ABSTRACT
The post-occupancy evaluation of Knowlton Hall at the Ohio State University included analysis of archives about the building, interviews with members of the university architect's office, a short evaluation from 62 faculty, students, and staff members two months after occupancy, and nine months later, more comprehensive surveys of 272 passersby and building occupants, as well as observations of use in the building and surrounding landscape. Although the architects met several times with building users to discuss the design, respondents who participated in those meetings described them as closed to user input. The master plan called for preservation of open space, various circulation routes and vegetation around the building, and a landmark building at the site. As the exterior post-occupancy evaluation (POE) revealed, the building does stand out from its surroundings, making it a kind of landmark, but it stands out in an undesirable way.
