Art, Architecture and Design in Columbus, Indiana

This article spotlights a particular building or some other aspect of Columbus design. I welcome your comments, corrections and additions. Please share your experience and perceptions of these uniquely Columbus projects.

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church

• Built: 1988
• 719 5th Street
• Design Architect: Gunnar Birkerts (Birmingham, Michigan) (NYC)
• Contractor: Force Construction (Columbus, Indiana)
• Addition to the adjacent Lutheran School: 1988
• Architect of school addition: David Force

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church goes back to the early days of Columbus history. This congregation was started in 1858 by 5 families from the even older St. Paul’s congregation on the outskirts of Columbus. A small wood frame structure at the corner of 5th and Sycamore was dedicated July 22nd, 1858. A larger brick structure was built in 1871 and in 1904 an even larger building was constructed to serve 950 baptized members. During construction, the congregation held services at the nearby City Hall building at 5th and Franklin. The new structure was dedicated on June 19th, 1904. Despite the new sanctuary that was completed in 1988, this older 1904 building remained as part of the church complex until its removal in 2011 due to deteriorating conditions.

There has been a long history at St. Peter’s of providing a proper Lutheran education to their youth. A still standing 2-story 1941 building replaced the original 1887 school along 5th Street. Additional school space was added in 1950. Memorial Hall was completed in 1964 and was used as classrooms, gymnasium, kitchen and cafeteria as well providing space for church offices. These two buildings are still in use. With future expansion in mind, by 1979 they had acquired the entire 3 block area between 4th and 5th from Pearl to Chestnut Streets. Permission was received from the city to vacate their portion of Sycamore Street in the middle of the property whenever the future expansion plans were executed.

By 1983 with the total congregation numbering at more than 2600 members a decision was made to build a new sanctuary as the 1904 building had a capacity of only 500. It was during their 125th anniversary as a church that they engaged architect Gunnar Birkerts to begin designing their new building. Birkerts had earlier designed the Lincoln Elementary School across the street from the proposed site in 1967. It was hoped that he would create an equally pleasing structure for them and create a compatible environment along the 5th Street corridor. The church was sited to share a secondary axis with the center of the Lincoln School. The buildings form also reflects the multi-layered geometry of Lincoln. Birkerts was known for his innovative methods of bringing natural light into a building and there is no better example of this than the light filled interior of St. Peter’s.

Birkerts design was completed in 1988. The structure added another prominent landmark on the Columbus skyline with its 186-foot copper-clad spire. The spire is heavily influenced by the traditional church spire form found in Birkerts’ native Latvia. Although Birkerts’ said it was an unplanned coincidence, there is an amazing view of this church spire as you head towards downtown on State Street. The building is constructed of reinforced concrete, clad in brick and copper. A brick color was carefully chosen to be compatible with existing buildings along 5th Street such as Lincoln School and the library. Inside and out, the building features an interesting blend of flat and curved surfaces. Birkerts often liked to present buildings as a duality of opposites. Here we see the orthogonal and the curvilinear meeting suddenly in the geometry of the building. The back side of the building is very flat and linear, primarily concrete and bordering on brutilism. He calls this the masculine side and it presents its feminine side as you come around to the rounded brick portion of the building in the front. The front exterior is clad with brick with a series of windows beneath a copper fascia. The broken linear walls forming the south side are exposed and hammer finished structural concrete with brick banding. Birkerts’ view was that the irregular geometry of his design reflects the idea that sometimes nature’s imperfections are what inspire lasting humane architecture.

The roof is covered with an impermeable synthetic rubber with its cone overlaid with copper sheeting. Copper also overlays the ribs between the skylights, the bell sphere, and the spire. Supporting the roof and spire are steel I-beam trusses. The main girder which lies east to west is 109 feet long, 10 feet high and weighs in at 30 tons. The framework for the bell sphere and spire is made of high-strength aluminum beams. The spire was fabricated and copper-cladded on site, then positioned into place by crane. Now weathered into a natural patina, it was pure copper when first installed, reflecting the sun in sometimes blinding patterns. Braided 3/4 inch solid copper cables running from the aluminum framework of the spire to the steel roof girders and down the concrete walls to copper rods driven deep into the soil act as a lightning protection system..

The sanctuary interior is a blending of textured flat and curved white surfaces. Innovative natural as well as artificial lighting accents the interior. The white walls are set off by the textures provided by the maple furniture, maple doors and handrails, limestone and maple liturgical furnishings and a variety of other materials. Carpets are teal with teal and taupe wool seating fabric. All liturgical and interior furnishings were designed by Birkerts. Flooring was sealed concrete, carpeted in the open areas. The seating in non-concentric circles gives the feeling of a sanctuary within a sanctuary. Two off-axis circles create inner and outer sanctuary seating which allows the large worship space to be comfortably used for smaller gatherings as well as a full worship service. The worship space was designed to easily accommodate 1000 parishioners in the large rising open space without need for a formal balcony.

Windows on the north facing wall are long, narrow and deeply recessed in a unique pattern used as a design motif on the entrance doors and throughout the building. Dominating the south area of the sanctuary are massive fin walls with floor to ceiling windows allowing abundant natural light to enter the pulpit area.

Along the center aisle, directly beneath the spire, is a bronze plaque, inscribed with the May 1st, 1988 dedication date. Underneath lies a small vault containing a time capsule of special items and documents associated with the history of the congregation. This was the spot where the first construction stake was driven and from where all the initial measurements were taken. Other artifacts from the 1904 santuary were removed and incorporated into the new worship space including the organ, the bell, the oval marble altar top and the stained glass window of “Christ in Gethsemane.” Rising 186 feet above this spot on the finished floor is the copper spire topped by a cross. Underneath the cross is a small spherical time capsule. The larger sphere at the bottom houses the bell from the old sanctuary. Under the spire a skylight opens to the sanctuary featuring an 18-foot diameter light fixture that is also illuminated with spotlights reflecting light patterns from the intersecting planes of nickel mesh.

The chancel area is highlighted by a 12-foot high suspended maple cross which is illuminated by spotlighting. Underneath the cross is the altar made from two pieces of Indiana limestone, maple woodwork and the marble top from the 1904 sanctuary. The altar is in the center with the baptismal font to the north and the pulpit to the south. These three areas known as the “Three Means of Grace” are framed by a portable maple communion rail. An eternal candle burns on the back wall along with 7 elevated candles symbolizing the seven fruits of the Holy Spirit. A 24 channel sound amplification and video recording system occupies 2 large openings in the back wall. The interior of the sanctuary has many hard, sound-reflecting surfaces intentionally designed to create an acoustically alive space so that the organ, choral and instrumental music resounds to the fullest. Planters filled with greenery were placed high on the north and south walls.

Located in the upper level of the “outer sanctuary” is the Steiner-Reck pipe organ housed in a free-standing maple case. Designed by Gottfried Reck, the computerized organ fully incorporates the 1962 Holtkamp organ removed from the old sanctuary. This moderate-sized organ with a total of 66 ranks and 3,418 pipes contains an 8 foot polished brass horizontal trompete and 2 32-foot pedal stops. The 3 manual console features keys laminated with African benge (or wenge – a commercially-harvested, fine-grained, tropical hardwood from Zaire) and touch plate stops. Pipes in the organ are constructed of copper, zinc, tin and wood ranging from the size of a pencil to 18 feet in length. The upper area also provides seating for the choir, brass ensemble and handbell ensemble.

