Knowlton Hall, located in Columbus,

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, United States, is the current home for the three disciplines that comprise the Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture (KSA) at

The Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publi ...

. The building was completed in 2004. The School of Architecture offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in the fields of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and City and Regional Planning. Knowlton Hall serves as the replacement for Ives Hall, the previous home of the school of architecture which was demolished in July 2002.Dillon, Daniell
"University bids farewell to Ives Hall"
''The Lantern''15 June 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2012 The namesake of Knowlton Hall is Austin E. "Dutch" Knowlton. He graduated from

in 1931 with a Bachelor's in

Architectural Engineering Architectural engineers apply and theoretical knowledge to the engineering design of buildings and building systems. The goal is to engineer high performance buildings that are sustainable, economically viable and ensure the safety health. Archi ...

and provided a $10 million donation that spearheaded the funding for the creation of the building.

Architecture

Initially, the brief for the building was to renovate the existing building, Ives Hall, and plan an addition to accommodate anticipated programming. As the architect, Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects, worked, they realized it would be better to build anew with the primary goal of the building to inspire its students. The structure is

post-tensioned concrete Prestressed concrete is a form of concrete used in construction. It is substantially "prestressed" ( compressed) during production, in a manner that strengthens it against tensile forces which will exist when in service. Post-tensioned concreted i ...

construction and white Georgia

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...

as stipulated by the donor. The marble was used as shingles in a

rainscreen A rainscreen is an exterior wall detail where the siding (wall cladding) stands off from the moisture- resistant surface of an air/water barrier applied to the sheathing to create a capillary break and to allow drainage and evaporation. The ''r ...

that could be easily replaced and allow light inside. The resulting building form is monumental with enclosing, defining, and confronting space and adjacent buildings with a sense of elegance reflected in its green space. Designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, the landscape attempts to increase nature on the site through landform strips around the building's perimeter and construction of an arboreal bosque.

Design and organization

Knowlton Hall houses a 30,000 volume library, 65 offices, 45 studio spaces, a workshop, its own café, and a large auditorium that serves not only as one of the six classrooms in Knowlton but also as a stage for the KSA lecture series. "News and Events: Lecture Series"
''KSA''. Retrieved 28 November 2012 The KSA lecture series bring students into close contact with prominent researchers and practitioners of architecture, landscape architecture, and city planning. As one member of an award jury for the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...

(AIA) said in regards to Knowlton Hall:

What architect would not have liked to have gone to school here? This project embodies everything I would want in an architecture building. It is full of unique spaces, an open flexible hall that beckons people to participate, and seems to have surprises around every corner. 'Our buildings shape us,' as
Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from 1 ...
said, and to have future generations of architects learn and grow as designers within an inspiring building such as this ... is exhilarating."Knowlton Hall Wins Prestigious Architecture Award"
''The Ohio State University: College of Engineering'' 11 June 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2012

Recognition

Since its completion in 2004, Knowlton Hall has been the subject of a lot of attention, not only within the local community of Columbus but also nationally. Knowlton Hall has gained recognition by national publications, such as

Architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

, Competitions, Dwell, Praxis, and

Architectural Record ''Architectural Record'' is a US-based monthly magazine dedicated to architecture and interior design. "The Record," as it is sometimes colloquially referred to, is widely-recognized as an important historical record of the unfolding debates in a ...

, and has also been the recipient of numerous awards: * American Institute of Architects, National; Architecture Honor Award, 2010 * American Institute of Architects/

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members ...

; Award of Excellence, 2005 * American Institute of Architects, Georgia; Honor Award, 2006 * American Institute of Architects, Ohio; Honor Award, 2005 * American Institute of Architects, Columbus; Honor Award, 2009 * American Council of Engineering Companies; National Recognition Award, 2005 * American Council of Engineering Companies, Ohio; Grand Award, 2005
"International Masonry Institute"
Ohio; Golden Trowel Award, 2005 * Post Tensioning Institute; Award of Excellence, 2004 * Columbus Landmarks; James B. Recchie Design Award, Finalist, 2007

Publications

Todd Gannon, Margaret Fletcher, Teresa Ball (eds), ''Mack Scogin Merrill Elam: Knowlton Hall, Columbus, Ohio'', Springer Science & Business Media, 2007

References

{{Ohio State University, campus Buildings and structures completed in 2004 Buildings and structures in Columbus, Ohio Ohio State University buildings