Samford University celebrated the renovation of Buchanan Hall with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 1.
School officials, students, faculty and staff, alumni and civic leaders attended the ceremony, which was held on the quad. The university’s marching band and A Cappella Choir performed for those gathered.
The 15-month renovation transformed Buchanan Hall, which has housed the School of the Arts’ music program since 1958, with state-of-the-art improvements, Ashley Smith, the university’s marketing and communications manager said.
The project re-imagined the space, providing areas for growth and, most importantly, access for all students and faculty members, Smith said. Davis Architects, a firm that has guided Samford’s campus design for decades, created plans to transform the interior of the building to meet students’ needs.
The renovation of Buchanan Hall honors the historical architecture outside while creating more welcoming, contemporary spaces inside. There are community gathering spaces for students and faculty, which will encourage interaction and collaboration as the focus is on the needs of training 21st-century musicians, Smith said.
There is a glass front on the first floor, which contains a student-centered zone with a student commons, instrument storage, practice rooms, a computer lab and a new recording studio, she said.
On the second floor, a glass-fronted office in the reception area for the School of the Arts welcome center allows more natural light into the area. Administrative offices, studios and classrooms round out this level.
Classrooms and faculty studios are located on the third floor, and the fourth floor has offices, a commons area and a smaller classroom/conference room space, Smith said.
Other updates include a new elevator, additional stairs, sound proofing, technology-efficient classrooms and labs, and better-quality practice rooms and studios.
