Vanderbilt University is preparing to give San Francisco a new creative landmark: the Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang College of Art, Architecture and Design. The school will open on the former California College of the Arts campus next year, following a $75 million gift from Nvidia founder Jensen Huang and his wife, Lori Huang.
The new college is designed to keep the Bay Area's artistic energy moving forward while connecting it with Vanderbilt's broader academic expansion. University leaders say the campus will support art, architecture, and design education in a city long known for innovation and culture.
Alongside the college, Vanderbilt will establish the California College of the Arts Institute to preserve parts of CCA's legacy. The institute is expected to continue the Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts programming, maintain archives, host events for alumni and the creative community, and support residencies and fellowships for artists, architects, designers, and curators.
Vanderbilt is also searching for a founding dean to lead the new school. The San Francisco campus is planned to open in fall 2027, pending regulatory approval, and will add to the university's growing national footprint.
Founded in 1907, CCA played a major role in shaping West Coast art and design education. Its transition reflects a wider shift in which technology leaders are increasingly helping fund cultural institutions and creative training. As this model grows, it could redefine how future art schools are built, supported, and connected to innovation.
