Columbus adds to its architectural legacy with new community assets

Columbus adds to architectural legacy with new community assets

By: Taj Simmons

COLUMBUS — The small city of Columbus has made a big impact in the world of architecture. Indiana's hub for mid-century modern projects is adding more ultra-modern architecture for its yearly celebration.

Exhibit Columbus features works from thirteen architects, many of which are meant to be touched and used by the public. The city will unveil the finished products with community events this weekend.

"The modern story here starts with how art and architecture can improve cities," said Richard McCoy, the executive director of the Landmark Columbus Foundation, the organization responsible for Exhibit Columbus. "One way to make sure we don't rest on our laurels is to push into the unknown and take risks."

The architects' projects will remain in Columbus through at least the end of November. They came to Columbus from all across the country and said the city heavily inspired them throughout their careers.

"This has always been for me, a mecca," said David Zhang, an architectural designer at the Harlem-based firm AD-WO. "Coming here for the first time, I'm seeing the buildings I've only seen through books and online."

"I went to undergrad in Dubai and even there, the textbooks covered Columbus," said Dhruva Lakshminarayanan, an architect with experience in New York and Kuwait.

The city features structures from architects such as Cesar Pelli, Eliel & Eero Saarinen and I.M. Pei.

Columbus's population has grown alongside its architectural reputation. More than 50,000 people now live in Columbus, more than double its population from 50 years ago.

Lakshminirayanan and Zhang's works are both meant to be used as public parks. The former designed "Lift," a structure in the First Christian Church courtyard, and the latter drew up "Ellipsis," an installation on the site of the Irwin Block, which burned down in 2022.

"Our inspiration derives a lot from this particular building," Lakshinirayanan said. "If you see the grids in the project, they derive from the grids on the windows here."

"We looked directly at Indigenous practices of cultural burning for our inspiration," Zhang added. "Fire as a repairing tool, fire as a restorative tool."

Miami-based architect Frankie Picard designed "Joyrde," a massive sound system that is perched over Columbus at the top of a parking deck.

"We're hoping people come and relive youthful experiences of riding around in the car and listening to the radio," Picard said.

Exhibit Columbus starts with a rooftop party Friday night on 4th Street. It continued Saturday with walking tours through all of the exhibits and a conversation about the architecture.

For more on the exhibits and featured architects, click here.