Addition to Rice University Library Service Center, Houston, Texas (2019-2020)
In 2002 Rice University relocated all of its main campus libraries’ storage needs to an auxiliary site 5 miles south of the main campus. The 32-acre site along with its first storage facility were designed to accommodate future uses and expansions for such non-academic buildings. The RLSC and the Rice Data Center (2007) are the two buildings that presently occupy the frontal third of the site. The addition duplicates the original book storage / depository module as designed in 2002, providing an additional capacity for 1.75 to 2.0 million volumes. Other than some technical improvements such as more efficient lighting and cooling systems, all details and proportions of the new module match the original design allowing for a seamless expansion.
