Rice University's new 94,000-square-foot Susan and Fayez Sarofim Hall aims to seamlessly integrate and connect the arts on campus, building on a legacy which began with Rice's foundational commitment to the arts at the institute's founding in 1912, was greatly enhanced by Dominique and John de Menil in the late 1960s, and which today has grown to encompass an art library and programs in art history, digital media, drawing, film, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and theatre. This multifunctional space, designed by the renowned firm DillerScofidio + Renfro, features a state-of-the-art cinema, a flexible performance lab, and adaptable classrooms, workshops, galleries and common areas. It’s designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and experimentation, creating a research-driven creative ecosystem at the heart of contemporary art.
The new facility addresses three key objectives: meeting the increasing student demand for humanities courses, providing an innovative center for art faculty and students, and solidifying the campus’s southwest corner as a vibrant arts district.
Sarofim Hall, designed with homage to the former Rice Media Center and Art Barn, represents an inventive take on the prefabricated building. Its striking design, created by Rice alumnus Charles Renfro and his team, transforms the structure into an extroverted minicampus. This design invites students, faculty and the public into protected exterior spaces, fostering engagement with the arts at Rice.
Sarofim Hall is home to Rice Cinema.