Add as a preferred source on Google

Rice University to Build New Student Life Complex

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/13/25

Rice University in Houston, Texas, recently announced that a groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming Moody Center Complex for Student Life (MCCSL) will take place on May 8, 2025, according to a university news release. The 75,000-square-foot facility was designed by architecture firm Olson Kundig with Page serving as executive architect, and it has an estimated completion date of fall 2027.

Funding comes from a $100-million donation from the Moody Foundation—the largest in university history—and a $15-million donation from the Brown Foundation. The new facility will be built in the Central Quadrangle alongside the existing Ley Student Center and Rice Memorial Center (RMC). Both of these facilities will be renovated after the new construction phase to create a cohesive complex, the news release reports.

"Rice University is dedicated to empowering our students to become leaders who make meaningful impacts around the world," said Reginald DesRoches, university president. "The Moody Center Complex for Student Life will be a centerpiece for community, creativity and collaboration, providing our students with the resources and spaces they need to thrive. We are sincerely grateful to the Moody Foundation and Brown Foundation for their incredible vision and support."

The new facility will include amenities like student services offices, study areas and meeting rooms, a café, and a coffeehouse, as well as indoor and outdoor event space for performances, lectures, and multicultural events.

"The Moody Center Complex for Student Life is set to become a vibrant cornerstone of student activity at Rice — an open, inclusive and outward-looking space that amplifies the university’s mission to support students in their academic, personal and professional journeys,” said Kelly Fox, the university’s executive vice president for operations, finance, and support.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Construction Begins on East Austin CTE-Focused High School

    The Del Valle Independent School District recently announced that construction has begun on a new CTE-focused high school in Austin, Texas, according to a news release. Del Valle High School will measure in at 473,338 square feet and have the capacity for 2,400 students.

  • classroom with crystal ball on top of a desk

    Call for Opinions: Spaces4Learning 2026 Predictions for Educational Facilities

    As 2025 winds to a close, the Spaces4Learning staff is asking its readers—school administrators, architects, engineers, facilities managers, builders, superintendents, designers, vendors, and more—to send us their predictions for educational facilities in 2026.

  • Preparing for the Next Era of Healthcare Education, Innovation

    Across the country, public universities and community colleges are accelerating investments in healthcare education facilities as part of a broader strategy to address workforce shortages, modernize outdated infrastructure, and expand clinical training capacity. These projects, which are often located at the center of campus health and science districts, are no longer limited to traditional classrooms.

  • restroom sinks

    CSU Dominguez Hills Standardizes Plumbing to Improve Restroom Maintenance and Efficiency

    At California State University, Dominguez Hills, facilities leaders have taken steps to standardize restroom fixtures as part of a broader effort to improve maintenance efficiency and control long-term costs.

Digital Edition