The narthex is a circular space as well to allow many people to be able to meet and interact before and after services. The narthex gathers people from the three entrances (from 5th Street, from the parking lot along along 6th Street and from the interior hallway which connects the new sanctuary to the older parts of the church complex). Support areas leading from the narthex include restrooms, coat rooms, a cry room (equipped with a sound system and with windows looking into the sanctuary) and a bridal dressing room. The stained glass window of “Christ in Gethsemane” was mounted in the new narthex area. To get the children involved with the construction of their new church, it was decided to use their weekly chapel offerings to cover the cost. Maple cabinetry provides the setting for the window and also displays other historial church artifacts. Flooring in the narthex area is made of brick pavers laid in a decorative pattern extending from the central pillar. The church was designed in conjunction with a connecting wing of office and support space. This connector takes on the appearance of a cloister framing the green lawn space to the north.

Landscaping includes linden and river birch trees which dot the north side of the grounds with Bradford pear trees lining the south walkway. Groundbreaking for the church took place on June 22nd 1986 with the dedication and first worship service on May 1st, 1988.

In 2003 a major 57,00 square foot addition to the adjacent Lutheran school was added by local architect (and member of the congregation) David Force. As has been the tradition with this congregation they retained two older parts of the school which are still in use. The St. Peter’s Lutheran school is one of the largest in Indiana. The new school addition is connected to the rest of the school complex and sanctuary by an enclosed walkway. Force consulted with Birkerts to ensure a compatible design. David Force had become close friends with Gunnar Birkerts as his families firm, Force Construction, had been general contractor for the 1988 sanctuary construction. The same brick was used as in the 1988 construction to ensure a seamless addition. Exterior brick banding was repeated from the church continuing into the school lobby area. Interior spaces continue the primarily white walls and maple woodwork as seen in the church. Glass greenhouse areas are utilized to provide connectors between different portions of the church/school complex. A connection between the upper level of the church and the second floor of the school is accomplished by use of a glass bridge. The south facing facade is articulated with setbacks corresponding to the interior room arrangement allowing each major classroom to enjoy 2 window enclosures as well as providing an interesting exterior. The school addition was an opportunity to address accessibility issues as well as controlling access to the church and school. An elevator in the school addition lobby area serves the church as well as both new and older areas of the school building. Visitors should be advised that the main entry point to the church is now usually through the south facing school lobby allowing them to have better control over who enters the building while the children are in school. The highlight of the 2-story lobby is a large street style clock. The design of the new school also established a master plan for additions/upgrades to existing facilities to be carried out in a more consistent fashion.

In 2011 the former 1904 sanctuary was torn down due to its deteriorating condition. As many remaining elements as possible were retained to be used in future renovations/additions. The cross from the top of the 1904 sanctuary is now mounted on the lawn area where the old church once stood.

Front of church from 5th Street
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Front of church from 5th Street
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

View from across 5th street on the other side of Lincoln school
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

View from 5th Street
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear view, 2003 school addition on the right
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Windows on front side, this pattern is repeated around the building
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

5th Street entrance, note the window pattern repeats
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Entrance on 6th street side
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

5th Street Entrance
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Tall slender windows bring natural light into the chancel area
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

View from the pulpit
(photo by Terri Boake…used pending permission)

Sanctuary view
(photo by Terri Boake…used pending permission)

Sanctuary
(photo by Mary Ann Sullivan…used pending permission)

Sanctuary
(photo by Mary Ann Sullivan…used pending permission)

Sanctuary
(photo by Mary Ann Sullivan…used pending permission)

School addition by David Force
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Gunnar Birkerts sanctuary on the left, David Force school addition on the right
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

School addition by David Force
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

2 older school buildings on left are still in use, 1904 sanctuary on right now demolished
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Cross on the lawn in foreground was from the top of the 1904 church demolished in 2011
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Church spire, the lower ball contains the bell from the 1904 church, the ball just beneath the cross contains a time capsule
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Landscaping
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Lower level layout
(photo used pending permission)

Upper level floor plan
(photo used pending permission)

Aerial view
(Google map view used pending permission)

The Architects

Gunnar Birkerts

• Born January 17th, 1925 in Riga, Latvia
• Technische Hochschule (Stuttgart, Germany), 1949

Gunnar Birkerts was born and raised in Latvia but fled ahead of the advancing Russian army toward the end of WW2. He graduated from the Technische Hochschule in Stuttgart, Germany in 1949 with a degree in architecture and engineering before coming to the United States.

Birkerts worked for Perkins and Will in Chicago from 1950-51 before joining Eero Saarinen in Bloomfield, Hills Michigan. He became lead designer for Minoru Yamasaki in 1955 before opening his own office in the Detroit suburbs as Birkerts and Staub in 1959 which became Gunnar Birkerts & Associates in 1963. Upon opening his own practice he said: “my apprenticeship was over. Now it was my turn to speak”. Over the years he developed a reputation as one of our foremost modernist architects. His many projects include museums, corporate headquarters and government buildings for clients in the United States, Europe, and South America. He is noted for his expressive forms emphasizing dynamic flow and illumination of space. He often used lighting as a design element:

“reflected, diffused or directionally washed over an enclosing plane…can give enormous richness to an otherwise simple, uninteresting space”.

Gunnar Birkerts & Associates received Honor Awards for its projects from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1962, 1970, 1973, as well as numerous awards from the Michigan Society of Architects and the local chapter of the AIA. The 1970 award was for our Lincoln Elementary School which was built in 1967. Gunnar Birkerts was selected as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1970 and a Fellow of the Latvian Architect Association in 1971. He has received numerous other individual awards in Michigan, the United States and his native Latvia.

Birkerts joined the faculty at the University of Michigan College of Architecture in 1959 and taught until 1990. He has also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Oklahoma.

Birkerts is still active as an architect and now maintains an architectural office in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Selected Gunnar Birkerts Projects

1966: Detroit Institute of Art, South Wing – Detroit, Michigan

1967: Lincoln Elementary School – Columbus, Indiana

1971: Detroit Institute of Art, North Wing – Detroit, Michigan

1972: Contemporary Arts Museum – Houston, Texas

1973: Marquette Plaza (formerly Federal Reserve Bank) – Minneapolis, Minnesota

1980: Corning Museum of Glass – Corning, New York

1986: Dominos World HQ – Ann Arbor, Michigan

1988: St. Peters Lutheran Church – Columbus, Indiana

1989: U.S. Embassy – Caracas, Venezuela

1994: Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art – Kansas City, Missouri

David Force

• Born in 1956 in Columbus, Indiana
• Bachelor Degree – Architecture: University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign , Illinois (1978)
• Unite de Pedagogique d’Architecture – Versailles, France
• Masters Degree – Architecture: University of Illinois (1980)
• MBA Degree: University of Illinois (1980)

David Force grew up surrounded by buildings and construction. His families construction business, Force Construction was started in 1946 and has left a legacy of quality building in the Columbus area. Force Construction is a full-service general contractor.

Born and raised in Columbus, David has remained in his hometown to pursue his career and raise his family. After receiving a Masters degrees in both architecture and business at the University of Illinois he joined the family firm, Force Construction. He started his own design firm, Force Design as a part of the larger family business in 1977. Force Design offers a full range of architectural and engineering services. He became the Executive Vice President of Force Construction in 1981.

