Photos from October 2024 - January 2025.
Denney Hall is another Miesian rectangle on north campus. It’s pretty uninteresting, but I do find it to be more attractive than some of the other bores from that era. Denney Hall is bordered by 18th Avenue to the north, Annie and John Glenn Avenue and Derby Hall to the south, the vacant lot that used to be Lord Hall to the east, and the empty space where Brown Hall stood to the west.
History
Looking west at Denney Hall’s site in 1958. (Buckeye Stroll)
Denney Hall was designed in 1958 by Hayes and Ruth (I think the above image misspells it), a Cleveland firm that operated during the middle of the 20th century. It was done in the Mid-Century Modern style, with a concrete frame, brick exterior, and enameled metal spandrels. Construction began in June 1958, the general contractor being George W. Lathrop and Sons, Inc., and concluded on February 1, 1960. At a cost of $2 million, the building has 61,000 square feet of space.
Denney Hall, undated. That metal sign is so cool. (Buckeye Stroll)
Denney Hall was built to house the College of Arts (now the College of Arts and Sciences), which still resides inside the building today.
Denney Hall’s interior c. 1960. (Buckeye Stroll)
Denney Hall was renovated in 2001, which updated the second floor. Apparently, Ohio State couldn’t afford to do any of the others at the time, which bothered students a bit. The building seemed to be disliked by students, as it was compared to a mental hospital with “low lighting, gray walls, and stained tile.” Seems like these kinds of buildings never age well.
Joseph Denney in 1926. (University Archives)
Denney Hall is named after Joseph Villiers Denney, an important faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences. Though he graduated from Xichigan in 1885, he came to Ohio State in 1891 after briefly serving as a journalist and high school principal. He was the first chair of the Department of Rhetoric and Literature (now the Department of English), and he became the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 1901, a position which he held for 20 years. Denney also helped shape the undergraduate curriculum and graduate program.
Currently, Denney Hall houses the administrative offices of the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as the Department of English.
Photos
Denney Hall is really wide and rather close to adjacent Derby Hall, so this was the best I could do for its south facade:
I also got this picture when the sun was shining right on it after my trip to Hopkins Hall in October 2024.
The vertical I-beams create an interesting effect when viewed at an angle:
A better look at the Miesian fenestration:
Note the fancy stone (granite?) under the piers of the second story. High-quality materials was a trope of orthodox International skyscrapers, but it’s rare to see on campus.
Each side facade is largely clad in brick and looks like this:
The rear is pretty much identical.
Note how the monolithic brick wall at the ends extends so high and appears thick.
I find the portico very interesting and Modernist:
Inside, the decor is pretty standard mid-century fare.
The first floor is mostly closed off for office space, so I went to the basement first. I noticed the vibrant tiling of this open janitor’s closet first:
There are also some funky glass block windows:
The basement has the usual millennial gray treatment to “modernize” the space. I bet that dehydrated-piss yellow is buried a layer underneath, and there’s probably gross asbestos tile under the carpet.
On the west side of the first floor, I found the entrance to the College of Arts and Sciences’ headquarters:
Again, the decor is mostly unaltered here. The tile wall, terrazzo floor, ceilings, light fixtures, and doors are probably all original. Also, that “Insurgent Youth” poster is SICK.
A better look at the updated window clings of the offices:
This plaque is also on the northwest wall, honoring Joseph Denney:
Looking back at the stairs I was about to climb, I found the curved balustrade and empty space between the stairs to be interesting. I guess this is the Modernist equivalent of a grand staircase.
The second floor is largely classrooms. Its decor scheme remains dated (part of the 2001 renovation), but the brown reminds me of 1970s earth tones, not the usual baby blue, pink, and light yellow scheme that every Mid-Century Modern campus building has.
The central staircase has windows that line the south wall, creating a airier and more open atmosphere. I know architecture of this era is usually transparent, but Ohio State’s is not. I like the effect.
I entered the third floor, and I was immediately sucked into the year 1960.
I could almost see the ghosts of octogenarian college students walking by. “Gee, Biff, that Marsha is a doll! You should pick her up in that cherry jalopy of yours for a drive-in movie.” Anyways, the third floor was mostly offices, plus the quarters of University Exploration. (As much as I wish University Exploration did cool urbex stuff like breaking into the tunnels, they deal with students who haven’t declared a major yet.)
The fourth floor holds the Department of English. What escapes me is how every single floor has a different decorative scheme.
Denney Hall will be demolished in the near-term in favor of more green space and an addition to 18th Avenue Library. I get the reasoning (OSU likes progress and millennial gray-washing everything, plus Denney Hall isn’t in too great shape these days), but I think it’s one of the stronger Mid-Century Modern works on campus, so it’s a bit of a shame.
Sources:
https://kb.osu.edu/handle/1811/24059
https://library.osu.edu/site/buckeyestroll/
https://library.osu.edu/site/archives/university-archives/
https://www.thelantern.com/2002/04/denney-hall-renovations-finished-one-floor-at-a-time/
