By: Sam Richards
The most distinguishing aspect to any place of education, especially that of a major state university, is the aspect of how a building relates to those it serves. Page Hall of the Ohio State University is a strong advocate for this connection to the people of the university and community that it serves, Page Hall is located on the South Eastern corner of the Oval on College Road and houses classes related to many majors and general education classes, but largely houses and functions for the needs of those in the John Glenn Institute and the School of Public Policy and Management.
Built in 1903, the building is well known for its famous architectural significant exterior façade. Page Hall was the ninth building constructed on Ohio State’s campus and originally housed the university’s college of Law. The building was named after Henry Folsom Page, a famous Ohio Attorney that gave a large donation to the university to complete the building ( Nihiser 1). The façade is decorated will large sense of precedents related to classical architecture. This idea is resembled in the large focus on columns and a grand porch that faces the oval and resembles as the most notable feature of the building.
In 1959 the university decided to move the law school out of Page Hall and various functions took place in the building until the university focused on the area to be used for the now home of the John Glenn Institute in 2004. The focus of this space has become a major highlight to the university as the space provides a unique experience between the design and those who interact with it and provokes a sense of a unique learning space.
The building went under major renovations in 2004 where the University created a campus wide focus on revitalizing the major architectural markers on campus and giving them new focus and attention. The university focused on Page Hall by re-designing its major entryway façade by creating new ramps and ways of entry without destroying the architectural significance the connection to classical architecture provides.
This major landmark in architecture on campus provides a unique connection to the people it serves at this university while also focusing on its design of being a place of architectural significance and a place of learning on the campus. This piece is very important to the university as a whole and will continue to be for decades to come.
Works Cited
Nihiser, Wes. “Page Hall.” The Lantern. Ohio State University Journalism, 18 Feb. 2007. Web. 20 Nov. 2016. <http://thelantern.com/2003/08/page-hall/>.