Selected David Force Projects

St. Peter’s Lutheran School (2003)

St. John’s White Creek Lutheran Church and School

Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing

ArvinMeritor Columbus Technical Center

Home Federal Bank: Washington Street Branch

Historic Columbus

This is the 2nd St. Peter’s Lutheran church building
(photo used pending permission)

This is the 3rd St. Peter’s Lutheran church building
(photo used pending permission)

Links/References

St. Peters Lutheran website:

Video tour of St. Peters on Utube: video by uTube user “wworldp”

3D Model of St. Peter’s Lutheran executed in Google Sketchup:

Gunnar Birkerts Architect Website

Gunnar Birkerts Archives (Bentley Historical Library)

Gunnar Birkerts Archives (Bentley Historical Library)

“The Architecture of Gunnar Birkerts” – book covering his career and projects from 1957-1989

“Gunnar Birkerts – - Metaphoric Modernist” – more recent (2009) book covering his career and projects

“Gunnar Birkerts: Buildings, Projects and Thoughts (1960-1985)” – book by Birkerts on his projects and design process (features a lot of his own drawings and models)

Force Design: David Force design firm

Force Construction

Columbus Area Visitors Center

City of Columbus: official City of Columbus website

Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives

Columbus Indiana Architecture Digital Archives: A small portion of the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives available online from the IUPUI digital library

3D Models of Columbus Architecture executed in Google SketchUp:

The Republic Newspaper – Columbus, Indiana newspaper

Bartholomew County Public Library

Historic Columbus Website – David Sechrest’s tribute to Columbus History

Historic Columbus Message Board – a companion interactive forum to the David Sechrest historical website

Bartholomew County Historical Society

Columbus Area Arts Council

Click HERE for a Calendar of Upcoming Events in the Columbus Area.

Click HERE for information about Tours of Columbus Architecture and Design including the Miller House.

Architecture Tours of Columbus are guided by trained and enthusiastic community volunteers. Information on tours and registration is available at the Columbus Indiana Visitors Center website. Click HERE for further information:

The tours consist of a 2 hour bus tour with several building visits at the beginning and during the tour. Please be there a half hour prior to sign up, use the restrooms and watch the short introductory video. We will leave the building promptly on the hour. We also give special tours for groups and organizations which need to be arranged in advance. Maps are available for self-guided tours and a cell phone tour is also available. Click HERE for reservations:

Architecture Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm

Architecture Tour Times: March – November
Monday to Friday: 10:00 am
Saturday: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
Sunday: 3:00 pm

We are now conducting daily tours of the Miller House, the 1957 former residence of the J. Irwin and Xenia Miller family. This mid-century modern masterpiece was designed by Eero Saarinen with interiors by Alexander Girard and landscaping by Dan Kiley and is a National Historic Landmark. It is recommended that you reserve early as there has been a high demand. Click HERE for reservations:

Miller House Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm

Miller House Tour Times: March – November
Sunday: 1:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday: 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
No Miller tours on Mondays

Ricky Berkey

Email me: rickyberkey@gmail.com

                                       Follow me on Twitter:

                                       Find me on Facebook:

Art, Architecture and Design in Columbus, Indiana

This article spotlights a particular building or some other aspect of Columbus design. I welcome your comments, corrections and additions. Please share your experience and perceptions of these uniquely Columbus projects.

“Birds of Fire” – a sculpture by Ted Sitting Crow Garner

• Artist: Ted Sitting Crow Garner
• Built: 1979
• Installed in Columbus: 2006
• Address: Republic Building – 333 2nd Street (corner of 2nd and Jackson)

“Birds of Fire” is an abstract steel sculpture, painted bright orange, designed and fabricated by Ted Sitting Crow Garner. Garner was inspired by the music of John Mclaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, who were in turn inspired by the groups spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy. “Birds of Fire” was a song by the group based upon a Sri Chinmoy devotional poem addressing man’s striving for transcendence.

Garner takes great pride in combining the power and aesthetics of his American Indian heritage with modern techniques and materials using the depth of art history as a resource. Garner’s sculpture, which had previously been displayed in Chicago, was brought here as part of the Columbus Sculpture Invitational in 2006. Although it has been here since that time, it is actually still on temporary loan to the city and can be purchased from the sculptor for $25,000.

Originally located on the grounds of the former Senior Center, it was later given a much more visible spot on a corner in front of the Republic newspaper building. Much like the abstract sculptures in Chicago adjacent to several Mies van der Rohe buildings, this sculpture provides a perfect counterpoint to the Miesian glass box of the Republic newspaper building designed by Myron Goldsmith. Please join me in urging the owners of the Republic to consider making this a permanent addition to our city.

Original installation in Columbus was at the old Senior Center overlooking the East Fork White River.
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Garner’s abstract sculpture is a nice accent to the Miesian style of the Republic newspaper building
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Nice accent to the Republic newspaper building
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Viewed against the side of the Republic newspaper building
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Located at the front corner of the Republic newspaper building along 2nd Street (State Road 46)
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Viewed against the Bartholomew County courthouse across the street
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Viewed against the Bartholomew County courthouse across the street
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

View of the Commons Office Building across the Courthouse lawn
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

View to the 2nd/3rd Street parking garage with the Cole Apartments soon to cover 3 sides
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Sculpture is in view of heavy traffic on 2nd Street (St Road 46) passing by
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

View to the south
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Closeup of the base
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Closeup of the base
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Artists title and “signature” on the base
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Sculpture is still for sale. Lets keep it in Columbus.
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

The Artist

Ted Sitting Crow Garner

• Born in Seattle, Washington in 1957
• Bachelor of Fine Arts: Kansas City Art Institute – Kansas City, Missouri (1982)

Garner is a artist and sculptor from Chicago. He was born in Seattle, Washington. As well as an artist he is also considered a master large sculpture installation specialist. His inspiration for his artistic work is combining the power and aesthetics of his American Indian heritage (he is a member of the Sioux tribe) with modern techniques and materials. He considers the entire output of art history as a resource.

He studied at the Kansas City Art Institute after working as an assistant to sculptors Jerry Peart, John Henry, and Mark di Suvero. His own sculpture has been exhibited widely and he has travelled extensively assisting other artists with large sculpture installations.

His fans were surprised in 2011 when he made several television appearances on the Jeopardy game show Tournament of Champions.

Selected Ted Sitting Crow Garner Projects

“Throne” (1995)
(for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
Originally in Atlanta, Georgia, now at the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park – University Park, Illinois

“Birds of Fire” (1979)
Columbus, Indiana

“Tussle” (2010)
Fredrick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park – Grand Rapids, Michigan

“Hawk” (2010)
Garfield Park Conservatory – Chicago

“Eye of Newt” (1995)
Western Sculpture Park – St. Paul, Minnesota

Links/References

Columbus Area Visitors Center

City of Columbus: official City of Columbus website

Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives

Columbus Indiana Architecture Digital Archives: A small portion of the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives available online from the IUPUI digital library

3D Models of Columbus Architecture Executed in Google SketchUp:

The Republic Newspaper – Columbus, Indiana newspaper

Bartholomew County Public Library

Historic Columbus Website – David Sechrest’s tribute to Columbus History

Historic Columbus Message Board – a companion interactive forum to the David Sechrest historical website

Bartholomew County Historical Society

Columbus Area Arts Council

Click HERE for a Calendar of Upcoming Events in the Columbus Area.

Click HERE for information about Tours of Columbus Architecture and Design including the Miller House.

Architecture Tours of Columbus are guided by trained and enthusiastic community volunteers. Information on tours and registration is available at the Columbus Indiana Visitors Center website. Click HERE for further information:

The tours consist of a 2 hour bus tour with several building visits at the beginning and during the tour. Please be there a half hour prior to sign up, use the restrooms and watch the short introductory video. We will leave the building promptly on the hour. We also give special tours for groups and organizations which need to be arranged in advance. Maps are available for self-guided tours and a cell phone tour is also available. Click HERE for reservations:

Architecture Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm

Architecture Tour Times: March – November
Monday to Friday: 10:00 am
Saturday: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
Sunday: 3:00 pm

We are now conducting daily tours of the Miller House, the 1957 former residence of the J. Irwin and Xenia Miller family. This mid-century modern masterpiece was designed by Eero Saarinen with interiors by Alexander Girard and landscaping by Dan Kiley and is a National Historic Landmark. It is recommended that you reserve early as there has been a high demand. Click HERE for reservations:

Miller House Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm

Miller House Tour Times: March – November
Sunday: 1:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday: 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
No Miller tours on Mondays

Ricky Berkey

Email me: rickyberkey@gmail.com

                                       Follow me on Twitter:

                                       Find me on Facebook:

Art, Architecture and Design in Columbus, Indiana

This article spotlights a particular building or some other aspect of Columbus design. I welcome your comments, corrections and additions. Please share your experience and perceptions of these uniquely Columbus projects.

