Neighborhood Planning Field Assignment – Walking Tour of OSU’s Campus

Walking Tour of OSU

For our assignment today, we were tasked with taking an evaluation of the natural environment and its condition on campus at The Ohio State University. To complete this task, I followed a path suggested by the instructors of this course around campus. This path started at the Knowlton School of Architecture building and then headed eastbound towards West Woodruff Ave. The path eventually took me south down high street, where I was able to see more of the commercial side to the areas of campus. Later, I walked through the oval and eventually I walked past the towers and the stadium and eventually ended up back where I started at Knowlton. While walking throughout campus, I was able to recognize three important aspects of campus, street/sidewalk conditions, building use/accessibility and green spaces on campus. These are a few of the major aspects that planners must take into consideration when putting together an area in a community.

Street/Sidewalk Conditions

Walking around, you see sidewalks and paths all throughout campus. The sidewalks all vary in size and length depending on the location on campus. Walking alongside Woodruff, the sidewalks all appear to be in good conditions they tend to be wide enough to hold 2-3 people side by side. This is a trend among many of the sidewalks on campus. Sidewalks widen as you get to high street and this is also true of the sidewalks as you get closer to the stadium. This appears to be done so that more people can be comfortable while walking in these usually high density areas. One of the only areas where there was noticeable sidewalk deterioration was near the southwest area of the stadium. There were many noticeable cracks and discolorations in the sidewalks and restoration is needed in order to maintain the areas. It does seem like there was more focus put into the automobile when all of these streets were created as the roads are the main factors that align campus. There are, however, areas that are mainly used by pedestrian students with little to no cars on the way, this is most noticeable on 18th Avenue. The majority of the streets around campus are two-lanes with traffic going in both directions. There are never really buildups of traffic throughout campus, unless if there was an accident in the street, and that itself is very rare. Many roads on campus and along high street have been altered by different construction projects but there still has not been a build up of traffic as a result. There are many crosswalks for pedestrians to cross streets and the streets themselves are accompanied with street lights for visibility and safety. Overall the streets and sidewalk in and around the campus of OSU appear to be sufficient for pedestrians and automobiles in the area. Only further improvements that I would suggest are a possible cleaning/washing of the sidewalks to ensure that they remain clean and to ensure that campus is in the best shape for students and faculty.

Building Use/Accessibility 

The buildings of campus are the main focus on campus. Every college is known to have certain buildings that make the school unique and Ohio State follows that trend. At Ohio State, the main buildings are University Hall, Thompson Library, Ohio Stadium, and the Ohio Union. All off these structures are big and are able to hold many people. Each of these buildings appear to be placed in a good location as well as there are parking garages in the vicinity of each. They are also in unique locations with walkable paths leading towards the structures. University Hall functions as a building for classes and it serves as a point of hierarchy on campus due to its historical impact to the school. Thompson Library is the biggest library on campus and it serves as a quiet space for students, an area to study and as a place to relax when stressed. Ohio Stadium serves as sacred ground to many buckeyes on campus and far away. This is the house of Ohio State football and it is able to hold 100 thousand plus on a regular college football game day. The Ohio Union is the student center on campus and it can be used by students as a resource for possible questions, a mini bookstore and it also serves as a dining hall location on campus. Each building serves a specific purpose and students are able to benefit greatly from each of these structures.

Green Spaces

On campus, there are a good amount of green spaces structured for public interaction. The main green space falls in the middle of campus and is referred to as “The Oval” or “Oval Beach.” The oval lies directly in the middle of campus and you would likely have to pass through it as you are traveling from either side, north or south campus, to the other side of campus. The oval is a very accessible space for that reason and it is a space that many go to for picnics, sports or relaxation. There is always some type of public engagement going on at the oval and the same is true for the “South Oval” on the south side of campus. Also on campus, there is Mirror Lake. Mirror Lake is a space that was restored recently and it is a green area that attracts many due to its beauty. Many also go here in order to study or spend some downtime while listening to the sounds of nature. Another green area is located south of the stadium and adjacent to the RPAC. This is recreation field space that is used by many to exercise and play some sports. It is also space used by the marching band for practice. Other green spaces lie near dorms and this allows students living on campus to get a sense of fresh air from time to time while also having space for recreation and other activities. The green spaces throughout campus are accessible to all who are interested and there are plenty of spaces around campus for everyone to benefit.

 

In conclusion, this was a positive experience to get out on campus and explore the different aspects on my own. I was able to visit some areas of campus that I have never been to. Overall, I believe that the structure of campus flows nicely with the exception being the construction on campus that is constantly taking place. Once all the construction is finished campus will look better than ever. I believe the school and its planners do a great job in putting together the different areas of the campus and I believe that the school is effectively designed in a way that benefits the students, faculty, and others in the environment.

 

Photos From the Walk: