Buildings are being put up, torn down and remodeled at a steep rate at Ohio State; but the actions are all part of the university’s master plan.
“We use buildings to form a network of open space corridors and public spaces on campus,” said Bernie Costantino, associate university architect.
Design concepts for major projects are often provided by an architect of record, usually from an Ohio firm, which is contracted to provide the architectural services. A design architect who is nationally recognized for his or her design excellence is also used in major projects, Costantino said.
When buildings are built or remodeled the university architects work with the master plan adopted by the Board of Trustees in 1995, Costantino said. The plan was the first major planning effort since 1962.
“It is an urban design plan, not a capital plan, it focuses on creating campus spaces and framing them with buildings,” Costantino said. “It identifies potential building sites, not specific uses.”
“Decisions are made on buildings by a team of people,” said Laura Shinn, an OSU senior campus planner. “What materials are used is effected by cost, what’s around the building (and) whether we want it to stand out or blend in.”
The master plan has not changed significantly, but it covers development that would take decades to build. Each project has planning studies that adjust the plan or provide more detail, such as the new master plan for the medical campus that is currently in process, Costantino said.
Some buildings the university has built in the past 10 years have been traditional, such as the Fisher College of Business, and some have been contemporary like Knowlton Hall, Shinn said.
The site of the new Knowlton Hall was designated to be a landmark site and something different was appropriate, Costantino said. The materials with which it is constructed, the white color and curvilinear shape of the outside wall are not like any other building on campus.
On the other hand, the Biomedical Research Tower is more contextual and blends into its surroundings, Costantino said.
There really are no rules for designing a building, just guidelines. The most stringent part of campus is the northern side of the Oval, where buildings are limited to four stories and brick and limestone are encouraged, Costantino said.
Shinn and Costantino said brick has been common in the past because it is relatively inexpensive and readily available in Ohio, but that technology is changing and so are the possibilities for construction of new buildings.
“If we build buildings the same as we did in 1910 what does that say about our culture,” Costantino said. “That we are unable to design great buildings?”
The university tries to accommodate the person for whom building is being built, Costantino said. For example, metal additions were added when renovating Hagerty Hall in order to give it a high-tech look that reflected the culture of its users.
When considering the new student union, there have been student surveys and focus groups to figure out what students would prefer in their new union, Costantino said.
The selection of the design architect was based on student preferences, Costantino said. The architect of record is Moody Nolan.
“They have done a number of student unions and student recreation buildings across the country,” Costantino said.
The design architect chosen for the project is Michael Dennis, who did the student union at Carnegie Mellon, Costantino said.
“He is known for campus planning skills and contextual design,” Costantino said.
All of OSU’s buildings are not the same like they are at places such as Notre Dame. What OSU wants is for the landscaper to become the framework and act as an organizing device to create a comfortable campus. University architects envision the buidings location and effect on the surrounding areas, such as pedestrian paths and open spaces, Costantino said.
“It’s not one material or color, it’s a mixture of what feels right for the building site,” Costantino said.
