A visionary building for the future: Garland Hall opens its doors after transformative renovation, addition

The College of Arts and Science is ushering in a new era with the opening of the renovated and expanded Garland Hall.

"The new Garland Hall is a physical representation of the exceptional Vanderbilt community and vision: innovative, collaborative, and welcoming," said Timothy P. McNamara, Searcy Family Dean of the College of Arts and Science. "The state-of-the-art building will allow us to forge groundbreaking discoveries, enhance teaching and foster connections among our world-class faculty, students and staff."

The welcoming, visionary space serves as a central hub for collaboration across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.

Located in the historic core of campus, Garland Hall was built in 1928 and named for Chancellor Emeritus Landon Garland. The renovation honors the building's architectural legacy and updates it to meet the needs of a modern academic community. The new building was designed to be flexible to support current and future programs, and to make more space for collaboration, connection and innovation.

The updated Garland Hall now offers:

• A 48 percent increase in usable square feet, from approximately 49,000 to 72,500

• A 32 percent increase in the number of workspaces, from 73 to 96

• A 200 percent increase in the number of classrooms and teaching labs, from five to 15

• A 19 percentage point increase in gathering space, from 2 percent to 21 percent of total square footage

• A 300 percent increase in student classroom seats, from approximately 150 to 600

• Vanderbilt's first dedicated outdoor classroom

The project began in 2021, when significant community feedback was gathered to ensure that the new building would meet the evolving academic needs of the community. The College of Arts and Science started with thorough research and planning followed by a series of community engagement events, including town halls, online surveys, workshops, focus groups and meetings with faculty.

The project was made possible by generous donors, including Jose Garrido, Katy and Kyle Miller, Lucie Cammack and the Cammack Family, Mike and Yvette Hooley, and Amy and Gentry Lee.

Garland Hall officially reopened to faculty, students and staff at the start of the 2025-26 academic year.

Guests at the Garland Hall ribbon cutting enjoy the new space.