Public by Design
Day Two
KEYNOTE with Rachel Kaplan-David and Jenny Gil Schmitz with Rasul Mowatt
Art is the roadmap through which artists speak to the issues shared by desert communities. More about what we do than about what we say.
— Jenny Gil Schmitz, Executive Director of Desert X
The morning began with a KEYNOTE conversation with Rachel Kaplan-David, the director of the Chicago Architectural Biennial, and Jenny Gil Schmitz, the executive director of Desert X—two of the country’s leading cultural programs that create site responsive art and architecture installations. The conversation was moderated by Rasul Mowatt, Department Head of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management at North Carolina State University.
CONNECT with University Design Research Fellows Session One
How can the community-based approach to design work when there isn't a critical mass of population?
— Yuxiang Luo, Curatorial Advisor from James Lima Planning and Development
Held at at City Hall, members of the Columbus community and University Design Research Fellows Joseph Altshuler and Zack Morrison, Esteban Garcia Bravo, Jessica Colangelo and Charles Sharpless, and Deborah Garcia gathered for a CONNECT session moderated by Curatorial Partner Bryony Roberts and Curatorial Advisor Yuxiang Luo.
From left, University Design Research Fellows Deborah Garcia, Jessica Colangelo, Esteban Garcia Bravo, Zack Morrison, and Joseph Altshuler
I am thinking a lot about community and what I call "super communal objects”—things that break down barriers—what does it mean to be together?
— Deborah Garcia, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Architecture
Communications Design: CONNECT with Chris Grimley and Rick Valicenti
What strikes me about the curation of the four Miller Prize sites is the potential for dialogue between them. There is something quite exciting about that. There is potential in this year's program to establish a trajectory for a longer transformation of downtown.
— Chris Grimley, Principal at OverUnder
After lunch, Chris Grimley from OverUnder, the 2022–23 Communication Designer, was in conversation with Rick Valicenti, design director for Landmark Columbus Foundation. Valicenti has been involved with Exhibit Columbus since its founding and led the creation of the original identity. In this conversation, they discussed where communication design is going today and how components of wayfinding can help shape how people engage in public spaces.
Using wayfinding gives people the sense that it is ok to go across highway and rail tracks to Mill Race Park. Leave breadcrumbs. Make public spaces legible to as many people as we can.
— Chris Grimley, Principal at OverUnder
CONNECT with University Design Research Fellows Session Two
Held at at City Hall, members of the Columbus community and University Design Research Fellows Molly Hunker, Katie MacDonald and Kyle Schumann, Halina Steiner and Tameka Baba gathered for a CONNECT session moderated by Curatorial Partner Raymund Ryan with Curatorial Advisor Yuxiang Luo
From left, University Design Research Fellows Tameka Baba, Halina Steiner, Katie MacDonald, Kyle Schumann, and Molly Hunker.
What we hope to do is provide a platform for an individual or a group as a springboard to the next thing in their life.
— Katie MacDonald, University of Virginia School of Architecture
BACK and FORTH with High School Design Team, Alumni Group and STEM Students
From left, High School Design Team students Judah, Owen, and Nettie with HSDT Alumni group members Mila Lapinski and Eshaan Mehta.
What was unexpected was lunch with high school students. Whoever the architecture teacher is, give that person a raise.
— Vishaan Chakrabarti (PAU)
This session featured fifth grade teacher Davida Harden, who is leading the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) program that is exploring the theme of Exhibit Columbus, and the High School Design Team in conversation with leaders from the newly-formed High School Design Team Alumni Group.
