Smith Hall

Named for:  Howard Dwight Smith (1886–1958)

 

Howard Smith was born February 21, 1886, in Dayton. In 1907, he graduated from Ohio State with a civil engineering degree in architecture. He entered Columbia University where, in 1910, he received a bachelor’s degree in architecture. From 1910 to 1918, he was associated with the office of the well-known architect, John Russell Pope.

In February 1918, he came to The Ohio State University as a professor of architecture. His stay on campus was relatively brief since, in May 1921, he became architect for the Columbus Board of Education. Meanwhile, he designed and was architect for the Ohio Stadium. This giant structure was unique in that it was horseshoe-shaped with an overhanging “C” deck. It also won Smith a gold medal from the American Institute of Architects. In September 1929, he was named University Architect and head of the Department of Architecture. He continued at this position until his retirement in 1956. In the early post-war years he was responsible for the design of some of the major new buildings that began to dot the campus. Among these were Hughes Hall, the Physics Building–Alpheus W. Smith Laboratory, the Agricultural Laboratories, the multi-million dollar addition to the Main Library, the optometry building, and especially the St. John Arena and the French Field House. In all, he planned some 30 campus buildings.