One of Atlanta's oldest surviving Queen Anne Victorian revival homes, Ivy Hall has been a family residence, restaurant, and center of learning over the course of nearly 140 years. Commissioned in 1883 by real estate developer Edward C. Peters, the home was designed by prolific Swedish architect Gottfried Norrman — also the designer of notable SCAD buildings Anderson Hall, Eckburg Hall, and Pepe Hall in Savannah. In 2007, SCAD acquired and extensively rehabilitated the building, which reopened in fall 2008. This beautiful location, conveniently sited in Midtown Atlanta, is available to rent for special occasions or corporate events throughout the year.

SCAD Ivy Hall, which served as the Peters family residence for nearly a century, acquired its name from the detailed ivy theme throughout, from woodcarvings to a gilded quote from Charles Dickens' The Ivy Green. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and designated an Atlanta Landmark Building in 1989, SCAD Ivy Hall survived two fires — the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917 and a significant blaze in 2000 —before being donated to SCAD in 2005, at a time when it was facing possible demolition.

SCAD spent more than three years completing an extensive restoration of the home. Chronicled in the five-part PBS documentary The Art of Restoration, the rehabilitation effort preserved the eclecticism and asymmetry of Norrman's design that made Ivy Hall a defining symbol of Southern architecture and one of Atlanta’s most famous residences.

“SCAD faculty and students put their hearts and souls into really discovering the secrets of this building and how we can best preserve them for future generations,” says SCAD president and founder Paula Wallace.

The SCAD preservation team found new life for many of the disused materials in SCAD Ivy Hall as a model of adaptive reuse. For its meticulous restoration of the historic home, the university received the American Institute of Architects Georgia Honor Award, the Shutze Award for Craftsmanship from the Institute of Classical Art and Architecture Southeast, and the Georgia Trust Preservation Award for Excellence.

Since being acquired by SCAD, SCAD Ivy Hall has served as an artist residence, writing center, lecture hall, literary salon, and event space. It has hosted readings by such luminary authors as Margaret Atwood, Augusten Burroughs, and Colson Whitehead.

Now, SCAD Ivy Hall is open and available for weddings, corporate meetings and retreats, rehearsal dinners, receptions and private events. SCAD Ivy Hall’s magnificent porches, gorgeous parlors, stately grand staircase and luscious outdoor garden will make your special occasion unforgettable in one of Atlanta’s most iconic residences. For more information or to schedule a tour, contact [email protected] or visit scad.edu/ivyhall.