family oasis with striking Minas Gerais views
A Nova Lima apartment designed by Jacobsen Arquitetura celebrates its long, natural Minas Gerais vistas
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Commune’s sustainable personal care products look ‘quite unlike anything else’
Commune’s Somerset-made products stand out in the sustainable skincare crowd. Madeleine Rothery speaks with the brand’s co-founders Kate Neal and Rémi Paringaux
By Madeleine Rothery Published
-
Morgan North’s multi-use complex features New York’s latest ‘park’ on its roof
Morgan North transforms what was once New York’s largest postal distribution centre into a sustainable, mixed-use hub of activity with a green roof
By Adrian Madlener Published
-
MetroEighteen’s office and showroom in Los Angeles is conceived as a home
MetroEighteen by Holm Studio is a project that consolidates office, showroom and staging warehouse for the leading audio-visual and lighting systems specialist in Los Angeles
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
David Zwirner office in New York is a flexible, minimalist haven by Annabelle Selldorf
Step inside the ultra-flexible and minimalist David Zwirner office in New York, designed by Selldorf Architects
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Kurt Rappaport invites us into his refreshed Beverly Hills office
Dan Brunn reinvents real-estate magnate Kurt Rappaport’s Beverly Hills office in Los Angeles
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Lose yourself in 550 Madison and Snøhetta’s public garden
Snøhetta designs a new public garden for 550 Madison in New York
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
Part Office creates minimalist live/work space in heart of Venice Beach
Los Angeles architects Part Office transformed a former residential building into Venice Lofts, a minimalist live/work space
By Ellie Stathaki Last updated
-
Four One Nine is a socially minded space for the San Francisco creative scene
Four One Nine by Síol Studios blends creativity with nature, light and a social purpose
By Ellie Stathaki Last updated
-
Architecture studio Undecorated’s lateral thinking shakes up Detroit
The American Midwest has been shaking up the world of architecture. Among emerging practices pioneering change is Detroit-based Undecorated, founded by Ishtiaq Rafiuddin and profiled here as part of our Next Generation 2022 project
By Ellie Stathaki Last updated