“Transformations” – a sculpture by Howard Meehan

• Artist: Howard Meehan
• Location: IUPUC (4601 Central Ave)
• Built: 2010

“Transformations” is a large public sculpture meant to be an indentifying landmark on the IUPUC (Indiana University – Purdue University at Columbus) campus. The sculpture is the centerpiece of the Reeves Sculpture Plaza. The plaza was made possible by a grant from the Carl M. and Mildred A. Reeves Foundation. This sculpture and plaza is meant to serve as a “front door” to the campus for the community as well as serving as a place for students, faculty and the public to rest and reflect. It is configured as a gathering place and seating area to create a welcoming environment for the entire community.

Created by artist Howard Meehan, the sculpture is nearly 30 feet tall and consists of a polished stainless steel ring with 3 pillars of reflective dichroic glass with interesting reflection patterns in the daylight and is illuminated at night. The main characteristic of dichroic glass is that it has a particular transmitted color and a completely different reflected color, as certain wavelengths of light either pass through or are reflected. It splits a beam of light into 2 beams with differing wavelengths. This causes an array of color to be displayed. The color shift depends upon on the angle of view. The ring which surrounds the glass oscillates with the wind and on some days it appears as if it will break at any moment. It was designed in close collaboration with a structural engineer.

The three lighted glass pillars are meant to symbolize the concepts of light, liberty, and learning. They also serve as a tribute to IUPUC’s collaboration with Indiana University, Purdue University and the people of Columbus. The sculpture is partially enclosed within an 8 foot berm of molded earth and an arched concrete surrounding wall with seating which features a quote by Benjamin Disraeli:

“A University Must be a Place of Light, of Liberty, and of Learning.”

Disraeli was a former British Prime Minister and literary figure.

Dedication of the sculpture was held on November 12, 2010 with artist Howard Meehan present. He seemed very pleased and proud of the results of his work.

Front of sculpture facing the Central Avenue IUPUC entrance
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Front of sculpture facing the Central Avenue IUPUC entrance
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Front of sculpture facing the Central Avenue IUPUC entrance
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Stainless steel ring surrounding 3 pillars of reflective dichroic glass
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear of sculpture facing Central Avenue
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear of sculpture facing Central Avenue
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear of sculpture facing Central Avenue
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

View of the stainless steel ring from the concrete side wall
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Quotation on the rear wall
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Closeup of the support arm
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Closeup of the stainless steel ring
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Closeup of the stainless steel ring
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Closeup of the stainless steel ring
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Night view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Night view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Artist Howard Meehan at the dedication
(photo from Columbus visitors Center…used pending permission)

The Artist

Howard Meehan

• Art Center College of Design – Pasadena, California (1972)
• Pilchuck Glass School – Seatlle, Washington (1979)

Howard Meehan is an artist from Santa Fe, New Mexico known for his public art projects. He has completed over 35 mixed-media public art projects nationwide. Many of his projects have incorporated history of the local area to encourage the local communities to relate to his work, identify with it and take ownership. His sculptures strive to communicate the spirit of the location.

Among other accomplishments of his career has been as a car designer in Detroit and as a product designer and manager for three fortune 500 companies. His industrial and product design work is exhibited in the Smithsonian National Design Museum’s permanent collection and in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. He has garnered 7 design and engineering patents.

Selected Howard Meehan Projects

1996: Palm Desert Community Walk
Civic Center Rose Garden – City of Palm Desert, California
90’ diameter gathering place: rose garden paths of mosaic, colored concrete, tile, rose poetry, seating; 30’ diameter steel and colored concrete shade sculpture.

1996: Mountain Top
Salt Lake City, Utah
Sand carved laminated glass skylights.

1997: Spirit
University of Oregon – Eugene, Oregon
Steel, laminated glass, dichroic glass, and fire.

1998: Fire & Ice
Grants, New Mexico
Steel, fire, and glass sculpture, 28’ high, with 30’ diameter plaza incorporating timeline of history and stories of the community.

1998: Individual Powers
Salem, Oregon
Precast concrete and glass mosaic seating sculpture with text inspired by idea of personal empowerment.

1999: Sullivant Plaza
Columbus, Ohio
10,000 square foot gathering place inspired by history of area includes: historical quotations, timeline, sculpture, artifacts, seating, lighting, landscaping, arbor fountain.

2001: The Zone
Southern Utah University – Cedar City, Utah
28’ high sculpture, corten steel and dichroic/laminated glass.

2002: Newton’s Corner
Colorado State University – Fort Collins, Colorado
40’ high stainless steel kinetic sculpture inspired by Sir Isaac Newton’s theory of gravity.

2002: Voices of the Sea
City of Huntington Beach, California
Entry sculpture and 3 plazas inspired by T. S. Eliot’s poetry about the sea.

2003: Sleuth
Forensic Science Sculpture – Albecurcue, New Mexico:
25’ high steel sculpture with 9’ dia, glass fingerprint. The slow moving shadow cast a shadow over the elusive quality of evidence.

2003: Balance
University of Gainesville – Gainsville, Florida.
28’ stainless steel kinetic sculpture with 3’ dia. dichroic/laminated glass. It reflects the joint health-related scientific and humanistic purposes of the facility.

2006: Gallup Courthouse Plaza
Gallup, New Mexico
Developed design concepts for the war memorial and the sun daggers in the main plaza.

2008: Circles in Time
Glendale, Arizona
Historic gas station and auto parts garage. Recreated the space focusing on the history of the site and the history of Glendale. Reconstituted the wheel rims, gas pumps and automotive parts existing at the site, reconfigured the landscape plan for public access and display.

2008: All for Want of a Horseshoe Nail
Frisco, Texas
Concrete horseshoe turn around with 30’ tall stainless steel horseshoe nail.

2010: Transformations
Indiana/Purdue University (IUPUC) – Columbus, Indiana
A place of light, liberty and learning. Mounded turf and concrete walls. Gathering space and seating area. Stainless steel sculpture with reflective dichroic glass.

Links/References

Images of Transformations: slideshow presentation from Howard Meehan’s website

Howard Meehans website:

Columbus Area Visitors Center

City of Columbus: official City of Columbus website

Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives

Columbus Indiana Architecture Digital Archives: A small portion of the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives available online from the IUPUI digital library

3D Models of Columbus Architecture Executed in Google SketchUp:

The Republic Newspaper – Columbus, Indiana newspaper

Bartholomew County Public Library

Historic Columbus Website – David Sechrest’s tribute to Columbus History

Historic Columbus Message Board – a companion interactive forum to the David Sechrest historical website

Bartholomew County Historical Society

Columbus Area Arts Council

Click HERE for a Calendar of Upcoming Events in the Columbus Area.

Click HERE for information about Tours of Columbus Architecture and Design including the Miller House.

