The Rothko Chapel is a non-denominational religious space and gallery dedicated to the works of abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko. In the year 2000 it was added to the American National Register of Historic Spaces.

Founded in 1971 by the art patrons John and Dominique de Menil as an ecumenical site for both reflection and activism the Rothko Chapel is a relatively austere space, with quite a solemn atmosphere. The building was intended to serve as religious services space for a wide variety of different faiths and practitioners. The project was in development for close to a decade with both Rothko who painted each of the fourteen murals that decorate the space and his clients the de Menil’s having a somewhat unorthodox approach to the project

“Collectors John and Dominique de Menil had commissioned him to do the works in 1964, and according to some accounts, he dedicated a month to half an inch of canvas for the paintings for the chapel. He asserted so much control over the murals that, according to a 2018 biography of the Menils by William Middleton, his patrons never even got to preview Rothko’s work until 1967, when the painter invited them to see his paintings in progress.”

The space was intended to be a place of artistic reflection and quiet contemplation among the ever-expanding city of Houston, the Menil’s sought to establish a space within the city that would allow for inter-faith connections to be made.

“In 1972, Dominique described her planned chapel as a haven “of people who are not just going to debate and discuss theological problems, but who are going to meet because they want to find contact with other people.” The idea for a spiritual center came from seeing religious spaces filled with art abroad”

Despite their lofty ambitions, the Chapel would struggle through the design and construction process.

“There was nothing nearly so sublime about the chapel’s construction, however. It took seven years and a procession of architects to complete the site—a process Dominique described as “a long succession of deaths and failures and disasters.” Rothko oversaw every facet of the windowless interior, from its octagonal shape to the width of the doors, even the floor, which was inspired by the paving in Central Park. Rothko insisted the skylight mimic the light of his New York studio, but architect Philip Johnson, who was brought on to oversee the structure, was concerned by the aging effects of strong, direct daylight on the paintings.”

Rothko’s desire to completely control the quality of light within the space, added to the religiosity behind its conception meant that the character of the light within Rothko Chapel was of paramount importance. Rothko sought to design a singular, discreet space that was wholly focused on atmosphere, an experience of illumination that would reflect his idiosyncratic approach to spatial and artistic experiences.

As a painter, Rothko understood the importance of a distinct, ambient light that would allow for the cohesive experience possible. Unfortunately, as he designed the chapel around the dimensions of his New York studio which he strictly controlled and accounted for, Rothko was unfamiliar with the drastically different nature of the ambient light in Houston, a city which despite his years long process of design, he never visited before his death in 1970. Because of this the octagonal skylight that has totally dominated the visual character of this space has been a source of difficulty with the Rothko Chapel for decades causing untimely damage to the murals.

“It was just a major problem from Day 1,” said Stephen Cassell, a principal of Architecture Research Office. The chapel’s ceiling was almost immediately plugged up to protect the paintings — most recently with a huge black umbrella-like baffle that radically altered the space.”

Being located in the Houston metropolitan area, I have chosen to evaluate the specific solar conditions of the Rothko Chapel by using the weather data of the station located at William P Hobby airport. This airport is 14km to the south-east of the site of Rothko Chapel.

Using this weather data I will establish what the prevailing conditions are in the region. The quality of light within the building envelope proved difficult to control for in the decades since this building’s construction, and it is useful to determine what factors may have caused these problems.

When looking at the weather data it is clear the Houston’s levels of exposure to direct solar radiation at 12:00 midday is quite high and it maintains these levels for much of the year.

Looking at the same information graphed for direct solar exposure at 9:00am and 16:00pm, we can see that Houston spends many months of the year receiving prolonged, direct radiation from the sun.

Direct solar exposure at 9:00am above

Direct solar exposure at 16:00pm.

The weather data for the city’s exposure to diffuse atmospheric light at 12:00 midday reveals the extend of solar radiation that the buildings and inhabitants of the city must endure throughout the year.

One thing to note in this regard though is the large amount of cloud cover that blankets the city, particularly in the first half of the year, below is graph demonstrating this taken at 12:00 midday.

The Rothko Chapel is clearly an example of a building that has struggled to adapt to the realities of its site and location. When not adequately accounted for solar exposure can damage cultural artefacts. This would be my principal critique of this building, that the climate of Houston places fundamental challenges in the way of a designer seeking to completely create a diffuse, consistent ambient light within their buildings. Despite this, because of its role in shaping civic life among Houston’s population the Rothko Chapel is clearly held in high regard by its residents. It is currently undergoing extensive restoration work to ensure that the skylight can again facilitate the sorts of architectural experience that matters to those who see the worth in its design.

“The idea underlying Rothko’s art, especially the chapel, is that you sit and stare and stare and stare, and after a while you enter a heightened state of—hallucination? Soul-baring interiority? Boredom? Or all of the above, because no two single experiences of the chapel are the same. The nature of every encounter with the chapel, its supporters say, depends on what you bring to it.”