CORRECTION: This article was corrected on Oct. 31 at 12:35 p.m. CDT. The article originally included a photo of the Peabody Administration building rather than Cohen Hall.
The Vanderbilt campus has a lot to boast about, whether it be its arboretum status or its countless large, red-brick buildings. In fact, the Princeton Review ranks Vanderbilt as the 13th prettiest college campus in the nation. In honor of that high honor, I ranked a selection of 13 main undergraduate buildings from the ugliest to the prettiest.
13. Olin Hall
The mere sight of the School of Engineering’s Olin Hall is enough to bring someone to tears. The only thing differentiating this cold, windowless block of stone from a high-security prison is its lack of an electric fence. The inside does not offer much more, with bare, narrow hallways and low ceilings.
12. Stevenson Center
While not as bad as Olin Hall, the Stevenson Center imposes itself as gigantic, brick boxes in the center of campus. To make matters worse, the endless maze of tunnels underneath the complex creates a suffocating atmosphere that prevents the inexperienced student from ever arriving at their destination. The worst part of Stevenson is possibly the constant, unsettling noises emitted by the buildings at all hours of the day. If that is not enough, the last straw is the concerning statue at the top of the stairs of a man screaming in agony, representing the emotions of anyone finding themselves within the walls of the complex.
11. Calhoun Building
(Geena Han)
The Calhoun Building may not seem terrible from the outside, but its facade is merely a deception. Inside, the building offers views similar to a run-down hospital. Additionally, the stairwell transports its visitors into a prison setting, where they are surrounded by small windows to ensure the minimization of any natural light that may try to sneak in.
10. Furman Hall
Furman Hall simply does not belong on Vanderbilt’s campus, seeming so out of place that some claim the building was accidentally placed here instead of at Duke. The building itself has few issues to complain about. The outside looks like a castle and the inside is a pleasant space. However, in its location surrounded by the campus’s classic brick architecture, Furman sticks out, taking away from the cohesiveness of the surrounding area.
9. Peabody Library
Peabody Library is another deceptive building on campus. The large columns and sculpted exterior provide a grand look to the building well-situated on Wyatt Lawn. Alas, the inside seems to be one of the most run-down buildings on campus. The windows are peeling, the walls are grimy and the study spaces are arguably the least productive environment out of all the campus libraries.
8. Central Library
(Abby Hoelscher)
Central Library is the least cohesive building on campus. The building is in desperate need of a power wash on the entire brick exterior. Upon entry, the interior is beautiful, warm and inviting. Just a few steps further, though, the ceilings drop to almost the height of a person’s head, and the narrow passages become illuminated with harsh, uninspiring lights. There are many nice rooms deep within Central Library, however, if you can fit through the hallways to get there.
7. Featheringill/Jacobs Hall
(Corey Lochan)
Featheringill successfully does its job as a building. Its modest exterior does not raise any false hopes, but its inside delivers. Its three-story-high ceilings with interior balconies and wood-paneled walls provide an ideal space to do work or enjoy free time.
6. Kirkland Hall
Kirkland Hall’s extensive construction fencing makes it almost impossible to judge. However, the parts of it that are visible, like the detailed molding and castle-like features on its roof level, shows it is a top-tier building on campus. It is still unclear whether the Kirkland clock tower beats out Big Ben for the world’s best clock.
5. Benson Science Hall
Benson’s exterior is one of the most ornate and well-designed on campus, and the tower in the center of it makes it look as grand as possible. With proper maintenance, it could even make a higher place on this list. However, a closer look at the structure reveals dirty windows covered in cobwebs that make it clear that the building may be haunted — especially at night.
4. Buttrick Hall
Buttrick Hall looks satisfactory from the outside. Its large number of windows and stone features give it enough detail to not look bland, but the inside makes Buttrick shine. Its tall, pointed arches and bridges on the inside make Buttrick the most attractive building to walk through on campus.
3. Wyatt Center
The Wyatt Center is seen as the masterpiece of the Peabody campus. The grand columns, expansive dome and curved walkways to adjacent dorm buildings make the building grand and picturesque. The entrance lobby also is a pleasant place to spend time. The basketball gym flooring throughout the building and the dark back hallways reduce the building from what it could be.
2. Cohen Hall
Cohen Hall on Peabody Lawn houses the Fine Arts Gallery, so, naturally, the building is one of the best. The fluted columns, sculpted niches and ornate molding already impress anyone walking by, but the inside’s marble and mosaic flooring with marble columns and staircases invite visitors to one of the most impressive spaces on campus.
1. Mayborn/6 Magnolia
The nicest building on campus, Mayborn/6 Magnolia, stands alone among several mid-tier buildings. The classic architecture of the Mayborn side is the grandest of any similar building on campus, and it is accentuated by the glass wall of the connecting 6 Magnolia structure. Inside Mayborn, the grand staircase and stained glass ceiling dome are unmatched across campus in a space that could only possibly be beaten by the connecting modern lobby of the 6 Magnolia side of the building. With food inside, study spaces and by far the nicest bathrooms on campus, the building wins hugely as Vanderbilt’s best.
