Ohio State University - Makio Yearbook (Columbus, OH)

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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE FUTURE Until about four years ago the buildings and grounds of the Ohio State University had been controlled in the main by the idea of following the informal landscape park idea. The plan had been to set most of the buildings around and facing upon an extensive central lawn having a slightly undulating surface and with irregularly grouped trees. A circuit drive and walks on gentle curves surround the lawn and afford access to the fronts of the various buildings. lly IQOS this plan of having the buildings surround and face upon a great central lawn, had nearly reached the limit of its capacity. In fact it had clearly been out-grown, as shown by the fact that important buildings had been erected near this central loop of buildings but not as a part of it. So far as known, there was no comprehensive logical plan for further expan- sion. ft appeared likely that each new building would be placed to suit the convenience and taste of the head of the department by which it was to be used, unless the architect or some one else should have other ideas and should be able to persuade the lloard of Trustees to have it otherwise. The informal idea clearly was followed in locating Veterinary Laboratory askew with the other buildings and in placing Hines and Ceramics Hall askew with Hayes Hall, Chemistry Hall, and lirown Hall, its nearest neighbors. On the other hand, the Engineering Department contemplated a formal row of buildings north of llrown llall and parallel with its north and south axis line, and no doubt in- tended to further follow a purely formal layout. The Agricultural Department also had in mind a straight row of buildings east of Neil Road, facing west on a line parallel with the Engineering buildings. lt is evident that there had developed a strong feeling of dissatisfaction with the idea of continuing to locate all buildings irregularly in accordance with the informal park idea. Undoubtedly this feeling, which still persists, is in accord with sound esthetic principles. The informal park idea requires, for its successful accomplishment, that the buildings be moderate in size, height and number, leaving ample spaces for lawns and trees between them. ft is also very desirable that such buildings be picturesque and preferably unsymmetrical in architectural design and they should certainly be comparatively unobtrusive in color and somewhat rough and rustic as to texture of exterior material, so as to harmonize with the trees and shrubs and irregular lawns of the naturalistic landscape. Some of the earlier buildings, erected after University Hall, such as Orton Hall, met these esthetic requirements very well. I2

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lf the idea of informality had been firmly adhered to and if all new build- ings had been kept small, the buildings could have been grouped around several additional informal lawns in such a way as to back toward the rears of previous buildings while facing on the new lawns. There might have been one such lawn north of Hayes Hall, preserving much of the woods as a landscape feature, and another north of the Power Plant, with the new Agricultural Department buildings on the west and Engineering buildings on the north. east and south. Abandon Informal Arrangement lint such an informal arrangement can no longer be adhered to for two reasons. First, there is a tendency to erect very much larger buildings than formerly, which are necessarily stiff and symmetrical in shape. Such great factory-like buildings are forced by the very large increase of accommodations which must be provided in a convenient and orderly way and by the recognized need of the utmost economy consistent with durability and a passably good appearance. These huge buildings are all out of scale with the lawns and trees of the ina formal landscape. The second reason is that there has been a pronounced change of archi- tectural style and motive. lt is a pity that architectural style is so much a mat- ter of fashion, but such is obviously the case. .Xrchitectural styles which would harmonize with naturalistic landscape have been abandoned and most of the buildings doubtless will hereafter be severely formal and symmetrical in design. Brown Hall, Chemistry Hall and others built of late years, except Oxley llall, are not only formal and sym- metrical, but are obtrusively smooth and citified in appearance, and therefore contrast too violently with the naturalistic landscape. lf large formal buildings are to be eventually numerous and close together, as seems inevitable. the informal landscape idea would be overpowered by formal architecture, and at the same time if such large buildings should be informally distributed the opportunity for effective grouping' would have been lost. Consequently, as a matter of good taste, it has become a necessity to group future buildings with due regard to formality and symmetry. Will Preserve Central Lawn lt is not proposed materially to interfere with the loop of existing buildings surrounding the fine central lawn. That would entail far too great a sacrifice and can only be thought of as a bare possibility at some time in the future when some of the present small, cheap buildings may he replaced by larger and more stately fireproof buildings, as we see happening in our large cities. lt is not probable that any wholly satisfactory formal plan can be grafted on to the present layout. but the tract of vacant land north of the present build- I-l