diff --git a/bench-vortex/benches/compress.rs b/bench-vortex/benches/compress.rs
index ab7016958d..a5fbe3949f 100644
--- a/bench-vortex/benches/compress.rs
+++ b/bench-vortex/benches/compress.rs
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ fn tpc_h_l_comment(c: &mut Criterion) {
         .map(|chunk| {
             StructArray::try_from(chunk)
                 .unwrap()
-                .project(&[Field::Name("l_comment".to_string())])
+                .project(&[Field::from("l_comment")])
                 .unwrap()
                 .into_array()
         })
diff --git a/bench-vortex/src/lib.rs b/bench-vortex/src/lib.rs
index cb096b9bca..3bf535bb02 100644
--- a/bench-vortex/src/lib.rs
+++ b/bench-vortex/src/lib.rs
@@ -252,8 +252,7 @@ pub struct CompressionRunResults {
 pub async fn execute_query(ctx: &SessionContext, query: &str) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<RecordBatch>> {
     let plan = ctx.sql(query).await?;
     let (state, plan) = plan.into_parts();
-    let optimized = state.optimize(&plan)?;
-    let physical_plan = state.create_physical_plan(&optimized).await?;
+    let physical_plan = state.create_physical_plan(&plan).await?;
     let result = collect(physical_plan.clone(), state.task_ctx()).await?;
     Ok(result)
 }
@@ -264,8 +263,7 @@ pub async fn physical_plan(
 ) -> anyhow::Result<Arc<dyn ExecutionPlan>> {
     let plan = ctx.sql(query).await?;
     let (state, plan) = plan.into_parts();
-    let optimized = state.optimize(&plan)?;
-    Ok(state.create_physical_plan(&optimized).await?)
+    Ok(state.create_physical_plan(&plan).await?)
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
diff --git a/pyvortex/src/dataset.rs b/pyvortex/src/dataset.rs
index d26f3c7d3b..aa57186360 100644
--- a/pyvortex/src/dataset.rs
+++ b/pyvortex/src/dataset.rs
@@ -68,9 +68,7 @@ pub async fn read_dtype_from_reader<T: VortexReadAt + Unpin>(reader: T) -> Vorte
 fn projection_from_python(columns: Option<Vec<Bound<PyAny>>>) -> PyResult<Projection> {
     fn field_from_pyany(field: &Bound<PyAny>) -> PyResult<Field> {
         if field.clone().is_instance_of::<PyString>() {
-            Ok(Field::Name(
-                field.downcast::<PyString>()?.to_str()?.to_string(),
-            ))
+            Ok(Field::from(field.downcast::<PyString>()?.to_str()?))
         } else if field.is_instance_of::<PyLong>() {
             Ok(Field::Index(field.extract()?))
         } else {
diff --git a/pyvortex/src/expr.rs b/pyvortex/src/expr.rs
index ca3983bb20..0f9b9972b9 100644
--- a/pyvortex/src/expr.rs
+++ b/pyvortex/src/expr.rs
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ pub fn column<'py>(name: &Bound<'py, PyString>) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyExpr>>
     Bound::new(
         py,
         PyExpr {
-            inner: Column::new_expr(Field::Name(name)),
+            inner: Column::new_expr(Field::from(name)),
         },
     )
 }
diff --git a/vortex-array/src/array/struct_/mod.rs b/vortex-array/src/array/struct_/mod.rs
index d79ccfcdf4..af57edabd5 100644
--- a/vortex-array/src/array/struct_/mod.rs
+++ b/vortex-array/src/array/struct_/mod.rs
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ impl StructArray {
                 Field::Name(n) => self
                     .names()
                     .iter()
-                    .position(|name| name.as_ref() == n)
+                    .position(|name| name == n)
                     .ok_or_else(|| vortex_err!("Unknown field {n}"))?,
                 Field::Index(i) => *i,
             };
diff --git a/vortex-dtype/src/field.rs b/vortex-dtype/src/field.rs
index 5dabef41c7..7fb264282d 100644
--- a/vortex-dtype/src/field.rs
+++ b/vortex-dtype/src/field.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 use core::fmt;
 use std::fmt::{Display, Formatter};
+use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use itertools::Itertools;
 
