Aaron Morrison, Videographer

As a part of the continuing growth of Berry College, the development of the Pavilion at Oak Hill and the Martha Berry Museum is soon to begin.

The Pavilion will be nestled in a set of trees near a pond just off to the side of Oak Hill so as not to detract from the house itself. Chief of Staff to the President and Secretary to the Board of Trustees Dr. Whit Whitaker said that the design of the structure will copy the Greek revival style of the rest of the buildings on the property.

Elevation Plans by Cevian Design Labs

It [the Pavilion] is going to be historically consistent with the architecture of the buildings there already. The design of the structure includes design elements from the gazeboes, so it will tie in with the Oak Hill house as well as the property.”

The Pavilion will serve as an enclosed venue for various events, from weddings and business conferences to Berry student dances. The event space will be available for community groups, students and alumni to utilize. Dr. Whitaker said that, depending on the type and size of the event, the Pavilion can hold anywhere between 200 to 300 people.  

With controlled climate and walls that can open and close, the Pavilion will be able to meet the needs of any party. According to Dr. Whitaker, the bookings from the Pavilion will “provide some income stream with respect to weddings and other events from the community.”

Floor Plans by Cevian Design Lab

Since construction documents are in the final phase of preparation, the final cost of the Pavilion has not been determined. The college will not be paying for the Pavilion and neither will students.

“It’s going to be donor funded,” Dr. Whitaker said. “We have a donor who is very interested in financing this project, for which he is very excited.”

While the date of construction is still in air, its projected start date is sometime later this year.