Announcing Activations in Place, the 2023 Exhibit Columbus University Design Research Fellowship Colloquium
This two-day event brings together state and national experts in creating permanent and temporary quality-of-place amenities with the seven University Design Research Fellows from the 2023 Exhibition.
Columbus, Indiana — Landmark Columbus Foundation announces Activations in Place, a free, two-day event focusing on the work of the seven teams awarded 2023 Exhibit Columbus University Design Research Fellowships (UDRF). The event was created in partnership with the Indiana Communities Institute at Ball State University’s Miller College of Business and Indiana University’s Center for Cultural Affairs at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. It will occur in downtown Columbus over two days, highlighting the Fellows’ work and the expertise of nationally recognized experts. Activations in Place was created so that attendees could:
Gain practical and valuable knowledge about how quality of place amenities can create benefits for communities;
Spark new collaborations between universities, municipal leaders, funders, and makers;
Deepen the understanding of each UDRF installation and its relationship to this cycle of Exhibit Columbus.
Participants in the free, two-day event include Ben Stone (National Endowment for the Arts), Réna Bradley (City of Fort Wayne Department of Planning Services), Paul Helmke (Former Mayor of the City of Fort Wayne, Indiana), Jim Walker (Big Car Collaborative), Scott Fadness (Mayor of the City of Fishers), Sarah Green (Independent Curator and Creator), Denny Spinner (Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs), and the seven UDRF Teams.
Activations in Place builds upon Columbus’ legendary commitment to quality of place through design excellence and education. This year’s University Design Research Fellows represent eight universities in two countries and across seven states.
“This event is a remarkable opportunity for people interested in making their downtowns more vibrant, interesting, and diverse,” said Jamie Goldsborough, coordinator for the University Design Research Fellowship. “The high caliber of people involved in this two-day event allows attendees to enjoy learning through interesting conversations and by experiencing the work of the seven inspiring UDRFellows. We are proud to be working with leaders at BSU and IU to produce this event and to offer it free of charge.”
Activations in Place is made possible by Heritage Fund—The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County with grant support from Lilly Endowment Inc. Archinect and Bustler are the media partners for this program.
2022–23 University Design Research Fellows
Awarded to leading professors of architecture, landscape architecture, and design from North American universities, seven University Design Research Fellows were selected to respond to recommendations from the 2021 Downtown Activation Study developed by James Lima Planning and Development (JLP+D) that looked at ways to activate the historic core of downtown Columbus. JLP+D’s work is supported by the City of Columbus and a National Endowment for the Arts “Our Town Grant.”
Activations in Place Schedule
Thursday, November 2
Keynote Conversation and Installation Visit
Activations in Place will feature a keynote conversation with Brian Blackfordand David Terrell from Ball State University Indiana Communities Institute and Doug Noonan and Joanna Woronkowicz from Indiana University Center for Cultural Affairs. Following this conversation will be a keynote presentation by Ben Stone, the newly-appointed Director of Design and Creative Placemaking at the National Endowment for the Arts, who will address community engagement topics in “placemaking” projects.
UDRF Installation Visit
Esteban Garcia Bravo and Maria Clara Morales
Purdue University Department of Computer Graphics Technology
West Lafayette, Indiana
Installation: PRISMA
Site: Cummins Parking Garage, West
Curatorial Question: How do we activate space?
Friday, November 3
Conversations and Installations Visits
The colloquium will be on the move and in the city, exploring the seven installations while engaging municipal leaders, experts in placemaking activities, and community leaders who create this work. The day will be divided into three sessions, each centered on a theme.
Session One: Connecting Spaces and Thoroughfares
Réna Bradley, City of Fort Wayne Department of Planning Services
Paul Helmke, Former Mayor of the City of Fort Wayne, Indiana
UDRF Installation Visits
Jessica Colangelo and Charles Sharpless
University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design Fayetteville, Arkansas
Installation: Ground Rules
Site: Cummins Office Building Headquarters
Curatorial Question: Do you play in public space?Halina Steiner, Tameka Baba, Forbes Lipschitz, Shelby Doyle
The Ohio State University Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture and Iowa State University School of Design
Columbus, Ohio and Ames, Iowa
Installation: PIPE UP!
Site: Hotel Indigo Columbus Architectural Center
Curatorial Question: Where does your water go?
Session Two: Materials and Technology
Scott Fadness, Mayor of the City of Fishers
Jim Walker, Co-founder and Executive Director of Big Car Collaborative
UDRF Installation Visits
Katie MacDonald and Kyle Schumann
University of Virginia School of Architecture
Charlottesville, Virginia
Installation: Sylvan Scrapple
Site: Columbus Area Visitors Center
Curatorial Question: How do we interpret the past?Deborah Garcia
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Architecture
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Installation: RESPONDER
Site: Children’s Entrance of Bartholomew County Public Library
Curatorial Question: What do you hear in public space?
Session Three: Engaging Underutilized Downtown Spaces
Denny Spinner, Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs
Sarah Green, Independent Curator and Creator
UDRF Installation Visits
Molly Hunker and Greg Corso
Syracuse University School of Architecture
Syracuse, New York
Installation: Side Effects
Site: The Commons main entrance
Curatorial Question: Where do you meet in the city?Joseph Altshuler and Zack Morrison
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign School of Architecture
Urbana-Champaign and Chicago, Illinois
Installation: A Carousel for Columbus
Site: Ovation Plaza
Curatorial Question: How do you find joy in the city?
Media Contact
Jamie Goldsborough
jamie@landmarkcolumbus.org
About Landmark Columbus Foundation
Landmark Columbus Foundation cares for, celebrates, and advances the cultural heritage of Columbus, Indiana. In keeping this spirit of innovation in design and community collaboration alive, Landmark created the program Exhibit Columbus in 2016 as a vested way to connect design excellence to quality of place. To fulfill its mission Landmark Columbus Foundation directs three locally-engaged and globally-connected programs that are interwoven in their impact and networks: Landmark Columbus, Exhibit Columbus, and Columbus Design Institute.
About Exhibit Columbus
Exhibit Columbus is a program of Landmark Columbus Foundation and an exploration of community, architecture, art, and design that activates the modern legacy of Columbus, Indiana. It creates a cycle of programming that uses this context to convene conversations around innovative ideas and commissions site-responsive installations in a free, public exhibition. exhibitcolumbus.org
About Indiana Community Institute
The work the Indiana Communities Institute (ICI) at Ball State University does is inspired by its vision to help build better places for more people. Working with partners across campus, the State of Indiana, and beyond, ICI supports efforts to enhance quality of community and build human capacity through special initiatives, customized projects, and educational experiences. ICI blends research, policy, and practice to support modern and comprehensive community economic development and advocate for talent-focused, asset-based approaches to building stronger, more resilient places that best serve residents, businesses, and visitors. This dynamic framework and innovative approach have positioned the ICI as a national model for creatively and effectively advancing community economic development pursuits. ICI is part of the Miller College of Business. bsu.edu/ici
About the Center for Cultural Affairs
The Center for Cultural Affairs at the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs is a research center at Indiana University that advances the understanding of the place of arts and culture in public life. The center facilitates a network of scholars and practitioners interested in advancing cultural affairs research, produces high-quality and relevant research on arts and cultural policy and management issues, and serves as a resource to the arts and cultural sector. culturalaffairs.indiana.edu
