A massive public sound system with Bluetooth connectivity and a functional swimming pool positioned in front of a mid-century modern library are among the standout installations featured at this year's Exhibit Columbus festival in Indiana. The biennial architectural exhibition has returned for its fifth cycle, transforming the small Indiana city known for its exceptional collection of mid-century modern architecture.
Columbus was originally developed under the patronage of local businessman J. Irwin Miller and features iconic buildings by renowned architects including Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen and American architect Myron Goldsmith. The festival, facilitated by preservation group Landmark Columbus Foundation, places many of its grant-funded installations directly along the Avenue of the Architects, a main thoroughfare showcasing the city's concentration of mid-century modern works.
This year's theme, "Yes And," pays homage to the improvisational nature of architectural pavilions. Several installations engage in direct dialogue with the city's modernist buildings, with perhaps the most striking being "Pool/Side" by designer and educator Akima Brackeen. This installation features a vibrant purple pool placed outside a library designed by Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei. The pool, intended to "reclaim" the reflection pool typology and reactivate the plaza space, was fully operational during the festival, with children swimming during the opening night festivities.
Adjacent to the pool stands "Inside Out," created by educators Chandler Ahrens, Constance Vale, and Kelley Van Dyck Murphy from Washington University in St. Louis. This installation features a large cuboid structure with famous interior dioramas carved into its surfaces. Both "Inside Out" and "Pool/Side" received funding through the University Design Research Fellowship program, awarded through an open call to architects and designers within university systems.
New York-based Studio Cooke John contributed "Lift," installed in the sunken courtyard of Eliel Saarinen's First Christian Church. The installation consists of metal poles arranged in a grid pattern that mirrors the church's clean architectural lines, with hammocks strategically hung to create an enhanced social gathering space. The studio received one of the prestigious Miller Prize grants, the exhibition's highest funding tier.
Chicago-based Studio Barnes, another Miller Prize recipient, created "Joy Riding," a massive sound system installed atop a parking garage. The installation draws inspiration from car-mounted speakers and features a publicly accessible Bluetooth connection alongside an array of speaker-shaped benches, encouraging community interaction and musical expression.
"Ellipsis," created by New York-based architecture studio ADWO, represents another Miller Prize-winning installation. Built on the site of a Victorian-style building that burned down in 2022, the installation features a large shade structure with a bamboo canopy that "subtly and symbolically excavates omitted Black and Indigenous histories," according to the studio. The installation is surrounded by native plantings and provided much-needed functional shade for visitors seeking relief from Indiana's intense summer sun during the opening weekend.
The final Miller Prize was awarded to Chicago-based studio Adaptive Operations for "Accessing Nostalgia," a substantial metal pavilion positioned next to the 136-year-old Crump Theatre, currently undergoing renovations. This pavilion features an elevated platform and construction materials configured to create a social space that offers viewing of the theatre's exposed facade, showcasing different aspects of its ongoing structural evolution.
Another notable installation came from researchers at New Jersey Institute of Technology, who created "The Steel Horsie" at the location where a railway line once crossed the city. Constructed from industrial materials sourced from the surrounding area, this geometric metal pavilion symbolically connects the region's diverse industrial heritage, spanning from historic horse stables to railways and modern Amazon distribution facilities.
Additional installations were contributed by teams from Cornell University School of Architecture, a collaborative group including César Lopez, Jess Myers, Amelyn Ng, and Germán PallaresAvitia, as well as two groups from local secondary schools and universities. All exhibition signage and graphic materials were designed by Los Angeles-based design studio Sing-Sing.
The local community embraced the festival, with over 300 local and visiting guests participating in walking tours during the opening weekend. However, one installation by designer and educator Sarah Aziz was removed following community pushback. Some installations from the 2023 Exhibit Columbus remain in the city, including a pavilion over an intersection by New York architecture studio PAU.
The remaining 2025 installations will stay in place through the fall season, with the official exhibition period extending until November 30, 2025. The festival continues to demonstrate how temporary architectural interventions can engage with and enhance existing urban environments while fostering community dialogue about design and public space.