Architecture Tours of Columbus are guided by trained and enthusiastic community volunteers. Information on tours and registration is available at the Columbus Indiana Visitors Center website. Click HERE for further information:

The tours consist of a 2 hour bus tour with several building visits at the beginning and during the tour. Please be there a half hour prior to sign up, use the restrooms and watch the short introductory video. We will leave the building promptly on the hour. We also give special tours for groups and organizations which need to be arranged in advance. Maps are available for self-guided tours and a cell phone tour is also available. Click HERE for reservations:

Architecture Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm

Architecture Tour Times: March – November
Monday to Friday: 10:00 am
Saturday: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
Sunday: 3:00 pm

We are now conducting daily tours of the Miller House, the 1957 former residence of the J. Irwin and Xenia Miller family. This mid-century modern masterpiece was designed by Eero Saarinen with interiors by Alexander Girard and landscaping by Dan Kiley and is a National Historic Landmark. It is recommended that you reserve early as there has been a high demand. Click HERE for reservations:

Miller House Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm

Miller House Tour Times: March – November
Sunday: 1:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday: 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
No Miller tours on Mondays

Ricky Berkey

Email me: rickyberkey@gmail.com

                                       Follow me on Twitter:

                                       Find me on Facebook:

Art, Architecture and Design in Columbus, Indiana

This article spotlights a particular building or some other aspect of Columbus design. I welcome your comments, corrections and additions. Please share your experience and perceptions of these uniquely Columbus projects.

Irwin-Union Bank: Eastbrook Branch (now First Financial Bank)

• Built: 1961
• Address: 2531 Eastbrook Plaza (corner of 25th Street and National Road/US 31)
• Design Architects: Harry Weese (Harry Weese and Associates – Chicago)
• Contractor: Repp & Mundt – Columbus, Indiana
• Landscaping: Maschmeyers Nursery – Indianapolis, Indiana
• Plumbing, Heating and AC: Dunlap’s – Columbus, Indiana
• Electrical: Otto Electric – Columbus, Indiana
• Addition/Renovation (1996) – Thomas Beeby and Gary Ainge (Hammond Beeby and Babka – Chicago)

This was the first branch bank that Irwin-Union opened in Columbus outside of the downtown area in 1961. Located in a newly opened shopping center, everything about this branch was automobile scale, oriented around the drive-up windows located on the 4 original towers of the building. At ground level, the towers held the 3 drive-up banking windows and the night depository. The upper part of the towers were utilized to contain the HVAC units.

The site plan made this building a vary prominent detached part of the shopping plaza, facing the Haw Creek on one side and the shopping center on the other. Located parallel to Haw Creek it was the 3rd element in a triangle formed by the 2 bridges over 25th street and US 31 (National Road in Columbus). The arrangement was much more striking when the original steel truss bridges were in place. The site plan was meant to establish the “essence of drive-up banking in 3 dimensions.” Similar to what Robert Venturi started calling “billboard architecture”, these are structures which have a unique visual impact to the busy traffic flow passing by. The building appears massive from a side view but is actually very narrow when viewed from the ends. The gray-glazed brick coloration of the building reflected the concrete of the bridge structures and the towers recalled the piers of the original bridges. The site is completely surrounded by driveways from the parking lot so the bank can be approached from either end. A small dam was constructed in the adjacent creek to create a reflecting pool.

The 5,000 square foot split-level building was designed by Chicago architect Harry Weese who said the massive crenulated towers and reflecting pool were reminiscent of a childs vision of a castle. Others have said it resembles a steamship as it sits in parallel with the Haw Creek. As with a number of other Columbus buildings, a nickname emerged and is still widely used by many: the “Dead Horse”! Locals will often give out traffic directions in terms of turning left or right when you reach the “Dead Horse”, which is a prominent landmark on this busy corner. The building is constructed of reinforced concrete slabs, combined with brick bearing walls.

The building was designed to have a strong night presence with floodlighting on the building and a red-lighted sign on the bank of the creek which reflected off the creek and was visible from the bridge driving by. It appears that First Financial does not plan to continue this unique creekside signage.

The interior main banking floor was raised above the “sea of cars” in the parking lot upon a podium for better outlooks, visibility to the exterior and a sense of separation from the parking lot. This arrangement stepping up the the main bank level from the parking lot level caused problems later when retrofitting the building for improved handicap access. Interior walls used the same brick as the exterior with slate flooring

The bank opened for business on Sept 11, 1961 approximately a year after the first phase of the Eastbrook Shopping Center opened. It has continued to operate as a bank.

Thomas Beeby and Gary Ainge designed a seamless addition in 1996, upgrading the drive-up service to a more modern system needing less tellers. They used a similar brick and additional smaller towers to support an canopy over the new drive-up lanes and over the main entrance. Improvements were made in accessibility to meet modern ADA standards.

Historic flooding in 2008 submerged this bank as well as the entire shopping center across the parking lot. Irwin-Union immediately cleaned up and restored the building to service. With the demise of Irwin-Union Bank in 2009 the assets were acquired by First Financial Bank who continue to operate this branch.

1961 view of the bank showing one of the adjacent original bridges – notice that the original building only contained 4 towers, the smaller ones were added in the 1996 addition
(photo by Frank Scherschel from the Life photo archive – used pending permission)

View from the parking lot
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Main entrance
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Main entrance
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Main entrance, accessibility ramp on the right was added in the 1996 addition
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Main entrance
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

End of the building facing National Road/US 31
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side of building as seen from across the Haw Creek
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side of building as seen from across the Haw Creek
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side view from the parking lot
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side view from the parking lot, new drive-up lanes under canopy added in the 1996 addition
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Drive-up lanes under the canopy added in the 1996 addition
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Drive-up lanes on left added in the 1996 addition
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Original towers no longer used as drive-up windows
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

One of the original towers now used for the ATM, unheard of technology in 1961
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

One of the shorter towers added in the 1996 addition
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Windows on the creek side
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Windows on the creek side
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Perforated brick patterns seen in other Harry Weese projects and especially in Eliel Saarinen buildings such as First Christian Church
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Closeup of the original towers
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Shopping center has been upgraded with new facades but this is the great original sign
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

2008 flooding around bank
(photo by Rick Drake used pending permission)

Flooding in 2008 of the adjacent Eastwood Plaza Shopping Center
(photo by Rick Drake used pending permission)

Aerial view of site plan
(Google Maps image used pending permission)

Floor plan
(image used pending permission)

The Architects

Harry Weese

• Born June 30, 1915 in Evanston, Illinois
• Died October 29, 1998
• Yale University (1936-1937)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (1934-1938)
• Cranbrook Academy (1939-1940)

Harry Weese was born in the Chicago suburbs and went on to become one of the most influential of the Chicago architects. His work predominated in Chicago, in little Columbus, Indiana and around the world. His many projects ranging from high-rises and giant urban complexes to intimate residential designs remain as a testament to his genius.

Harry was a student of renowned Finnish architect Alvar Aalto at MIT. He also studied city planning at the Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan where he met and became close friends of Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen. His life was greatly influenced by his brief time at Cranbrook and his later interior design work can be seen as a result. His association with Eero Saarinen led to many projects as Saarinen referred projects to Weese that he simply didn’t have time to take on. He also became a close friend of J. Irwin Miller which led to over a dozen small projects in Columbus, Indiana.

He was primarily considered a modernist but his work was always shaped by the needs and vision of his clients. As a result his designs were almost always unique without an identifying personal style. Weese’s approach to design was problem solving – each work intended to meet a specific need and to fulfill a particular function.

Early on he worked for Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) but felt stifled in the world of corporate architecture and started his own much smaller firm in 1947. He also became a fierce advocate of historic preservation and city planning. He had a lifelong interest in sailing and boat-building which was often reflected in his designs especially in some of his residential projects. Harry Weese & Associates won the coveted Firm of the Year Award in 1978. In 45 years they completed over 300 commissions with perhaps an equal number of unbuilt designs.

His luster was tarnished in later years as his drinking and personal problems put a sad footnote on what should have been a celebrated life. After numerous stints in rehab clinics and several strokes his wife Kitty and family had him committed to the Illinois Veterans Home where he died quietly in 1998. Recently his work has come back into focus as a number of articles and a new book has been released on his life and works. Much like the recent surge of interest in Eero Saarinen, the work of Harry Weese is finally getting the critical respect and admiration that it always deserved.

