September 2025.
Stillman Hall is an example of a WPA-built campus building from the Great Depression. The only other projects I can think of from that era are Converse Hall and Derby Hall’s “Little Theater.” I’m not really an expert on WPA designs, but the Buckeye Stroll website writes that the aesthetics are very typical of their work.
Stillman Hall is located on north campus. It is bordered by 18th Avenue, Evans Lab, and Newman & Wolfrom Lab to the north; Annie and John Glenn Avenue and Hughes Hall to the south; College Road and the Theatre Building to the east, and Lord Hall’s empty site to the west.
History
Rendering of the Social Administration Building. The design appears largely as built, minus the higher/wider stairs to the entrance and steeper roof. (Knowlton Archives)
Stillman Hall was designed as the “Social Administration Building” by university architect Howard Dwight Smith in 1935. It was built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) beginning in early 1936, and the building opened for classes in autumn 1937, though the top two floors were not yet furnished. It was dedicated that November. With a concrete frame and brick facade, the building is in the Neoclassical style.
Stillman Hall’s original footprint.
The original building prior to 2000. (Historic Campus Map)
Though the exterior is relatively spartan, hearkening both to the Depression era and the decline of heavily ornamented architecture, there are still some touches of decoration that the WPA indulged themselves with. Most prominent is the entrance portico, which has a pediment featuring large acroteria on top. Along the stone/concrete course across the top of the first floor are engravings reading “Justice, Freedom, Democracy, Knowledge, Experience, Happiness,” which extol both the values of the College of Social Work and those of the WPA itself. On the fourth floor were painted murals by artist Emerson Burkhart, which were done in 1939. I believe these have since been obscured, or they are in a place I couldn’t find.
An elevator was added to the north side of the building in 1978 to accommodate people with disabilities. I’m sure other renovations have occurred over time, but that’s the only one John Herrick documented.
Stillman Hall’s existing footprint.
Recent exterior photo of Stillman Hall. (College of Social Work)
In 2000, a Postmodern addition was constructed on the north side of Stillman Hall. It responds to the original building excellently, though there are a few clumsy moments. I couldn’t find anything on what firm designed it. It seems to have most recently been renovated by Krajnak Architects, which replaced the original windows and updated the HVAC system.
Charles Stillman (middle?) at the building’s dedication in 1937. (College of Social Work)
The Social Administration Building was renamed “Stillman Hall” in 1952 after Charles Stillman. Stillman began teaching at Ohio State in 1929 and established “the first curriculum in community organization for health and welfare offered in the U.S.” He became director of the College of Social Work in 1932.
Photos
Looking southwest at the entirety of Stillman Hall:
The principal east facade of the original building:
The massing is unusually cubic. Most basic campus buildings take the form of a rectangle, but Stillman Hall has a similar height to its width. It’s also rather small in plan.
Detail of the southeast corner:
Much of the details here are restrained, such as the simple cornice and brick quoins.
The main entrance’s portico:
It has a very exaggerated and geometric, almost Postmodern, appearance to it. The engaged columns are too simple, the pattern around the portal is too big, and there are too many acroteria on the pediment.
Pediment detail:
Here, the acroteria are much different from their classical leafy appearance, and the smaller ones appear almost like jet turbines.
The course to the left of the portico extols values of the college:
…which also extends to the other side:
These spandrels have a nice patina from age:
South facade:
In back, you can see that the addition makes an L-shape:
Detail of the rounded projection:
I think the west facade is actually more interesting than the east:
There is a sort of dynamism created by the projecting central portion, and the way that the parapet is interrupted dematerializes the metal bays in the middle. It looks like the “skin” of the building was stripped away to reveal some robotic insides.
Detaill:
Getting a very Stripped Classical vibe from this area…simple, geometric motifs in the spandrels and fluted pilasters without capitals.
The addition effectively mirrors the original building, but without a central entrance on this side:
Unlike the varying fenestration and wall effects of the 1930s design, the 2000s version is much more regular.
I do appreciate how the glass is a shade of green, which certainly is in reference to the oxidized copper spandrels of the original Stillman Hall.
Every time I look at the east and west end of this part, I always think of Mercedes-Benz.
Newman and Wolfrom Lab is too close to get a good shot of the north facade, but I tried my best here:
I kinda like this geometric vent dormer thing on the roof:
The interior of Stillman Hall has been heavily modernized, likely past 2000, when the addition was built.
Portrait of Charles Stillman:
The stairs still have their cool railings and radiators:
Third floor hallway:
I’m surprised Mike DeWine didn’t personally come down to rip this artwork off the wall. “MUH WOKE HIGHER EDUCATION!”
View out the Mercedes-Benz window:
It seems like a matching addition will be built on the south side of Stillman Hall in the long-term, which will mirror the footprint of the 2000 addition.
Sources:
https://kb.osu.edu/handle/1811/24059
https://library.osu.edu/site/buckeyestroll/
https://knowltondl.osu.edu/Browse/objects/facet/collection_facet/id/18
https://maps.osu.edu/historic/
https://www.rogerskrajnak.com/education/Archive/education-10.htm#n
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