The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston will celebrate the inauguration of the Glassell School of Art this Sunday, May 20, marking the completion of the first phase of the museum's 14-acre redevelopment. The first phase also includes the BBVA Compass Roof Garden designed by Steven Holl Architects and The Brown Foundation, Inc. Plaza by Deborah Nevins & Associates. 

According to recent details from the MFAH, the Steven Holl Architects-designed, L-shaped Glassell School of Art features a 93,000 square-foot interior containing: three dozen studios illuminated with natural light; public gallery spaces for student and alumni exhibitions; a broad-stepped central staircase serving as the school's forum; a 75-seat auditorium; and a public coffee bar. With summer classes scheduled to begin on June 4, the school is the only museum-affiliated art school in the U.S. serving pre-K to post-graduate students.

“The alternating concrete and glass panels create a porosity between indoors and out, and the gathering spaces—including the building’s walkable, sloping roof—provide a civic experience for students and the public alike, with spectacular views of the neighborhood and the city skyline,” Steven Holl describes.

The Brown Foundation, Inc. Plaza will include a fountain, shaded seating area, and two monumental sculptures: Anish Kapoor's “Cloud Column” and Eduardo Chillida's “Song of Strength”.

MFAH — which has already raised $400 million — is closer to achieving its $450 million fundraising goal, thanks to a $25 million gift from Nancy and Rich Kinder (who have a building named after them in the MFAH redevelopment). With the first phase completed and the Kinders' gift, MFAH Director Gary Tinterow said in a statement that they're “well positioned” to complete the entire campus redevelopment in early 2020.