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Landmark Columbus
Formation2015
HeadquartersColumbus, Indiana, United States
Parent organization
Landmark Columbus Foundation
Websitelandmarkcolumbusfoundation.org/landmark-columbus

Landmark Columbus is the progressive preservation program arm of Landmark Columbus Foundation that is dedicated to caring for and celebrating the world-renowned cultural heritage of Columbus, Indiana.

Projects and events

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Landmark Columbus' 2015 Columbus Conversation in the chapel at First Christian Church

Landmark Columbus produces a number of ongoing projects in an effort to care for the city's cultural heritage.[1] The organization is active in the community in various ways,[2] including nominating the Irwin Conference Center[3] for a Docomomo US National Citation of Merit in 2014 for the National Historic Landmark building designed by Eero Saarinen, which was restored through an adaptive reuse project by Cummins.[4] Columbus historians David Sechrest and Ricky Berkey have been involved with the organization from the beginning, helping to create projects around both the early and modern history of the community.[5]

Getty Foundation Keeping it Modern Architectural Conservation Grant

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Landmark Columbus received a 2019 Keeping it Modern Architectural Conservation Grant from the Getty Foundation for the iconic North Christian Church. With this grant, Landmark Columbus—together with Prudon & Partners, Reed-Hilderbrand, Bryony Roberts Studio, Enrique Ramirez, ICR-ICC and others—are developing a conservation management plan to provide the historical context and strategic guidance necessary for the church's long-term upkeep.[6]

Friends of First Christian Church Architecture

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Friends of First Christian Church Architecture (FFCCA) is a collaborative effort with a mission "to preserve the architecture and design elements of FCC, a National Historic Landmark designed by Eliel & Eero Saarinen in 1942."[7] The project was launched in January 2017 as a partnership with First Christian Church, Heritage Fund, Landmark Columbus, and Indiana Landmarks.[8] The first project for FFCCA was to help save the sanctuary skylight,[9] which leaked for years and caused damage.[10] In August 2018 FFCCA had raised enough resources from the congregation and throughout the community to have the skylight fully restored.[11] Fundraising for the restoration of the skylight was a collaborative effort, and included contributions from the church congregation, Kenny Glass, Inc., and the Columbus Area Visitors Center.[12]

Columbus Conversations

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Columbus Conversation is an annual symposium held to address a pressing need in the community related to Columbus' cultural heritage. The series began in 2014 and featured Theodore Prudon's keynote presentation "Modern Architecture as Heritage",[13] and included lectures by Marsh Davis, from Indiana Landmarks; Louis Joyner, a Columbus-based architect; Richard McCoy; and a conversation moderated by Harry McCawley.[14]

The 2015 Columbus Conversation featured a panel discussion by Jeff Baker, the last president of Preserve to Enjoy, Inc.; Tricia Gilson from the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives; Flora Chou, board member of Docomomo US; and Theodore Prudon, board president of Docomomo US.[15] This moderated discussion defined ways that Landmark Columbus could raise awareness about caring for the area's cultural heritage and begin growing a constituency that actively helps in the cause.[16]

Chaotic Tuesdays

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A "Chaotic Tuesday" inside the Commons

In celebration of Jean Tinguely's masterwork, Chaos I, located inside the Commons, Landmark Columbus started "Chaotic Tuesdays" as a free community event during which everyone could see the kinetic artwork operate during the evening.[17] The idea for the event came from the director of Museum Tinguely, Roland Wetzel, when he visited in 2014.[18] The event happens on the fourth Tuesday of every month and has grown to be a partnership between many in the community and led by the Columbus Area Arts Council. Professors from Ivy Tech bring drawing materials for the community and provide lessons on how to draw the artwork, which Tinguely himself did many times; his drawings of Chaos I are in collections around the world.

Landscape architecture cleanups

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2015 North Christian Church Landscape Clean Up

Landmark Columbus has organized a number of community efforts to help clean and maintain the landscape at North Christian Church, which was designed by Dan Kiley and is one of seven National Historic Landmarks in the city. Cleanups have addressed issues caused by storms and ongoing maintenance, including the dormant pruning of the many magnolias that surround the church.[19]

Yearly bicycle rides

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Landmark Columbus started a yearly bicycle tour in May that coincides with National Preservation Month and National Bike Month.

  • The 2015 "Olde Tyme Architectural Bicycle Ride" featured a tour of late 19th and early 20th century architecture and landscapes near downtown.[20]
  • The 2016 "Mad Men Bike Ride" featured many works of modern architecture, including stops at North Christian Church and the Miller House and Garden.[21]
  • The 2017 "Public Art Bike ride" featured a look at many of the public artworks around downtown.[22]

Landmark Lego Challenge

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In May 2016 Landmark Columbus held a first-of-its-kind competition that invited participants to build one of the seven National Historic Landmarks out of Lego bricks.[23] This project was launched in partnership with the Indianapolis Museum of Art, kids commons, the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives, and other organizations.[24]

Docomomo US Tour Day

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Various partners began participating in "Tour Day" starting in 2013 to draw regional interest in visiting Columbus and seeing the modern architecture.

