Knowlton Hall Dedicated
Knowlton Hall was dedicated on Friday, October 29, 2004 under a sunny, confetti-filled sky (watch the video). The historic event attracted hundreds of spectators, including University officials: School faculty, students and alumni: and design and planning professionals from around the country.
The ceremony, which took place at the east entrance of the building, featured speakers Karen A. Holbrook, President, The Ohio State University: Robert S. Livesey, Director, Knowlton School of Architecture: Daniel M. Slane, Vice Chair, Board of Trustees: J. Gilbert Reese, Esq., Secretary, Ohio Board of Regents: Brett Kahren, student, Knowlton School of Architecture: and Jack Lucks, Co-chair, Knowlton School of Architecture Campaign. Also in attendance were Knowlton Hall architects Mack Scogin and Merrill Elam, local architects Wandel and Schnell, and from landscape architect's Michael Van Valkenburgh, Matt Urbanski and Gullivar Shepard.
Kahren, a senior landscape architecture student, told attendees that the school has given her the chance to excel in her studios and classes.
“Not only has the Knowlton School of Architecture shown me ways that I can be involved within my school, but it has shown me how to give back to my community, University and, most importantly, my fellow landscape architecture students,” she said.
“I am excited to spend my fourth and last year here at Ohio State
in this beautiful new building,” she said. “Its distinctive architectural qualities and differing spatial experiences, combined with the ever-present enthusiasm of design students, have created a space conducive to learning what we love, in the best possible conditions.”
Upon completion of the speeches, the speakers and other distinguished guests gathered at the front of the stage to pull the hot pink bow that wrapped the balcony of the building. When the bow fell, cannons shot confetti from the balcony and through the oculus, showering the crowd in four-colored biodegradable paper.
Livesey concluded the ceremony by inviting the attendees in to the building for a reception and self-guided building tour. On their way through the front doors, guests were presented with a School brochure and a KSA ping-pong ball. Faculty, student and staff volunteers were stationed throughout the building to answer guests’ questions and provide guidance.
Howard LeFevre, a 1929 architecture graduate and classmate of Austin E. “Dutch” Knowlton, attended the event with a grin. “It’s wonderful,” he said of the building, which carries the name of Knowlton, its greatest benefactor and a 1931 graduate of the school. “It’s really a learning institution that far exceeds what we had years ago.”
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Knowlton Hall is open for classes
Watch the dedication video
Posted: 11/2/2004