In the heart of hot and humid Houston, the Rothko Chapel is nestled in the beautiful, quiet, tree shaded neighbourhood of Montrose. Just a few streets out from its lush green surroundings however, freeways and busy road zig zag around joining together the vast metropolitan city beyond. The strong axis formed between the Chapel and the ‘Broken Obelisk’ on site and slipping and sliding of the streets beyond creates a language of weaving like the work of Anni Albers. In expanding the site, buildings are arranged as volumes sliding across criss-crossing axises and the strong presence of nature is woven in and around the buildings, permeating solid walls to create greenery based sight lines, shaded pavilions and pockets of courtyards throughout the complex.