Selected Harry Weese Projects

1957: Lillian C. Schmitt Elementary School – Columbus, Indiana

1958: United States Embassy Building – Accra, Ghana

1961: Northside Middle School – Columbus, Indiana

1963: Sterling Morton Library at the Morton Arboretum

1965: First Baptist Church – Columbus, Indiana

1966: Orchestra Hall Restoration – Chicago, Illinois

1966: IBM Building – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

1966: Tangeman House – Muskoka Lakes, Ontario, Canada

1967: Auditorium Theatre Restoration – Chicago, Illinois

1968: Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist – Chicago, Illinois

1969: Marcus Center for the Performing Arts – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

1969: Shadowcliff House – Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

1970: Time-Life Building: Chicago, Illinois

1970: Formica Building – Cincinnati, Ohio

1972: Arena Stage – Washington, D.C.

1973: Crown Center Hotel – Kansas City, Missouri

1975: Mercantile Bank – Kansas City, Missouri

1975: Oak Park Village Hall – Oak Park, Illinois

1975: Metropolitan Correctional Center – Chicago, Illinois

1976: Willow Street Townhouses – Chicago, Illinois

1976: Metro System – Washington D.C.

1981: Fulton House Condominium Conversion – Chicago, Illinois

1982: United States Embassy Housing – Tokyo, Japan

1984: Miami-Dade County Transit System – Dade County, Florida

1988: River Cottages – Chicago, Illinois

1988: Union Station Restoration – Washington, DC

Thomas Beeby

• Born October 12, 1941 in Oak Park, Illinois
• Cornell University, 1964
• Yale University, 1965

Thomas H. Beeby has been the  Director of Design and lead designer for HBRA, a Chicago based architectural firm (formerly Hammond, Beeby and Babka, Inc) since it’s founding. He was recently named as chairmen emeritus at HBRA.

After studying architecture at Cornell and Yale, Beeby took his first job with C. F. Murphy & Associates from 1965-1971. He was a founding member of Hammond Beeby & Associates in 1971. Beeby was a member of the “Chicago 7”, a collection of Chicago architects who participated in a number of Chicago exhibitions and symposiums in the 70′s and 80′s meant to encourage creative thought and dialogue amongst architects.

Mr. Beeby was an Associate Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) from 1978 to 1980. He was the director of the Architecture school at the University of Illinois from 1980-1985. He was dean of the Yale University School of Architecture from 1985-1992 and remains as an Adjunct Professor of Architecture there. He continues to lecture on architecture at many schools of architecture around the country.

He has also served on many boards and commissions related to architecture in the Chicago area and around the country. He has won many awards for his design work. His projects have included museums and libraries, university projects, theatres and performing arts centers, office and retail buildings, religious buildings and residential work. In Columbus he was also involved with the 1996 renovation of the Eastbrook branch of the Irwin-Union Bank and the 2001 renovation/addition of St Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Gary Ainge

Originally at the architecture firm of Tigerman Fugman McCurry, Ainge joined HBRA in 1984. He has assisted on many HBRA projects as well as being principal design architect on others. He has been a partner in the firm since 1988. He has lectured and participated in symposiums and juries at a number of institutions.

In Columbus he was a partner with Thomas Beeby in the design of the Breeden Real Estate building as well as the 1996 renovation of the Eastbrook branch of Irwin-Union Bank.

HBRA (formerly Hammond Beeby and Babka)

The firm was founded in 1961 by James Wright Hammond, who conceived the practice as an opportunity to collaborate closely with his clients through all phases of the design and construction process. Thomas Beeby joined the firm in 1971, later joined by partners Dennis Rupert and Gary Ainge. Originally known as Hammond Beeby Babka and later Hammond Beeby Rupert Ainge , they are now simply HBRA. The company is currently led by Aric Lasher who joined the firm in 1985. HBRA has maintained their offices in Chicago since their founding.

Links/References

Irwin-Union Bank: Eastbrook Plaza Branch: 3D model executed in Goggle Sketchup

Columbus Area Visitors Center

City of Columbus: official City of Columbus website

Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives

Columbus Indiana Architecture Digital Archives: A small portion of the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives available online from the IUPUI digital library

3D Models of Columbus Architecture Executed in Google SketchUp:

The Republic Newspaper – Columbus, Indiana newspaper

Bartholomew County Public Library

Historic Columbus Website – David Sechrest’s tribute to Columbus History

Historic Columbus Message Board – a companion interactive forum to the David Sechrest historical website

Bartholomew County Historical Society

Columbus Area Arts Council

Click HERE for a Calendar of Upcoming Events in the Columbus Area.

Click HERE for information about Tours of Columbus Architecture and Design including the Miller House.

Architecture Tours of Columbus are guided by trained and enthusiastic community volunteers. Information on tours and registration is available at the Columbus Indiana Visitors Center website. Click HERE for further information:

The tours consist of a 2 hour bus tour with several building visits at the beginning and during the tour. Please be there a half hour prior to sign up, use the restrooms and watch the short introductory video. We will leave the building promptly on the hour. We also give special tours for groups and organizations which need to be arranged in advance. Maps are available for self-guided tours and a cell phone tour is also available. Click HERE for reservations:

Architecture Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm

Architecture Tour Times: March – November
Monday to Friday: 10:00 am
Saturday: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
Sunday: 3:00 pm

We are now conducting daily tours of the Miller House, the 1957 former residence of the J. Irwin and Xenia Miller family. This mid-century modern masterpiece was designed by Eero Saarinen with interiors by Alexander Girard and landscaping by Dan Kiley and is a National Historic Landmark. It is recommended that you reserve early as there has been a high demand. Click HERE for reservations:

Miller House Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm

Miller House Tour Times: March – November
Sunday: 1:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday: 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
No Miller tours on Mondays

Ricky Berkey

Email me: rickyberkey@gmail.com

                                       Follow me on Twitter:

                                       Find me on Facebook:

Art, Architecture and Design in Columbus, Indiana

This section spotlights a particular building or some other aspect of Columbus design. I welcome your comments, corrections and additions. Please share your experience and perceptions of these uniquely Columbus projects.

Irwin-Union Bank (former State and Mapleton Branch)

• Built: 1974
• Address: 2033 State Street (corner of State & Mapleton)
• Design Architect: Paul Kennon (Caudill Rowlett Scott – Houston, Texas)
• Project Architect: Jay Bauer (Caudill Rowlett Scott – Houston, Texas)
• Landscape Architect: Dan Kiley (Charlotte, Vermont)

This is another Columbus building with an uncertain future. Although it’s not a major landmark of architecture, it is important in the overall context of Columbus development and a nice example of a number of works designed here by Paul Kennon. As a bank, it was downgraded to a drive-in center after Irwin-Union built the Creekview branch in the Kohls/Walmart plaza. With the demise of Irwin-Union Bank, the building was acquired by First Financial Bank who currently has it up for sale. Unfortunately although First Financial has been an excellent community partner they have not shown a great deal of interest in architecture. It is hoped that one of the newer banks that have flourished with the demise of Irwin-Union Bank will take interest and open an east side branch along State Street. State Street is the traditional heart of the east Columbus business district and is sorely in need of economic revitalization. Seeing this reopen as a bank would be a win-win in terms of the local economy as well as preserving a small piece of our architectural heritage. While it could possibly be adapted for other uses, it would likely be demolished by any potential buyer of the property other than a bank.

This bank was a replacement for an earlier Irwin-Union branch right across the street built in 1961. The 4,000 square foot building provided more room for increased customer traffic, expanding banking services as well as providing a better traffic flow for the drive-up facilities. The site of this new branch was formerly home to the East Side Equipment Company, the East Columbus Independent Fire Department and the Garrison open-air fruit market.

