College of Medicine earns a 2025 Building Columbus Award for Best Historic Preservation

Columbus Business First has honored the recent transformation of The Ohio State University College of Medicine’s Hamilton Hall and Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Center (IHSC) with a 2025 Building Columbus Award in the Best Historic Preservation category. This award recognizes the thoughtful renovation of Hamilton Hall, a 100-year-old landmark, and its seamless integration into the new IHSC. Completed in 2024, it is now a state-of-the-art, 225,000-square-foot facility that honors the building’s legacy while providing modern spaces for education, collaboration and wellness. 

Learners and faculty now have access to advanced simulation labs, a leading testing center and vibrant community spaces, including a café, student lounge and wellness center. While the building’s architecture itself is striking, the design team focused on more than aesthetics. They prioritized the integration of learning, health and team science in tangible ways.  

“Hamilton Hall has long been the academic home of the College of Medicine at Ohio State,” says Carol R. Bradford, MD, MS, FACS, dean of the Ohio State College of Medicine and vice president for Health Sciences at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “It is incredibly rewarding to see this historic space restored in such a meaningful way. The transformation of Hamilton Hall and the creation of the IHSC have created an environment that our learners truly enjoy — a place that inspires collaboration, supports wellbeing and reflects the future of health care education.”  

Throughout the building, visitors encounter eye-catching storyscapes, artistic displays and interactive digital exhibits that tell the story of the university’s medical legacy and its evolving impact on health care. Hamilton Hall’s original exterior architecture and the original brick were restored throughout the building. In fact, a masonry painter was hired to color the new brick to match the original. Another standout example of blending the old with the new is the iconic clock tower, which still stands on the northwest corner of the building. 

“We upgraded the entire mechanism behind the clock’s face and it can now be  controlled remotely,” says Isaiah Pryce, project manager of Facilities Design and Construction at The Ohio State University. “The hands and face were restored to match their original appearance, and LED backlights were added to illuminate the clock at night. The chime system is also fully programmable and can even play custom compositions.” 

Pryce says the goal always was to create a space that meets the needs of future medical professionals while respecting the building’s legacy. 

“We worked diligently to ensure that this space lived up to, and exceeded, everyone’s expectations,” he says. “It was a pleasure to be a part of this project team, and it’s an honor to see this space gaining so much recognition.” 

Read more about the award in Columbus Business First’s September issue.