herr2ck: Urine Trouble

September 2025.

Smith Lab is a pretty standard science building, but it holds the distinction of housing Ohio State’s observatory on the north side. It is a late example of classically-influenced architecture, here the Stripped Classical style.

Smith Lab is located on north campus, bordered by 19th Avenue and the CBEC Building to the north, 18th Avenue and the 18th Avenue Library to the south, McPherson Lab to the east, and Scott Lab to the west. Prior to the construction of Smith Lab, the site was occupied by the Aviation Barracks.

Aviation Barracks History

Historic photo of the Aviation Barracks, with Robinson Lab next door. (Historic Campus Map)

In 1917, the Board of Trustees requested that various facilities be built for the School of Military Aeronautics. One of these was a barracks, which would house airmen that originally lived in the Armory. This vernacular design was done by university architect Joseph N. Bradford. The aviators moved in before winter break in 1917, but facilities like the library and barbershop were unfinished, and a leaky roof delayed full completion until August 1918.

A colorized view from a similar angle. (Historic Campus Map)

After Larkins Hall was completed in 1931, the gym space in the Armory was reassigned to Military Science, and the Aviation Barracks were demolished and landscaped to form a courtyard between McPherson Lab and Robinson Lab. The site was reused after World War II for temporary classrooms, which were held in surplus Quonset huts, but these were demolished shortly after in 1948.

Smith Lab History

The Physics Laboratory Building under construction in 1948. (Knowlton Archives)

Smith Lab was designed as the Physics Laboratory Building by university architect Howard Dwight Smith. Its construction began in September 1948, and the building was completed by August 1950. It was dedicated on June 11, 1951. Designed in the Stripped Classical style, Smith Lab is framed in concrete and clad in brick.

Smith Lab’s original footprint.

Unbuilt eastern elevation. (Knowlton Archives)

Looking at Smith’s elevations, the design seems to have been more elaborate and literal. It was meant to be twice its as-built width, about the size of its footprint today, and the current flat roof would have been a taller hipped design. The final design isn’t too different, and there are a lot of similar buildings on campus (like McPherson across the quad), so it’s not too big of a loss.

The original appearance of the Physics Laboratory Building. (Knowlton Archives)

In 1957, Tully and Hobbs designed an addition to the north end of Smith Lab in a similar Stripped Classical style. It was built by Joseph Skilken & Co. starting in September of that year, and the entire space was released for use in January 1960.

Smith Lab’s footprint after its first addition.

Tully & Hobbs’ 1960 addition. (Knowlton Archives)

Tully and Hobbs were commissioned again in 1965 for the construction of a second addition, which extended the complex further northward. Its construction began in February 1966 and was completely finished by April 1968. This portion mirrors Smith’s design effectively, including the simple cornice and brick quoins.

Smith Lab’s existing footprint.

Smith Lab as it appears today. (Historic Campus Map)

The second addition also included a special fifth-floor planetarium. Its original projector was a Spitz AP3, which was apparently a common feature on collegiate planetariums of the time. By 2011, the aging planetarium was having issues. Its roof leaked and the original fiberglass seats were worn out. In June 2012, the planetarium was closed and completely gutted. Renovation work included a new roof, modern systems, and installing a fancy new projector. It reopened in 2013 and has continued to operate since.

I couldn’t find any info about renovations to Smith Lab itself, but I know several have taken place. The original piss-yellow tiles inside were repainted gray sometime in late 2023 or early 2024 (my shaky personal recollection), and there’s a contemporary “learning space” on the first floor with some wacky tipi-looking thing.

Alpheus Smith. (OSU Department of Physics)

The Physics Laboratory Building was renamed “Smith Laboratory” in 1968 after Alpheus Smith (1876-1968). Smith graduated from West Virginia University in 1900 and earned a PhD from Harvard in 1906. He joined Ohio State as an assistant physics professor in 1909, and he became the fifth chairman of the department in 1926, serving for 20 years. He was also the dean of the Graduate School from 1939 to 1946. After Smith stepped down from those positions, he became the president of the Research Foundation until 1958, when he retired.

Photos

Smith Lab has a massive east facade. This view looks southwest:

Northwest:

The original portion’s entrance:

I like the texturing of the brick here--that and the slight projection sets this area apart visually. I’m unsure why the awning’s cladding has been stripped away, though.

I really like these green brick spandrels:

The central portion, which is from the first addition:

The courses and fenestration are carried over, but the cornice is missing. Also note the different spandrels:

The north wing, which mirrors the original design:

Aside from the entrance having green brick instead of glass block and the hipped roof, the remainder is identical.

Detail of the entrance:

A closer look with the “scarlet sign”:

The north facade is much smaller, but too wide to capture with my widest focal length:

The west facade is simpler, and it has a missing chunk from the varying footprint of the first addition.

Recall that the L was the plan of the original building, and the courtyard is formed by the first addition:

It’s also interesting how these windows hinge and aren’t fixed or double-hung like most campus buildings.

The westernmost side of the original building:

The south facade was nicely lit in the late summer sun:

Fenestration detail (though a bit poorly framed):

Detail of the cornice and top floor windows:

The corners have the same brick texture as the entrances:

Datestone:

A little random, but here’s the big metal statue east of Smith on the quad:

I think Smith Lab might hold the distinction of having the ugliest interior on campus, despite the fact the exterior is nothing bad at all. The first floor was recently painted, so you’ll have to bear with me here. However, the entrances still retain their urine-yellow coloring:

This is also one of two places I’ve been to thus far that still has the remnants of phone booths (the other is in Lazenby Hall).

First floor hallway:

Note the more contemporary carpet as well. Though it’s another classical millennial gray move, I think it’s an upgrade from what used to be there.

The funky tipi thing in the study area:

Man, wtf is this…YUCK!

What a horrid mid-century color scheme. Modernism could have nice warm interiors in some cases, but this is just awful.

I do like these display cases full of ancient machinery, though:

The third floor even abandoned the floor tile and just had a concrete floor:

Open window:

I just cannot fathom how you could finish an entire interior in piss-colored tile and think that it is an acceptable solution. Cinderblocks, unpainted plaster, heck, even exposed studs would look better.

The fourth floor returns the tile and houses the Department of Anthropology:

Heading up to the fifth floor, the roof’s pitch is visible from the staircase:

I wonder if the yellow is from paint and not the original color? If so, even worse.

The fifth floor houses the planetarium. I debated putting this post off to see the inside, but they don’t seem to be having any events in the near future.