Paul Kennon designed a narrow two-story brick and masonry building featuring an enclosed lobby with glass on three sides. Kennon’s intent was to provide a dramatic, modern and functional building that would be an asset to what has sometimes been considered an impoverished and underdeveloped part of Columbus. His tall open glass lobby was meant to reflect the openness in banking that had been a tradition of Irwin-Union Bank ever since their groundbreaking 1954 Saarinen building. His tall elongated brick and glass design resembles the Kevin Roche addition to the downtown bank. It establishes a strong visual reference along State Street, contributing to the urban landscape of the area.

Brick was chosen for the building to complement the former State Street School (now a county government annex ) and the former Irwin-Union Bank and shopping center across the street. The building is built around two very tall parallel brick walls approximately 12 feet apart. A glass superstructure with a greenhouse effect emerges from the north wall for the lobby area with a 5-lane pneumatic drive-up banking system coming out of the south wall. Central offices and banking services are sandwiched between the walls.

Bright colors, brick, glass and natural wood make up the sleek interior design with furniture by Herman Miller. The 6 glass and steel teller units inside were designed by Kennon especially for the building. They were meant to minimize the visual separation between customer and and teller yet still provide the required security. The stainless steel and glass cabinetry and the high dividers between each teller stations provided physical and acoustic privacy for bank customers. In the central portion of the building between the the lobby and the drive-in service areas are spaces for safe deposit boxes, the vault, office areas and a terrace. The upper level of the building was used for storage, an employee lounge and mechanical equipment.

The drive-up lanes were provided underneath a steel Unistrut space frame with bronze plexiglass skylights over the customer service areas. The bubble dome skylights reflecting back (as did skylight domes on the the Weese Bank across the street) to the domes over the Saarinen building downtown. Parking was provided for 35 cars. The site was nicely landscaped by Dan Kiley with a tree-lined parking area and a mini-park. A dramatic lighting system made the bank a part of the Columbus “nightscape” whereby many buildings can be seen from a different perspective in the evening. The building served its first customers in early 1975.

Front view from across State Street
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Front view from the left
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Front view from the right
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear view from the right
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side view from the right side
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side view from left
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Upper view of the parallel walls
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear view showing space frame over the drive-up
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Lobby – left side
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Lobby – right side
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Drive-up area
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Closeup of the spaceframe
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Closeup of the space frame
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Landscaping in the rear
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Cross section
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Floorplan
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Aerial view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

The Architects

Paul Kennon

• Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on January 27, 1934
• Died January 8, 1990
• Texas A&M (1956)
• Cranbrook Academy – Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (1957)

Paul Atherton Kennon designed projects around the world including 4 here in Columbus, Indiana. He will long be remembered here for his efforts to gather input from as many people as possible before formulating his designs. In Columbus, Paul Kennon is especially remembered for his “Squatter’s Sessions” – a participative process where he gathered input and ideas from the community. He said: “if people just talk about their dreams, anything can happen”. His son Kevin followed in his fathers footsteps and has proudly designed a building in Columbus as well.

Kennon had a desire to become an architect from an early age and graduated from Texas A&M in 1956. While at Texas A&M he worked a summer job with Caudill, Rowlett and Scott developing a close relationship with William W. Caudill. After completing his graduate work at the Cranbrook Academy he was hired as a designer by Eero Saarinen from 1957-1964. With Saarinen he helped develop the plans for the Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. Kennon worked with the Saarinen team to complete work on the North Christian Church project in Columbus after Eero Saarinen died.

His mentor, William W. Caudill (who was Director of the Rice University School of Architecture) persuaded Kennon to come back to Texas in 1964 to become an Associate Director at Rice. In 1967 he resumed practicing architecture in 1967 with Caudill, Rowlett, Scott (CRS) where he became design principal in 1970 and president in 1976. His approach to teaching which he attributed to Caudill and Saarinen was to teach by example rather than theory. His design process involved a team process seeking the best solution utilizing the ideas of many participants to patiently seek the best solution to each project.

He continued his academic career by lecturing and teaching at many universities, including Rice University, Texas A&M, the University of Texas, Texas Tech, the University of Houston, Yale, Harvard, Pratt, Amherst, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies. In 1989 Kennon was selected to be the new Dean of the School of Architecture at Rice University.

He died of a heart attack in 1990 at the age of 55. Besides his new position at Rice University, he was still an active architect for CRSS. At the time of his death Kennon was actively working on a number of Columbus, Indiana projects: the revitalization of Mill Race Park, a never built golf course west of downtown, the Front Door project and the downtown Streetscape plan.

Paul Kennon recieved more than 100 awards for his designs, including honors from the American Institute of Architects and others. 12 of his awards were for projects in Columbus, Indiana.

Selected Paul Kennon Projects

1973: Fodrea Community School – Columbus, Indiana)

1974: Irwin Union Bank (State Street Branch) – Columbus, Indiana

1978: Indiana Bell/SBC/AT&T/ Switching Center – Columbus, Indiana

1983: University of Iowa Arena

1985: 3M/Austin Center (3M Regional HQ) – Austin, Texas

1990: Streetscape Downtown Beautification Plan – Columbus, Indiana

1991: Chrysler Technology Center – Auburn Hills, Michigan

Jay Bauer

• Washington University – St. Louis, Missouri (1972)

Jay Bauer was an architect with the firm Caudill Rowlett Scott from 1972-1992. While with CRS he worked with Paul Kennon on several Columbus, Indiana projects including the ATT Switching station and the Irwin-Union Bank: State Street Branch. He now heads his own firm, Bauer Architects (formerly Bauer and Wiley Architects).

Caudill Rowlett Scott (CRS)

Caudill Rowlett Scott (popularly known as CRS) was an architecture firm in Houston, Texas that was started in 1946 by William Caudill and John Rowlett who were professors at the Texas A&M School of Architecture. Wallie Scott, who was a student of Caudill joined the firm in 1948 and Tom Bullock was added as a partner in 1948.

They were initially involved in the building of many schools around the world addressing the shortage of classrooms brought on by the post-WW2 babyboom. As educators as well as architects. Caudill and Scott brought about many innovations in school design.

Over the following decades CRS diversified it’s portfolio grew into one of the largest architectural firms in the country with projects around the world. This greatly diversified the company with CRSS able to provide architectural, engineering, construction management, environmental and financial services to governmental and private sector clients around the world. They also became one of the largest private producers of power in the United States. CRS Capital was a part of the firm focusing on other businesses related to architecture and industrial engineering. In 1983 CRS joined forced with J.E. Sirrine, an industrial engineering firm and became CRS-Sirrine. By 1985, CRS Sirrine (CRSS) had grown to become one of the biggest U.S. architectural design firms, the biggest U.S. construction management company, and the biggest interior architecture designer.

CRS was awarded The AIA (American Institute of Architects) Firm Award in 1972. In 2005, CRSS was named named “Firm of the Century” by Texas A&M University College of Architecture (which is housed in the CRS Center).

In 1994, the company was split with the engineering component acquired by Jacobs Engineering while the architecture group merged into Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum (HOK).

Historic Columbus

These buildings were previously on the site of State and Mapleton Branch of Irwin-Union Bank along State Street. The two buildings on the left were the East Side Process Company next to the East Side Independent Fire station on the right.
(photo used pending permission)

Links/References

CRS – “CRS: a Firm and it’s Legacy”

Columbus Area Visitors Center

City of Columbus: official City of Columbus website

Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives

Columbus Indiana Architecture Digital Archives: A small portion of the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives available online from the IUPUI digital library

3D Models of Columbus Architecture Executed in Google SketchUp:

The Republic Newspaper – Columbus, Indiana newspaper

Bartholomew County Public Library

Historic Columbus Website – David Sechrest’s tribute to Columbus History

Historic Columbus Message Board – a companion interactive forum to the David Sechrest historical website

Bartholomew County Historical Society

Columbus Area Arts Council

Click HERE for a Calendar of Upcoming Events in the Columbus Area.

