Architects Thomas Phifer and James Burnett made the social
center of Rice a reality when they completed the Brochstein Pavilion in
2004. The pavilion exemplifies the
Modern concept of minimalist aesthetic.
The project also embodies the post-modern idea of Possibilistic design. Both of these concepts interact with and
integrate the existing campus and community.
Glass and
steel are all that defines the Brochstein pavilion from the prim lawns of
Rice. The transparency of the building
invites people and the landscape of the university indoors. The project, “with a deft immaterialism, bridges the
physical and metaphoric outside and inside, encouraging movement through and
around the library and connecting the new residential colleges rising on the
south with the science facilities emerging to the north” (Broome). The incorporation of the building and
landscape is made possible by stripping the building down to only what is
necessary. The building has been called “a study in restraint and the purity of
form” (The Brochstein Pavilion at Rice University). The light steel structure allows the building
to become a glass box without any obstructions to the view of Rice’s manicured
grounds, with their rows of live oaks (Gray).
The stripping of ornamentation comes from the Modernist style of
architecture. Modernists believed that “architectural designs should bear no more
ornament than is necessary to function” (Rowe).
The Brochstein Pavilion expresses the Modern ideal that “the building, bearing no unnecessary ornament,
and the open space surrounding the structure as well as the open plan interior
lends itself to the ideals of social living and communication” (Rowe).
The Brochstein Pavilion uses the Modernist ideals of stripping
everything unnecessary away to open itself to the landscape, campus, and community
of Rice. The landscaping of the Pavilion
is an extension of its architecture that allows it to reach across campus and pull
people in. Anyone who visits the coffee
house can see that “the trees and landscape are just as much a part of the architecture
as the building” (Broome). The
simplicity of the building allows it to float lightly amongst the heavy masonry
buildings of the rest of the campus. The
project does not try to compete with the decorated stone facades surrounding
it. Instead, it communicates with these
buildings and ties them together. The
out reaching trellis and landscape “makes
the land between the pavilion and the library feel particularly special” (Gray). The Pavilion is described as a
Rice alumni Jennifer
Evans describes the Pavilion as:
A simple glass,
aluminum and steel jewel that solves complex issues on campus and activates the
open space of [Rice’s] important circulation area. Its transparency, lightness and immaculate
design make this structure a refreshing destination on campus.
While the heavy masonry used throughout the campus can
create a sense of intimidation, the lightness of the Pavilion creates “a welcoming…gesture of generosity that helps
you become a part of something” (Broome). Without its Minimalist Aesthetic, the
Brochstein Pavilion would not be able to draw the campus community in and
create the social hub that it hosts today.
The program of the Brochstein Pavilion is
simply a glass box with a central mass for restrooms and small coffee
kiosk. The un-programmed space
exemplifies the Post-modern idea of Possibilistic design. Post-modernist buildings did not seek to control
the user of the building the way Modern buildings did. Post-modernists believed that the Modern idea
of total control of architecture and how people interacted with it, “leads to
social practices and institutions that legitimate domination and control by a
powerful few over the many” (Suggs). Post-modernists
wanted to their buildings to be used in whatever way the user wanted, rather
than dictating the use of the building. One
of the goals of Post-Modernism was the indeterminacy of space (Irvine). The use of glass and light structure in the
Pavilion blurs the line between the interior and exterior of the building. The undetermined perimeters of the building
combined with the empty floor plan make the Pavilion adaptable by the user. The Brochstein Pavilion allows itself to be
transformed through its “flexible, non-programmed space” (Gray). The pavilion has no fixed seating in its
interior or exterior, allowing students and faculty to arrange the space to
their liking. The Pavilion can accommodate
“small impromptu gatherings as well as
large public functions” (Gray). The
glass curtain walls of the building and large doors allow the activities within
the pavilion to spill out into the landscape when additional space is needed. Because of the ability to change to its user’s
needs, the project has “cultivate[d] greater dynamism and vibrancy on the
campus and foster[d] [a] sense of community” (Broome). The sense of non-programed space continues
into the landscape around the building. The
spaces under the trellis of the Pavilion are rarely used in the same way from
day to day. The porches are used for
casual chess play, study groups of all sizes, and overflow for events taking
place within the Pavilion. As students and
faculty walk by the coffee house, “the trellis renders the porches active
participants in the campus circulation” (Broome). This allows the Pavilion to draw people into
whatever is taking place that day. The
project is a “deceivingly simple glass, aluminum and steel jewel that
solves complex issues…and activates the open space of this important
circulation area” (Evans). The large open pathways and lawns around the
Pavilion allow the exterior spaces of the project to be as flexible as its
interior.
Lisa
Gray (2008) observed the following:
A
series of wide double doors at the pavilion connect the interior seating areas
with the surrounding terrace, opening the pavilion to the landscape and
welcoming students and faculty. The openness
of the curtain wall system establishes a strong connection to the landscape,
encouraging activities within the Pavilion to flow out into the surrounding
Quadrangle.
The Possibilistic design of the
Pavilion creates the opportunity for interaction determined by its users.
The mission of the Brochstein Pavilion was to create a space
that would facilitate the interaction of people and the sharing of ideas in a
casual setting. The project incorporated
modern and post-modern theories to create a space that would communicate with
the existing campus, draw people in, and allow them to make it their own. The project has done this so successfully,
that it draws people from across the city of Houston to swap thoughts over
coffee and under the shade of the Pavilion.
References
Brochstein Pavilion / Thomas Phifer & Partners, The Office of James
Burnett. (2009, March 17). Archdaily.
Retrieved from http://www.archdaily.com/15786/brochstein-pavilion-the-office-of-james-burnett/
Broome, Beth. (March 2009). Raymond and Susan
Brochstein Pavilion. Architectural
Record. Retrieved from
http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/archives/9030-brochstein-1.asp
Evans, Jennifer. (January 2010) Brochstein
Pavilion Earns National Award for Excellence in Architecture. Rice News and Media. Retrieved from http://news.rice.edu/2010/01/22/brochstein-pavilion-earns-national-award-for-excellence-in-architecture/
Gray, L. (2008, July 2). Brochstein Pavilion: Rice University's Glass of
'08. The Houston Chronical. Retrieved
from http://www.chron.com/entertainment/article/Brochstein-Pavilion-Rice-University-s-Glass-of-1781716.php
Irvine, Martin. (2004). Postmodernity vs. the Postmodern vs.
Postmodernism. George Town University.
Retrieved from http://faculty.georgetown.edu/irvinem/theory/pomo.html
Rowe, A. Hayley. (2011). The Rise and Fall of
Modernist Architecture. Student Pulse.
Retrieved from http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/515/the-rise-and-fall-of-modernist-architecture
Suggs, Marianne Stevens. (June 1997.) Art Education:
Content and Practice in a Postmodern Era. National Art Education
Association.
The Brochstein Pavilion at Rice University. (2010, January 1). 2010 ASLA Professional Awards. Retrieved
from http://www.asla.org/2010awards/352.html
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