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ use itertools::Itertools;
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize))]
 pub enum Field {
     /// A field selector by name
-    Name(String),
+    Name(Arc<str>),
     /// A field selector by index (position)
     Index(usize),
 }
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ impl From<&str> for Field {
 
 impl From<String> for Field {
     fn from(value: String) -> Self {
-        Field::Name(value)
+        Field::Name(value.into())
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/vortex-dtype/src/serde/flatbuffers/project.rs b/vortex-dtype/src/serde/flatbuffers/project.rs
index 308ff8447c..0f44205975 100644
--- a/vortex-dtype/src/serde/flatbuffers/project.rs
+++ b/vortex-dtype/src/serde/flatbuffers/project.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pub fn resolve_field<'a, 'b: 'a>(fb: fb::Struct_<'b>, field: &'a Field) -> Vorte
                 .ok_or_else(|| vortex_err!("Missing field names"))?;
             names
                 .iter()
-                .position(|name| name == n)
+                .position(|name| name == &**n)
                 .ok_or_else(|| vortex_err!("Unknown field name {n}"))
         }
         Field::Index(i) => Ok(*i),
diff --git a/vortex-expr/src/lib.rs b/vortex-expr/src/lib.rs
index 01512ec42c..ed8f4f9511 100644
--- a/vortex-expr/src/lib.rs
+++ b/vortex-expr/src/lib.rs
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn basic_expr_split_test() {
-        let lhs = Column::new_expr(Field::Name("a".to_string()));
+        let lhs = Column::new_expr(Field::from("a"));
         let rhs = Literal::new_expr(1.into());
         let expr = BinaryExpr::new_expr(lhs, Operator::Eq, rhs);
         let conjunction = split_conjunction(&expr);
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn basic_conjunction_split_test() {
-        let lhs = Column::new_expr(Field::Name("a".to_string()));
+        let lhs = Column::new_expr(Field::from("a"));
         let rhs = Literal::new_expr(1.into());
         let expr = BinaryExpr::new_expr(lhs, Operator::And, rhs);
         let conjunction = split_conjunction(&expr);
@@ -109,16 +109,13 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn expr_display() {
-        assert_eq!(
-            Column::new_expr(Field::Name("a".to_string())).to_string(),
-            "$a"
-        );
+        assert_eq!(Column::new_expr(Field::from("a")).to_string(), "$a");
         assert_eq!(Column::new_expr(Field::Index(1)).to_string(), "[1]");
         assert_eq!(Identity.to_string(), "[]");
         assert_eq!(Identity.to_string(), "[]");
 
-        let col1: Arc<dyn VortexExpr> = Column::new_expr(Field::Name("col1".to_string()));
-        let col2: Arc<dyn VortexExpr> = Column::new_expr(Field::Name("col2".to_string()));
+        let col1: Arc<dyn VortexExpr> = Column::new_expr(Field::from("col1"));
+        let col2: Arc<dyn VortexExpr> = Column::new_expr(Field::from("col2"));
         assert_eq!(
             BinaryExpr::new_expr(col1.clone(), Operator::And, col2.clone()).to_string(),
             "($col1 and $col2)"
@@ -165,21 +162,17 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(Not::new_expr(col1.clone()).to_string(), "!$col1");
 
         assert_eq!(
-            Select::include(vec![Field::Name("col1".to_string())]).to_string(),
+            Select::include(vec![Field::from("col1")]).to_string(),
             "Include($col1)"
         );
         assert_eq!(
-            Select::include(vec![
-                Field::Name("col1".to_string()),
-                Field::Name("col2".to_string())
-            ])
-            .to_string(),
+            Select::include(vec![Field::from("col1"), Field::from("col2")]).to_string(),
             "Include($col1,$col2)"
         );
         assert_eq!(
             Select::exclude(vec![
-                Field::Name("col1".to_string()),
-                Field::Name("col2".to_string()),
+                Field::from("col1"),
+                Field::from("col2"),
                 Field::Index(1),
             ])
             .to_string(),
diff --git a/vortex-expr/src/select.rs b/vortex-expr/src/select.rs
index 1bb19a7950..bf043c4b70 100644
--- a/vortex-expr/src/select.rs
+++ b/vortex-expr/src/select.rs
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ impl VortexExpr for Select {
                 let normalized_exclusion = e
                     .iter()
                     .map(|ef| match ef {
-                        Field::Name(n) => Ok(n.as_str()),
+                        Field::Name(n) => Ok(&**n),
                         Field::Index(i) => st
                             .names()
                             .get(*i)
diff --git a/vortex-file/src/pruning.rs b/vortex-file/src/pruning.rs
index afca9311f8..99a74e0462 100644
--- a/vortex-file/src/pruning.rs
+++ b/vortex-file/src/pruning.rs
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ pub enum FieldOrIdentity {
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn stat_column_field(field: &Field, stat: Stat) -> Field {
-    Field::Name(stat_column_name_string(field, stat))
+    Field::from(stat_column_name_string(field, stat))
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn stat_column_name_string(field: &Field, stat: Stat) -> String {
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ pub(crate) fn stat_column_name_string(field: &Field, stat: Stat) -> String {
 
 impl FieldOrIdentity {
     pub(crate) fn stat_column_field(&self, stat: Stat) -> Field {
-        Field::Name(self.stat_column_name_string(stat))
+        Field::from(self.stat_column_name_string(stat))
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn stat_column_name_string(&self, stat: Stat) -> String {
@@ -768,13 +768,13 @@ mod tests {
 
