Exhibit Columbus installation asks ‘What If Columbus’

Artist's rendition of what the kiosk will look like in downtown Columbus.

A software program inside an electronic kiosk in downtown Columbus can help residents offer a vision of tomorrow.

That’s part of the idea of “What If Columbus,” one of 18 temporary architectural installations that will be a part of the Exhibit Columbus exhibition opening Aug. 23-24.

The Exhibit Columbus exhibition, titled “Good Design and Community,” will run through Dec. 1 with 18 temporary installations throughout the city. The free gathering, held every other year, focuses on art, architecture and design, and uses new, pop-up installations from the world’s leading designers to highlight existing structures and landscapes in a city known globally for its Modernist legacy.

In addition to that, Columbus’ architectural standing includes seven National Historic Landmarks.

The New York City-based research studio Extrapolation Factory will house its electronic tablet software in a cast concrete post standing about six and a half feet tall at the corner of Second and Washington streets, according to Elliott Montgomery, one of the designers along with Chris Woebken. The firm coordinated a similar installation in conjunction with The Tech Museum in San Jose, California.

“But we always make a point to do something new and experimental,” Montgomery said. “We never do the same thing twice.”

For more on this story, see Friday’s Republic.