History: Central Library terrace sweetgum

Architect’s proposal for the additional wing in this 1967 architect's drawing. The sweetgum can be seen growing through the hole in the terrace. Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives photo archives PA.BLD.LIBR.44

Except along the roads, there are very few trees. A notable exception is the tree on the terrace of the central library. In early 1960s, the Vanderbilt University Board decided to add an additional wing to the original central library on the 21st Avenue S. The new wing provided direct entrance into the library from the 21st Avenue S. and served as a witness to the rise of modernist architecture in the U.S.

Sweetgum growing through the hole in the terrace sometime after construction was completed in the late 1960s. Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives photo archives PA.BLD.LIBR.161

Sweetgum tree growing through the hole in the library terrace, 2020. Photo by Steve Baskauf under a CC BY license.

In this 2017 photo, you can see the sweet gum tree growing through the ceiling of the central library loading dock. Photo by Steve Baskauf under a CC0 license.

While the buildings on campus were predominantly traditional southern style, the new wing to the library added a modernist color to the campus, and the architect attempted to incorporate green space on campus into this new modernist architecture piece. This was done by creating a hole on the wing with a tree coming out of it. This bold design not only demonstrated Vanderbilt University’s global vision, but also served as a vivid evidence to the university’s diversity and tolerance to new trends.

Return to the historical tree tour page for the sweetgum in the library terrace.