         let expected_expr = BinaryExpr::new_expr(
             BinaryExpr::new_expr(
-                Column::new_expr(Field::Name("min".to_string())),
+                Column::new_expr(Field::from("min")),
                 Operator::Gte,
                 Literal::new_expr(10.into()),
             ),
             Operator::Or,
             BinaryExpr::new_expr(
-                Column::new_expr(Field::Name("max".to_string())),
+                Column::new_expr(Field::from("max")),
                 Operator::Lte,
                 Literal::new_expr(50.into()),
             ),
diff --git a/vortex-file/src/read/cache.rs b/vortex-file/src/read/cache.rs
index 22a41201e0..561e7b3185 100644
--- a/vortex-file/src/read/cache.rs
+++ b/vortex-file/src/read/cache.rs
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ impl LazyDType {
                     Field::Name(n) => sdt
                         .names()
                         .iter()
-                        .position(|name| name.as_ref() == n.as_str())
+                        .position(|name| name == n)
                         .ok_or_else(|| vortex_err!("Can't find {n} in the type")),
                     Field::Index(i) => Ok(*i),
                 }
@@ -279,7 +279,8 @@ impl RelativeLayoutCache {
     }
 
     pub fn relative(&self, id: LayoutPartId, dtype: Arc<LazyDType>) -> Self {
-        let mut new_path = self.path.clone();
+        let mut new_path = Vec::with_capacity(self.path.len() + 1);
+        new_path.clone_from(&self.path);
         new_path.push(id);
         Self {
             root: self.root.clone(),
diff --git a/vortex-file/src/read/layouts/chunked.rs b/vortex-file/src/read/layouts/chunked.rs
index 4f28a85611..d312ad3f12 100644
--- a/vortex-file/src/read/layouts/chunked.rs
+++ b/vortex-file/src/read/layouts/chunked.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use vortex_array::array::ChunkedArray;
 use vortex_array::compute::{scalar_at, take};
 use vortex_array::stats::{stats_from_bitset_bytes, ArrayStatistics as _, Stat};
 use vortex_array::{ArrayDType, ArrayData, IntoArrayData};
+use vortex_dtype::field::Field;
 use vortex_dtype::{DType, Nullability, StructDType};
 use vortex_error::{
     vortex_bail, vortex_err, vortex_panic, VortexExpect as _, VortexResult, VortexUnwrap,
@@ -79,17 +80,18 @@ impl ChunkedLayoutBuilder<'_> {
                 .children()
                 .ok_or_else(|| vortex_err!("Must have children if layout has metadata"))?
                 .get(0);
+            let stats_dtype = stats_table_dtype(&set_stats, self.message_cache.dtype().value()?);
+            let DType::Struct(ref s, _) = stats_dtype else {
+                vortex_bail!("Chunked layout stats must be a Struct, got {stats_dtype}")
+            };
             Some(self.layout_builder.read_layout(
                 metadata_fb,
                 Scan::new(Some(Arc::new(Select::include(
-                    set_stats.iter().map(|s| s.to_string().into()).collect(),
+                    s.names().iter().map(|s| Field::Name(s.clone())).collect(),
                 )))),
                 self.message_cache.relative(
                     METADATA_LAYOUT_PART_ID,
-                    Arc::new(LazyDType::from_dtype(stats_table_dtype(
-                        &set_stats,
-                        self.message_cache.dtype().value()?,
-                    ))),
+                    Arc::new(LazyDType::from_dtype(stats_dtype)),
                 ),
             )?)
         } else {
@@ -138,7 +140,7 @@ fn stats_table_dtype(stats: &[Stat], dtype: &DType) -> DType {
     let dtypes = stats.iter().map(|s| s.dtype(dtype).as_nullable()).collect();
 
     DType::Struct(
-        StructDType::new(stats.iter().map(|s| s.to_string().into()).collect(), dtypes),
+        StructDType::new(stats.iter().map(|s| s.name().into()).collect(), dtypes),
         Nullability::NonNullable,
     )
 }
diff --git a/vortex-file/src/tests.rs b/vortex-file/src/tests.rs
index 806da9dc23..04dcd51298 100644
--- a/vortex-file/src/tests.rs
+++ b/vortex-file/src/tests.rs
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ async fn test_read_projection() {
     assert_eq!(actual, strings_expected);
 
     let array = VortexReadBuilder::new(written.clone(), LayoutDeserializer::default())
-        .with_projection(Projection::Flat(vec![Field::Name("strings".to_string())]))
+        .with_projection(Projection::Flat(vec![Field::from("strings")]))
         .build()
         .await
         .unwrap()
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ async fn test_read_projection() {
     assert_eq!(actual, numbers_expected);
 
     let array = VortexReadBuilder::new(written.clone(), LayoutDeserializer::default())
-        .with_projection(Projection::Flat(vec![Field::Name("numbers".to_string())]))
+        .with_projection(Projection::Flat(vec![Field::from("numbers")]))
         .build()
         .await
         .unwrap()