also has a walkway connecting it to the nearby Cowgill Hall. Burruss Hall Constructed in 1936 facing the center of the drill field and originally known as the Teaching and Administration Building, Burruss Hall is the main administration building on campus and the iconic symbol of Virginia Tech. A west wing and rear addition were built in 1968, and an east wing was added in 1970. It contains a 3,003-seat auditorium, a venue where major events such as commencement, presidential speeches, concerts, and performing arts shows are held. Additionally, the first floor of the building houses faculty offices, studios and classrooms for the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. The building is named for the eighth president of Virginia Tech, Julian Ashby Burruss. Cowgill Hall Cowgill Hall, located on Perry Street, is the home of Virginia Tech's College of Architecture and Urban Studies. It was completed in 1969 and is named for Clinton Harriman Cowgill, who retired in 1956 after 28 years as the architecture department head. In 2006 Cowgill Hall was named the winner of the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects Test of Time Award. This award is presented annually to a building that has served the same function for at least 25 years. Davidson Hall Davidson Hall contains office space, teaching labs, and classrooms. Originally constructed in 1928, additions to the structure were completed in 1933 and 1938; the structure was also renovated between 1964 and 1965. Named in honor of Robert James Davidson, the Dean of the Department of Applied Sciences, it was the department home for the Department of Chemistry. Davidson was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a member of the Washington Academy of Science, a member of the American Chemical Society, and served as the President of the National Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, in 1903. Davidson was also a delegate to the International Congress of Applied Chemistry at London, in 1909. In 2012 a $31 million renovation of Davidson Hall broke ground. When completed, Davidson Hall will have modern research laboratories, office space, new classrooms, and a 300-person auditorium. , substantial completion was expected in May 2014. Derring Hall Derring Hall, a five-story building, was constructed in 1969 and contains offices, classroom space, and laboratories for primarily the biological sciences and geosciences programs at Virginia Tech. The building was named after Paul Neyron Derring, a