Gearhart Hall was built in two phases, in 1940 and 1946, and is one of the principal buildings in the University of Arkansas' historic campus core. We restored the building's exterior facades and interiors, and designed a new 24,000-square-foot wing that completes the building’s "C-plan," creating a formal landscaped courtyard that accommodates gatherings large and small.

The restoration and new wing carries forward the limestone Collegiate Gothic architectural vocabulary established by Jamieson & Spearl in the 1920s. The building's interior includes Gothic detailing, woodwork, and light fixtures. Operable windows that recall the building’s original design replace fixed windows from a previous unsympathetic renovation, and state-of-the-art mechanical systems are concealed to retain the building's historical character.

The new wing houses the Honors College on two levels, with a 275-seat auditorium at the ground level of the addition. Facilities for the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the Geosciences Department are distributed throughout the existing building, and the Graduate School administrative offices are on the second floor of the renovated existing north wing. There are research laboratories and faculty offices on every floor. Classrooms, teaching labs, and student study spaces are provided on the ground and first floors, with administration offices on the second floor. The project is seeking LEED Silver certification.