The Quad’s New Chapter

Fall 2024
By Autumn Horne '22
Illustrations by Jessica Bromer and Cin-Ty Lee

For Tania Min ’90, Rice’s Academic Quad was more than an expansive green space on campus; it was a tangible symbol of new opportunities. 

“The quad was a beautiful public environment that had space for me,” she says, recalling her earliest experiences as a student. “For immigrants like my parents, cultivating vibrant outdoor places like this was something they were not familiar with or had time for in their busy lives.”

Min, an architect and past president of the Association of Rice Alumni, has heard many stories echoing her own connection to the quad. Reflecting on its significance, she says, “The former iteration of the quad was important because of its symbolic meaning. That’s not to say it has to remain static. We can change what we have without losing who we are.”

Rice’s Academic Quad honors what the landscape has meant to so many while offering new ways to connect, reflect and grow for generations to come. As visitors stroll along a curving path that runs the length of the quad, they’ll pass newly planted trees and colorful beds of native plants and discover inviting new spaces to gather or rest for a while. 

The Redesign Process
The quad’s redesign was shaped by community insight and five years of academic research, programming and public scholarship — a commitment to bold change that was spurred by the Task Force on Slavery, Segregation and Racial Injustice commissioned by then-President David Leebron in 2019. 

In January 2022, after weighing input from a working group led by trustee Charles Landgraf ’75, the Rice Board of Trustees announced its decision to redesign the quad. The board, under the leadership of chair Robert T. Ladd ’78, then solicited community input and ultimately reviewed over 1,200 comments from a variety of stakeholders, including alumni, staff, faculty and community members.

 

 

In February 2023, the board of trustees announced their decision to partner with renowned landscape architecture firm Nelson Byrd Woltz to reimagine the Academic Quad. The decision followed an invitational competition where several landscape design teams toured Rice’s campus, listened to community input and presented their design ideas. 

“We love that they [NBW] have listened to us, they’ve learned about Rice, and they’re trying to reincorporate the things that are important to us in the new design,” says trustee Elle Anderson ’01, who also serves on the board’s Buildings and Grounds Committee. Over several months during the planning stages, the NBW team met monthly with members of the board. They also made frequent trips to Houston to work in close collaboration with George Ristow, university architect, and Matt Hester, senior project manager, who were on the ground daily to help bring the new design to life.

 

 

Inspirations and Symbols
While the quad’s redesign is undoubtedly beautiful, its significance runs far deeper. “I don’t see the landscape as an act of decoration,” Thomas Woltz of NBW explained, “I see it as a physical manifestation of values.” As visitors move through the quad, they will experience three zones, each designed to elevate both value and purpose — ceremony, commons and community.

Connecting the three zones is a long, arcing path lined with Monterrey oak trees. Inspired by “desire paths” — trails worn into the grass primarily by students over the years — observed in aerial photographs of the quad, the gesture symbolizes students’ freedom to shape their own futures and the future of the university. 

New students marching through the Sallyport or visitors from Rice’s Welcome Center will first enter the quad’s ceremonial zone. This space is designed to host formal university events and introduce visitors to Rice’s rich history. 

The paved area fronting the Sallyport has been expanded to accommodate a platform for speakers and lectures, using brick and stone that echo and enhance the surrounding and historically significant architecture. Slender cultivars of sweetgum line the original symmetric sidewalks in pairs, providing shade without obstructing views of the iconic architecture.

While the ceremonial zone closely resembles the original design, there is a vibrant difference: more visual play brought by an abundance of deciduous trees with bold fall colors, verdant grasses and flowering plants. Colorful beds filled with drifts of plants stretch off both sides of the Sallyport. These beds, and others placed throughout the quad, not only help manage storm water but also attract butterflies and other wildlife. 

The ceremonial zone is also where the Founder’s Memorial statue has been relocated. William Marsh Rice’s sculptural representation now sits on a paved limestone terrace, surrounded by a garden at the intersection of Lovett and Sewall halls. Through years of petitions, sit-ins and other forms of activism, students questioned whether the prominent image of William Marsh Rice — who owned enslaved people and intended the institution to educate “the white inhabitants of Houston” — truly represented the university’s current values and community.

 

Explaining the symbolism behind the new location, Woltz says, “When you begin the narrative of Rice … you begin with his gift, and then you move on. You move on to the faculty, to the future, to the students, to the incredible results of his gift.

At the heart of the quad is the commons zone, featuring a central plaza framed with long, curving benches. Shaded by the evergreen Monterrey oaks and a bosque of deciduous trees surrounding the plaza, visitors sitting on the benches will have a clear view of the area’s centerpiece, a small platform made from the granite plinth that once supported the Founder’s Memorial.

“We thought that base has carried one narrative since it was installed,” Woltz says, reflecting on the platform’s symbolism. “[We wanted to] repurpose that same stone base and say, ‘Now it carries the collective narrative of all the voices of Rice’s community.’” The plinth is designed to invite the campus community to speak, perform, protest and debate.

