Columbus, Indiana – A Small Town Architectural Gem
Architects and design students all over the United States know about Columbus, Indiana. Do you? Columbus is a small town of around 40,000 people located about an hour South of Indianapolis. The draw to Columbus, though, is its architecture. Columbus is home to famous works by names like Eero Saarinen (St. Louis Arch), I.M. Pei (Pyramid at the Louvre), Dale Chihuly and Charles Eames. Impressive list, no?
Earlier this year, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting Columbus for the first time due to a small job I was commissioned for. If you ever do go, Joe Willy’s Burger Bar has one of the top burgers I’ve ever eaten and the Upland Columbus Pump Station has good beer and food.
I was also lucky enough to be in town while Exhibit Columbus 2019 was ongoing. From their website:
The exhibition features 18 site-responsive installations by architects, designers, academics, artists, and graphic designers. These designers have created outdoor installations and experiences that use Columbus’ built heritage as inspiration and context, while highlighting the role that visionary community plays in growing a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable city.
Below are some images from the trip.