University of Wisconsin-Madison Breaks Ground on First New Humanities Building in 50 Years

The University of Wisconsin-Madison broke ground in May of 2024 on the College of Letters & Science’s new Irving & Dorothy Levy Hall, a 136,000-sf facility that will serve as the new home for eight academic departments. The building was designed by Bora Architecture & Interiors in collaboration with Ramlow/Stein Architecture + Interiors, with C.D. Smith Construction serving as the construction manager.

Standing four stories above ground and one below, the building will contain 13 classrooms with a total of 1,100 student seats, neighborhoods of faculty offices, and multiple collaboration/study spaces. The transformative development will serve the departments of African American Studies, American Indian and Indigenous Studies, Asian American Studies, Chicano/a and Latina/o Studies, Gender & Women’s Studies, History, Jewish Studies, and Religious Studies. 

Sustainability features include a rooftop garden, a self-sufficient irrigation system to repurpose rainwater, and spaces to park 280 bicycles. Representing a total project cost of $115 million, Levy Hall is anticipated to open in the summer of 2026.