Giannini Hall is one of three buildings in the UC Berkeley Agricultural Complex. The other two buildings are Wellman Hall and Hilgard Hall.

In 1928, Bancitaly Corporation endowed the Giannini Foundation of Agriculture Economics in memory of Amadeo P. Giannini. Part of this endowed funded the construction of Giannini Hall.

The architect, William Charles Hays, was a faculty member who had worked with John Galen Howard on the design of Hilgard Hall.

The design of Giannini Hall respects Howard's intention to have the complex suggest an old Tuscan farm, a group of buildings around a court. To further the Italian image, stone pines, cypresses, and olive trees were used in the landscaping. Howard himself brought stone pine seeds from Italy.

Adapted from the NRHP nomination.