Constructed in 2004, Knowlton Hall is both surrounded by public art and a work of artistic architecture itself. The building was named after donor Austin “Dutch” Knowlton who earned a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering from OSU in 1931, and whose firm built extensively on campus from the 1940s through the 1970s. The exterior of Knowlton Hall is designed of marble “shingles” to be purposely ambiguous in form, and the interior is designed so that from any one spot, the limits of the building are beyond the viewer’s vision. Though ambiguous and sometimes frustrating to visitors, the building’s design is meant to spark discovery among students. The building’s size and color have earned it the nickname of Moby Dick or The Whale.
The interior ramp system that runs the length of the building allows people to see students working on projects in their studios. From the Neil Avenue Mall entrance, the ramp travels a quarter mile to the door to a roof garden. The OSU Architecture Library is also housed in the building and showcases furniture designed by famous architects.
Michael Van Valkenburgh and Associates designed the spaces to the east of the entrance, the roof garden, and the south cut garden using slabs of Vermont marble. For seating, Van Valkenburgh used the south cut garden to compose a “prelude experience” before entering the building with berms and ramps that stand in contrast to the flat hardscape of neighboring buildings. At the west end, are five columns representing five orders of architectural columns—Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite. Knowlton personally selected the Georgia marble for these columns.
In February 2010, Knowlton Hall earned the Architecture Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects for exemplifying excellence in architecture, interior and urban design.