On August 3, 1910, Governor General of South Africa Herbert Gladstone, 1st Viscount Gladstone laid the cornerstone for a structure designed by John Johnstone Kirkness, and in 1911, the university moved to its current location.

Local sandstone was used on the building, featuring a style reminiscent of French Renaissance architecture.

A distinctive bell tower and stained-glass windows with the coat of arms of the Transvaal University College (T.U.K.)

In the southern wing of the upper floor lies the Van Tilburg Collection, focusing mainly on South African antiquities and featuring the largest collection of Asian ceramics in the southern hemisphere.

A collection of bronze sculptures by Anton van Wouw were also scheduled for exhibition in the central tower section of the Building.