Rothko Chapel

Houston, Texas, USA

Architect: Architecture Research Office

Year Completed: 2021

Photography: Elizabeth Felicella

The Rothko Chapel, Houston was restored to reflect the original vision of artist Mark Rothko and founders John and Dominique de Menil. The chapel serves as a place of contemplation and space for fourteen paintings by Mark Rothko. George Sexton Associates designed new lighting for the interior and reconfigured the skylight to enhance the viewing experience of the paintings. The renovation includes a new Welcome House adjacent to the Chapel. Control of glare and light trespass were key considerations in this residential neighborhood. Exterior framing projectors illuminate Barnett Newman’s Broken Obelisk sculpture, providing precise control of glare and spill light.

Awards: LIT Lighting Design Awards, Daylighting Category 2022; Architect Magazine’s Light & Architecture Design Awards, Honor Award Whole Building Projects Category, 2022; IES Illumination Award of Merit, 2021; IES DC Candela Award, 2021