  • In 2013, a tour was given of the Columbus Arts District and the Miller House and Gardens.[25]
  • In 2014, Indiana Landmarks created the "Landmarks Experience: Columbus," a day-long immersion with lectures and tours that included the Miller House.[26]
  • In 2015, Landmark Columbus created the "Saarinen, Pei, and the Plaza that Connected Them" tour, which looked at the relationship between the Cleo Rogers Memorial Library Henry Moore's Large Arch, and First Christian Church.[27]

Documentation and surveys

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In 2013 and 14, all of the public art in Bartholomew County was surveyed, photographed, and placed in the database of the Public Art Archive.[28] The list of public art in Bartholomew County, Indiana includes more than 100 artworks in a diverse group of places. Also at this time, all of the resources in the Columbus Arts District and all of the modern buildings were surveyed, photographed, and published in the database of CultureNOW.[29][30] Other research projects have included investigations for public artworks that are now missing.[31]

Ongoing series of talks

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Landmark Columbus occasionally hosts experts of architecture, art, and community.

Public art walking tours

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With the rich history of public art throughout the community,[37] walking tours are frequent. There is also a special walking tour every October in partnership with Reach Healthy Communities.[38][39]

References

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  1. ^ McClure, Julie. "MONUMENTAL TASK". The Republic.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ "Winter Magic, Spring Phoenix, and Columbus All Year". WFYI Public Media. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  3. ^ "A Modern landmark finds a new use". Hidden Gems Indiana. Archived from the original on 2016-05-24. Retrieved 2016-05-14.
  4. ^ "Citation of Merit - Cummins Irwin Conference Center & Office Buildings | docomomo united states". docomomo-us.org. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  5. ^ McClure, Julie. "MONUMENTAL TASK". The Republic.[permanent dead link‍]
  6. ^ "Keeping It Modern: Grants Awarded 2019 (Getty Foundation)". Getty Foundation. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Purpose". www.fccoc.org. Friends of First Christian Church. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  8. ^ Sisson, Patrick (2 February 2017). "Saving the country's first modern church, and a Columbus architecture landmark". Curbed. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  9. ^ Blair, Brian (23 January 2017). "First (Christian) things first: New group forms to protect city's original Modernist building". The Republic. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  10. ^ Clark, John (25 January 2017). "First Christian Church in need of help maintaining landmark | 1010 WCSI". 1010wcsi.com. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  11. ^ McClure, Julie. "Architectural integrity: First Christian Church skylight repair retains defining characteristic". The Republic. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  12. ^ Staff Reports (23 August 2018). "Church's skylight project highlights successful collaboration". The Republic. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  13. ^ "2014 Columbus Conversation". YouTube. 14 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  14. ^ Elig, Jenny (13 May 2014). "Preserving architecture taking center stage". The Republic.
  15. ^ "2015 Columbus Conversation by Landmark Columbus". YouTube. 10 November 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  16. ^ McClure, Julie. "Landmark group invites residents for a chat about historic preservation". The Republic. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  17. ^ Blair, Brian. "Returning to a state of 'Chaos'". The Republic. Retrieved 14 May 2016.[permanent dead link‍]
  18. ^ "Talking Chaos with Roland Wetzel". YouTube. Landmark Columbus. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  19. ^ Blair, Brian. "Helping 'a beacon' shine on". The Republic.
  20. ^ Clark, John. "Health advocates plan local bike month activities". 1010 WCSI. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  21. ^ "May is Bike Month - City of Columbus Indiana". www.columbus.in.gov. City of Columbus. Archived from the original on 22 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  22. ^ "May is Bike Month - Columbus Regional Health". www.crh.org. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  23. ^ Blair, Brian. "Get a leg up on LEGO building competition during opening event today". The Republic. Retrieved 27 May 2016.[permanent dead link‍]
  24. ^ Staff Reports. "Lego challenge builds on city's architectural foundations". The Republic. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  25. ^ "TOUR DAY 2013: INDIANA | docomomo united states". www.docomomo-us.org. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  26. ^ "Tour Day 2014: INDIANA | docomomo united states". www.docomomo-us.org. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  27. ^ "Saarinen, Pei, and the Plaza that Connected Them | docomomo united states". docomomo-us.org. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  28. ^ "Columbus in the Public Art Archive". publicartarchive.org. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  29. ^ "Columbus in CultureNOW - MuseumWithoutWalls". www.culturenow.org. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  30. ^ "CultureNOW - Newsletters". www.culturenow.org. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  31. ^ Elig, Jenny. "In search of city's lost art". The Republic.
  32. ^ Covington, Olivia. "'Columbus is not a Museum' topic of presentation". The Republic.[permanent dead link‍]
  33. ^ "Columbus is not a Museum featuring Michelangelo Sabatino". YouTube. 20 February 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  34. ^ Staff Reports. "Exhibit Columbus leaders bring in speaker from Grand Rapids". The Republic. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  35. ^ Blair, Brian. "Exhibit Columbus has eye on the prize". The Republic. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  36. ^ Blair, Brian. "Never built: Why? Program kicks off research effort in Columbus". The Republic.
  37. ^ Sims, Chris. "8 Must-See Columbus Artworks — Besides the Famed Architecture". Limestone Post Magazine. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  38. ^ Staff Reports. "Art walking tour connects residents to city, exercise". The Republic. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  39. ^ Staff Reports. "Walking tour traces steps to public art". The Republic. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
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