The refurbished First Christian Church tower also highlights the spire of nearby St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in this photo by Columbus photographer Hadley Fruits. First Christian will be one of several venues around Columbus for the Perspective International Architecture and Design Festival on June 21-22, and Fruits is among the scheduled presenters.
Photo provided
A first-of-its kind architecture and design conference aims to attract an international crowd to Columbus in June for a weekend of professional talks and workshops of architects, designers, photographers, writers and more celebrating what organizers call “America’s Hidden Modernist City.”
Architectural Photography Almanac (APA) has organized the Perspective International Architecture and Design Festival that will take place June 21-22 in various locations around the city, including at some of its celebrated architectural landmarks.
Presentation venues over those two days will include the Bartholomew County Public Library, First Christian Church, Columbus Visitors Center, the former Republic Building and more.
“Columbus’ allure lies in its architectural narrative,” said noted Los Angeles-based architecture photographer and event organizer and presenter Mike Kelley, founder of APA. “Post offices and public libraries are not merely functional spaces but testaments to design excellence, creating a captivating tapestry of innovation and accessibility within walking distance.”
Organizers envision an event that celebrates Columbus’ architectural heritage as a model of Modernist design, which the American Institute of Architects recognized in naming Columbus the sixth most architecturally significant city in the United States. “Works by Eliel Saarinen, Eero Saarinen, Richard Meier, and more are nestled within Columbus’s historic streets,” Perspective event organizers note.
Columbus Visitors Center Director of Marketing Erin Hawkins said organizers reached out and the center agreed to host a festival that “seems like a perfect fit.
“I think conference participants will enjoy exploring Columbus’ architecture, and I’m especially excited to see our buildings through the eyes of all of the talented photographers who will be in town,” Hawkins said. “This is a great opportunity to introduce Columbus to some design-minded individuals who perhaps have never visited before.”
The opening of ticket sales for the event were announced Friday. Organizers say tickets are available for $600, discounted to $250 for Columbus residents and architecture students using the promotional code “indiana”. More information about scheduled events and participants is available at perspectivecolumbus.com.
“Perspective is a festival celebrating architecture, design, bookmaking, and photography,” Kelley said. “Professionals from across these fields who practice around the world will share their knowledge in a series of panels, lectures, and workshops in the unforgettable town of Columbus, Indiana. All individual festival events are included with the admission price and attendees are free to choose activities that best suit them throughout the weekend.
“J. Irwin Miller’s work to make Columbus a world-famous architecture destination is proof that a single profound idea or unique perspective can have a lasting, transformative impact,” Kelley said. “By bringing together over ten thought leaders from the architecture and design world, we hope to leave our attendees inspired and motivated after seeing their profession or passion from a new perspective.”
Along with Kelley, other scheduled presenters include celebrity photographer Lynn Goldsmith, Columbus photographer Hadley Fruits, architecture photographers Tom Harris, Janna Ireland, Noah Kalina and others. Architects and architectural media presenters include Valery Austin, David Basulto, Michael Bennett, Brad Collins, Julia Gamolina, Bernardo Pozas and Herman Wakefield.
