Exhibit Columbus: A New Era of Celebrating Design

The unique energy of Columbus, Indiana, continues to resonate thanks to the efforts of a dedicated local community.

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We are at our best when we collaborate; communities thrive when citizens share a commitment to the future. This is perfectly illustrated in Columbus, Indiana, the site of many an architecture student’s pilgrimage. Here, a family’s dedication to modern design led to a rich, and arguably unmatched, urban tapestry. Today the city represents something important, and through the efforts of a new generation of locals, the hoped-for future for this "Athens of the Prairie" is secure.

Inaugurated in 2016, Exhibit Columbus, led by Landmark Columbus director Richard McCoy, is an annual exploration of design and architecture. Through temporary site-specific installations conceived by the global design community and fabricated by local makers using local materials, Exhibit Columbus represents the next chapter for the city.

J. Irwin and Xenia S. Miller Prize Installations

Following a juried competition, five firms respond to iconic sites in the city. The following installations will be on view August 26–November 26 in Columbus, Indiana. Read an interview with the curator, designer Jonathan Nesci, here.

Wiikiaami by Studio: Indigenous  Constructed of rebar and perforated copper scales, a contemporary "wigwam"—wiikiaami in the language of the indigenous Miyaamia people—serves as a gathering space as well as a gateway to Eliel Saarinen’s First Christian Church. — Wiikiaami by Studio: Indigenous
Constructed of rebar and perforated copper scales, a contemporary "wigwam"—wiikiaami in the language of the indigenous Miyaamia people—serves as a gathering space as well as a gateway to Eliel Saarinen’s First Christian Church.

Another Circle by Aranda\Lasch   Comprising 2,800 pieces of salvaged Indiana limestone, a 3.5-acre circle ties together three sites at Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates’ Mill Race Park—the round lake, the People Trail, and the river. Within the circle, additional stones are placed to create a theater, areas for games, and more. — Another Circle by Aranda\Lasch
Comprising 2,800 pieces of salvaged Indiana limestone, a 3.5-acre circle ties together three sites at Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates’ Mill Race Park—the round lake, the People Trail, and the river. Within the circle, additional stones are placed to create a theater, areas for games, and more.

Anything Can Happen In The Woods by Plan B Architecture & Urbanism  An installation reimagines the pergola at the Cummins Corporate Office Building, designed by Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates, as an urban forest—including mirrored columns, conversation pits, outdoor rooms, and grass-covered mounds. — Anything Can Happen In The Woods by Plan B Architecture & Urbanism
An installation reimagines the pergola at the Cummins Corporate Office Building, designed by Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates, as an urban forest—including mirrored columns, conversation pits, outdoor rooms, and grass-covered mounds.

Untitled by Oyler Wu Collaborative  Eero Saarinen’s interest in Euclidean geometries, contrasts between solids and voids, and tectonics informs Oyler Wu’s design, which uses three canopies at the Irwin Conference Center—legacies of the building’s history as a drive-up bank—to create a self-contained complex of solid and semipermeable walls. — Untitled by Oyler Wu Collaborative
Eero Saarinen’s interest in Euclidean geometries, contrasts between solids and voids, and tectonics informs Oyler Wu’s design, which uses three canopies at the Irwin Conference Center—legacies of the building’s history as a drive-up bank—to create a self-contained complex of solid and semipermeable walls.

Conversation Plinth by Ikd  Inspired by the conversation pit in Eero Saarinen’s Miller House, large shifting timber discs compose a series of plinths around the Henry Moore sculpture at the Cleo Rogers Memorial Library by I. M. Pei & Partners. The installation was designed in collaboration with cross-laminated timber (CLT) specialists. — Conversation Plinth by Ikd
Inspired by the conversation pit in Eero Saarinen’s Miller House, large shifting timber discs compose a series of plinths around the Henry Moore sculpture at the Cleo Rogers Memorial Library by I. M. Pei & Partners. The installation was designed in collaboration with cross-laminated timber (CLT) specialists.

Rick Valicenti’s energetic graphic identity for Exhibit Columbus recalls the legacy of Alexander Girard.

Exhibit Columbus: A New Era of Celebrating Design - Photo 7 of 9 -

Exhibit Columbus: A New Era of Celebrating Design - Photo 8 of 9 -

Detour: Columbus, Indiana

A tremendous number of design destinations await visitors to Columbus. We’ve plotted the sites we photographed for this feature, as well as several of the city’s seven National Historic Landmarks. The Miller House and Garden, not shown here, is located in a residential area and is accessible only via a tour that begins at the Columbus Visitors Center.