First annual Exhibit Columbus will be held between September 29 through October 1, 2016 in Columbus, Indiana, USA, which is an annual celebration of architecture, art, design and community will build on city’s design history-including the new Miller Prize, and seeks to extend Columbus’s singular legacy honoring the past, while pointing toward the future.

Columbus, Indiana is a small Indiana city with a global reputation for its modernist architecture, art, and landscapes. It is now launching Exhibit Columbus, an ongoing initiative to spark new explorations in architecture, art, design, and community. 

With a population of only 45,000 and more than 80 buildings, landscapes, and pieces of public art by internationally-noted architects and artists, Columbus, Indiana, consistently ranks as a top city for its size. Although the city is unlikely to embark on as many new building projects as it did in the 1960s and 70s, Landmark Columbus is keeping the spirit of innovation in design and fabrication alive through a multi-year initiative, Exhibit Columbus. 

With an inaugural symposium in fall of 2016 and its first exhibition in fall 2017, Exhibit Columbus seeks to celebrate Columbus’ design heritage, while making it relevant to new audiences. The initial program will be followed by another symposium and exhibition in 2018 and 2019, creating a new, ambitious cycle of events. Exhibit Columbus is a new exhibition model, a citywide art and design festival — similar to the Chicago Architectural Biennial, Prospect New Orleans, and Art Prize in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Form left to right: Robert A.M. Stern, Michael Van Valkenburgh, Deborah Berke, Will Miller.

The inaugural 2016 symposium for Exhibit Columbus, “Foundations and Futures,” will be held Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. Internationally recognized experts will participate along with community leaders who have helped build and continue to maintain Columbus’ existing landmarks. A keynote session will feature Deborah Berke, Will Miller, Robert A. M. Stern, and Michael Van Valkenburgh.

The symposium also will serve as the kickoff for J. Irwin and Xenia S. Miller Prize Competition, the central component of the 2017 exhibition. Through a juried competition, the Miller Prize will be awarded to five finalists who will design, build, and install temporary projects in response to one of five sites, each a Columbus icon. This competition’s name honors the legacy of two of twentieth century’s great patrons of architecture, art, and design, and a family whose visionary commitment to community remains unparalleled.

Bartholomew Country public Library, 1971, Columbus

Ten architects, artists, and furniture designers have been invited to compete for the opportunity to be one of the five selected for a Miller Prize. During the 2016 symposium, the 10 will participate in a gallery exhibition of their work and a series of presentations during the symposium. They are: 

Benjamin Aranda and Chris Lasch of Aranda\Lasch (Tucson, AZ and New York, NY)

Benjamin Ball and Gaston Nogues of Ball Nogues Studio (Los Angeles, CA)

Herwig Baumgartner and Scott Uriu of Baumgartner + Uriu (Los Angeles, CA)

Rachel Hayes (Tulsa, OK), Eric Höweler and Meejin Yoon of Höweler + Yoon (Boston, MA)

Yugon Kim of IKD (Boston, MA)

Sharon Johnston, Mark Lee, and Jonathan Olivares of Johnston Marklee and Jonathan Olivares Design Research (Los Angeles, CA)

Dwayne Oyler and Jenny Wu of Oyler Wu Collaborative (Los Angeles, CA)

Joyce Hsiang and Bimal Mendis of Plan B Architecture & Urbanism (New Haven, CT)

Chris Cornelius of studio:indigenous (Milwaukee, WI)

First Chrisitan Chruch, 1942, Columbus, designed by Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen 

The 2017 exhibition of Exhibit Columbus will focus on site-responsive installations that connect with and comment on Columbus’ design legacy. Programming will attract world-renowned designers, historians, and fabricators, while at the same time bring together local residents and community groups to consider design challenges.

“Exhibit Columbus was created in part to answer the question, ‘What’s next for Columbus?’” said Mayor Jim Leinhoop. “We want this initiative to become a platform to showcase our historic design heritage and the great work we are doing today while pointing to the future so the next generation continues to experience a community of tremendous vibrancy, just as the last generation did.”

“Exhibit Columbus will encourage visitors to explore the design legacy of Columbus while re-energizing the community around the potential to realize new designs in Columbus,” said Richard McCoy, director of Landmark Columbus. “This innovative program is a model that talks about the importance of place and community, themes that are globally relevant. Everything we are doing is about honoring the past, while pointing toward the future.”

Exhibit Columbus is a project of Landmark Columbus. Created in 2015, Landmark Columbus cares for and celebrates the world-renowned design heritage of Columbus, Indiana area. Landmark Columbus is a program of Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County.

Exhibit Columbus is launched with founding support from the Columbus Area Visitors Center, Columbus Museum of Art Design, Cummins Inc., Efroymson Family Fund, Haddad Foundation, Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, Irwin-Sweeney-Miller Foundation, Johnson Ventures, Moravec Realty, Schumaker Family and SIHO Insurance Services.

Download Program of Exhibit Columbus

Tickets are available for each day of the symposium or as a two-day package. Friday’s keynote session is free but requires registration. Student discounts are available.

Register now as seating is limited for all sessions.

Symposium Sessions: $35/day-$60/two days

University Students: $10/day

Gallery Exhibition Opening: Free, no ticket required

Keynote Session: Free with registration

All images courtesy of Exhibit Columbus

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