Columbus, Indiana Architecture History: How One Visionary Town Bet on Design — and Won
An unlikely collection of masterworks
Columbus, Indiana, is an improbable town. The story begins with the leadership of a family with a vision and a program rooted in the words of Winston Churchill: “We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us.”
It’s a small, southern Indiana community with no apparent call to destiny that, remarkably, became an architectural “mecca.”
The Columbus art and architecture collection features some of the biggest names in modern art and architecture. Every year thousands of visitors arrive to explore its streets and study its buildings, for it is one of the rare places on earth where the idea that architecture can improve the human condition has been put to the test.
”Columbus, Indiana, and J. Irwin Miller are almost holy words in architectural circles,” New York Times‘ architecture critic Paul Goldberger, said.
“Columbus is a small-town architectural mecca.”
- The Chicago Tribune
The Improbable Numbers
Columbus, Indiana is a city of over 50,000, yet The American Institute of Architects ranked it 6th in the nation for architectural innovation and design – right behind Chicago, New York, Boston, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. The visitor’s guide lists over 90 buildings and pieces of public art by internationally-noted architects and artists.
The Columbus story is regularly featured in national and international publications Even if you are not an architecture buff, learning how this small town strives for excellence is both unique and inspiring. For those looking for bucket-list experiences, head straight to the Miller House and Garden Tour to experience the acclaimed masterpiece from the dream team of Eero Saarinen, Dan Kiley, and Alexander Girard. The Visitors Center guided tours have been awarded a Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor.
“Are we in Oz? How was all this possible?”
- Metropolis
“One of the world’s best cities for architecture lovers.”
- Conde Nast Traveler
“Dazed and amazed at Columbus. I thought I knew this town already. It’s blowing me away up close like.”
- Urbanophile
“A thriving small town with strong community leadership – and some of the most drop-dead gorgeous public buildings you will ever see.”
- Cincinnati Modern
“Home again after amazing tour of Columbus. Sad to leave such an amazing place.”
- Apartment Therapy