Duncan Hall at Rice University

May 25, 2012

Rice University’s buildings are known for utilizing similar red bricks and building proportions. The Duncan Hall is no exception to this. Yet the campus for computational engineering major is one of the most interesting buildings around. Designed by a flamboyant British architect, John Outram, the creative force of this building is focused on the inside of the building.

Anyone who enters it for the first time will be surprised by the fantastic interior, as if they are entering a magical space. Who would have thought an engineering building can be so festive and jovial?

Also to mention is the strong reference to Egyptian’s hypostyle hall. Yet the fat columns here are not structural – they house utility rooms and supports only skylights.

Maybe this building is more appropriate to house the graphic design or art majors, nonetheless the left-brained students here may be the ones who can benefit the most from some artistic stimuli.