For decades, students have used the center of the quad to start critical conversations about Rice’s history and values. “Our students have always had a pulse on the culture,” says Portia Hopkins, Rice’s university historian. Emphasizing the importance of these conversations, Hopkins adds, “You have to learn from history and find ways to grow and heal from it, if you don’t want to repeat it.”

Enlivening campus life on the east side of Fondren Library is the community zone, a space designed for informal, impromptu gatherings. In front of the library, two large pergolas are set within a grove of loblolly pines. Waves of fabric, reminiscent of the red roofs of the surrounding buildings, ripple in the breeze and create a soft canopy over the space beneath the pergolas. Long community tables invite students to work and socialize. The space was conceived with the university’s design in mind and is inclusive and accessible from all sides. Those sitting at the tables will have access to power outlets and Wi-Fi, addressing two common requests from students.

 

 

The community zone establishes a vibrant social space. “Students will gather in this zone, really for the first time since the construction of the quad, to socialize, collaborate, share a meal or study,” Woltz says. “The new zone invites student life to unfold here. The long community tables are elemental symbols of fellowship, scholarship and nourishment — creating a place at the table for every Rice student.”

“I had zero social interaction in the quad, and I don’t think anyone else did either,” says Jae Kim ’25, the current Rice Student Association president. Describing students’ perspectives on the redesign, he says, “I know a lot of students were asking for more outdoor gathering spaces and outdoor study spaces … It feels like Rice is prioritizing student life and the student experience.” Anderson echoes this sentiment, saying, “I really hope the students determine the narrative. We did our best to create an inviting space, and I hope they receive it that way.”

For Rice President Reginald DesRoches, the quad’s new chapter honors and acknowledges the university’s rich, ever-evolving history and promising future. “The quad is one of the university’s most iconic spaces,” DesRoches says. “It’s what people visualize when they think of Rice. That’s why the evolution of this space is so important.” 
 

Meet the Architect

“When I’m flying in an airplane and my neighbor says to me, ‘So what do you do?’ And I say, ‘I’m a landscape architect,’ they inevitably have a question about their yard,” says Thomas Woltz, owner of Nelson Byrd Woltz, the firm behind Rice’s Academic Quad. But Woltz is quick to point out that landscape architecture goes far beyond yards and gardens.

“Gardens are certainly part of our toolkit, but it is not limited to that. Our studies are in earthworks, grading, drainage, horticulture, soil science, geology but also cultural history,” Woltz explains. These elements, he adds, are “essential if we’re going to face climate resilience, truth-telling and justice in the public landscape.” 

Woltz holds master’s degrees in landscape architecture and architecture from the University of Virginia and an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse. His team at NBW has a diverse portfolio of projects across the United States and internationally, including many in Houston. In fact, if you’ve visited some of Houston’s most iconic outdoor spaces — such as Memorial Park or the Rothko Chapel — you’ve already experienced Woltz’s work firsthand. 

Even though the Academic Quad project is now complete, Woltz and his team remain active on campus. With projects surrounding the Jones Graduate School of Business’ McNair Hall expansion and updating the campus pedestrian infrastructure, they are continuing to shape a cohesive, interconnected landscape at Rice. — A.H.

 

 

Shade Trees and Colorful Plants

1. Monterrey Oak (Mexican White Oak)
Quercus polymorpha

Now common in the Houston area, the Monterrey oak was first introduced to the Houston area by Lynn R. Lowrey, the namesake of Rice’s arboretum. Lowrey took numerous trips to Mexico to collect acorns for propagation in Texas.

2. Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichum

Bald cypress trees are the only native cypress tree in North America. They can also be found near the Harris Gully Natural Area, a campus wild space and environmental laboratory that is undergoing a significant restoration effort. 

3. Mexican Skullcap
Scutellaria suffrutescens

This plant is also referred to as the Texas Rose; however, it is native to Mexico. Lynn R. Lowrey originally collected this plant near Monterrey, Mexico, and introduced it to the Texas plant trade. 

4. Pink Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii

A Texas native that can be found in a wide range of colors. It is a very popular plant with hummingbirds.

5. Sideoats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula

This grass is the state grass of Texas and important for native wildlife. Birds love the seeds, and the grass is the host plant for at least five species of the skipper butterfly. — Plant notes contributed by Cassidy Johnson

 

Meet Me at the Quad

The Academic Quad offers flexible spaces for many kinds of activities.

Take a Break
Long benches placed throughout the quad are perfect for taking a break from work or study. These benches are strategically placed to offer peaceful, shaded spaces for rest and reflection or simply a beautiful place to read a book.

Express Yourself
A small platform made from the granite plinth that once supported the Founder's Memorial invites the Rice community to share to speak, perform, protest and debate. Whether it's an intimate concert or poetry slam, this space is perfect for showcasing creativity. 

Study Together
Long tables under pergolas in front of Fondren Library provide a new setting for group study sessions. With power outlets and Wi-Fi access, these tables are ideal for collaborative work. Newly installed lighting means study sessions can now extend into the evening hours.

Attend an Event
The expanded area fronting the Sallyport can now accommodate a platform to host speakers at formal university events. Experience Rice’s rich architectural history and hear from thought leaders in this newly designed space.

Read more about the transformation of the Academic Quad at rice.edu/quad.