Glass House Presents: A New Campus for the Rothko Chapel

Dedicated in 1971 by philanthropists John and Dominique de Menil as a sacred space for interfaith celebration and engagement on social issues, the Rothko Chapel in Houston displays 14 monumental paintings by Mark Rothko within an octagonal space designed by the artist in collaboration with Philip Johnson, Howard Barnstone, and Eugene Aubry. Following a yearlong restoration by New York-based firm Architecture Research Office, the Chapel has reopened to the public with a new skylight that brings the space into alignment with Mark Rothko’s original vision for the first time. Stephen Cassell, Adam Yarinsky and Christopher Rothko discuss the history of the building, the importance of light within the Chapel, and the expansion of the Chapel’s campus.