Click HERE for information about Tours of Columbus Architecture and Design including the Miller House.

Architecture Tours of Columbus are guided by trained and enthusiastic community volunteers. Information on tours and registration is available at the Columbus Indiana Visitors Center website. Click HERE for further information:

The tours consist of a 2 hour bus tour with several building visits at the beginning and during the tour. Please be there a half hour prior to sign up, use the restrooms and watch the short introductory video. We will leave the building promptly on the hour. We also give special tours for groups and organizations which need to be arranged in advance. Maps are available for self-guided tours and a cell phone tour is also available. Click HERE for reservations:

Architecture Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm

Architecture Tour Times: March – November
Monday to Friday: 10:00 am
Saturday: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
Sunday: 3:00 pm

We are now conducting daily tours of the Miller House, the 1957 former residence of the J. Irwin and Xenia Miller family. This mid-century modern masterpiece was designed by Eero Saarinen with interiors by Alexander Girard and landscaping by Dan Kiley and is a National Historic Landmark. It is recommended that you reserve early as there has been a high demand. Click HERE for reservations:

Miller House Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm

Miller House Tour Times: March – November
Sunday: 1:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday: 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
No Miller tours on Mondays

Ricky Berkey

Email me: rickyberkey@gmail.com

                                       Follow me on Twitter:

                                       Find me on Facebook:

Art, Architecture and Design of Columbus, Indiana

This article spotlights a particular building or some other aspect of Columbus design. I welcome your comments, corrections and additions. Please share your experience and perceptions of these uniquely Columbus projects.

Irwin-Union Bank (original State Street Branch and Shopping Center)

• Built: 1961
• 151 S. Mapleton (se corner of State and Mapleton)
• Design Architect: Harry Weese (Harry Weese & Associates – Chicago)
• General Contractor: Repp and Mundt (Columbus, Indiana)
• Landscaping design: Harry Weese & Associates – Chicago

This is one of a number of Columbus buildings designed by notable architects that has been almost forgotten. Harry Weese, architect of the National Historic Landmark First Baptist church was so prolific in his early days in Columbus that many of his buildings have been modified, re-purposed or just plain unappreciated. Most people are unaware that this former bank branch and accompanying shopping center was one of his many commercial projects in Columbus. It is a simple yet still elegant example of his modernist design work.

In the late 50′s and early 60′s in Columbus and elsewhere, shopping patterns were changing. New shopping centers were opening up in neighborhoods set away from the traditional downtown areas. Shoppers were drawn to the sleek, modern designs of the new centers as well as the acres of adjacent free parking. Merchants from downtown areas began to move or open second stores in the new shopping plaza’s eager to embrace the trend. Banks as well were opening branch banking centers in the new centers, usually small free-standing buildings in a conspicuous part of the parking lot. Irwin-Union Bank already well-known for their innovative downtown building designed by Eero Saarinen, began using prominent architects to design small yet unique free-standing bank branches in the new centers.

In 1961, Irwin-Union Bank opened two new bank branches, one in the Eastbrook Plaza Shopping Center and the one described here, both designed by Chicago architect Harry Weese. This location on the corner of State Street and Mapleton was in the part of town formerly known as East Columbus, annexed by the city of Columbus in 1950. Accompanying this bank branch was a small shopping center also designed by Weese. Landscaping on the small property was designed by Weese and his firm, Harry Weese & Associates. The space where the bank and shopping center now stands had been the site of the former Columbus Process Company whose plant had been destroyed in a fire.

The brick banking building contains 1,800 square feet of floor space and originally had 2 drive-up windows along the east side of the building and a night depository. Bricks were maroon black mortar and the interior floors were brown quarry tile with black mortar joints. The original interior ceiling was an exposed plank roof. Perhaps echoing the Saarinen building downtown, the roof contains a number of white bubble domes used as skylights. The curved-line exterior and interior brick walls can be seen in a more refined and more dramatic effect in the gently curving walls of First Baptist Church which Weese designed several years later. Interior furniture in the bank included Steelcase desks with white formica tops. The bank opened for business on Dec 6th, 1961.

The shopping center which opened a few months later in 1962 had space set aside for a grocery, a drug store and perhaps 3 smaller shops. Developers hoped that it would help to revitalize the commercial district on the east side of Columbus. Like the bank building, it features gently curving brick walls and an 8 foot overhang over the sidewalk giving it an arcade effect. Trees were planted along State Street with plantings in and around the parking areas. When the center opened it contained a Jay C Supermarket and a Hook’s Drug Store. Hook’s was a longtime Indiana drugstore chain which was later taken over by Revco and then CVS which still maintains a store in the center. Space was set aside on the lot between the bank and the shopping center for 100 cars with another small parcel behind the buildings for employee parking.

Over time the bank branch proved to be too small and a new bank (designed by Paul Kennon) opened across the street in 1974. The original building became a flower shop in the mid-70′s called “Flowers from the Woods.” Woods referred to the Wood’s family who were the original owners. The business is now owned by Naomi Fleetwood-Pyle. The interior still retains the basic character of its life as a bank. The vault has been re-purposed as a walk-in cooler for plants.

The shopping center is still occupied and filling a role described by original contractor Harry Mundt as a “neighborhood convenience center” with drug store and dollar store in the stripmall building. It gets a lot of pedestrian traffic from the nearby neighborhood as well as automotive customers. I find it especially attractive because it retains the clean lines of its original modernist look, unlike most strip centers of the era that have been given false post-modern facades.

Unfortunately the relocated branch bank across the street is standing empty and is currently for sale. It is hoped that one of the newer banks that have flourished with the demise of Irwin-Union Bank will take interest and open an east side branch along State Street. First Financial currently owns the Paul Kennon designed building but considers the Creekview branch in the Kohls/Walmart shopping area to be its east side location. Irwin-Union was only using this as a drive-through location when they were still in business after they built the Creekview Branch. State Street is the traditional heart of the east Columbus business district and is sorely in need of economic revitalization.

Original front entrance, building modified due to street widening
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Current main entrance, “Flowers from the Woods” flower shop
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Architecture tour signs actually referring to the Paul Kennon building across the street
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side view
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Note the skylight domes on top of building
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Front of building
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Original Harry Weese bank building to the left, replacement building by Paul Kennon on the right
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Interior of flower shop
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Flower shop interior showing original dome skylights and lighting fixtures
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Interior
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Interior
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Shopping center
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Shopping center
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Shopping center
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Shopping center
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Opening day of this branch in December 1961
(photo from the Republic newspaper…used pending permission)

Aerial view of site
(image from Google Maps…used pending permission)

The Architect

Harry Weese

• Born June 30, 1915 in Evanston, Illinois
• Died October 29, 1998
• Yale University (1936-1937)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (1934-1938)
• Cranbrook Academy (1939-1940)

Harry Weese was born in the Chicago suburbs and went on to become one of the most influential of the Chicago architects. His work predominated in Chicago, in little Columbus, Indiana and around the world. His many projects ranging from high-rises and giant urban complexes to intimate residential designs remain as a testament to his genius.

Harry was a student of renowned Finnish architect Alvar Aalto at MIT. He also studied city planning at the Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan where he met and became close friends of Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen. His life was greatly influenced by his brief time at Cranbrook and his later interior design work can be seen as a result. His association with Eero Saarinen led to many projects as Saarinen referred projects to Weese that he simply didn’t have time to take on. He also became a close friend of J. Irwin Miller which led to over a dozen small projects in Columbus, Indiana.

He was primarily considered a modernist but his work was always shaped by the needs and vision of his clients. As a result his designs were almost always unique without an identifying personal style. Weese’s approach to design was problem solving – each work intended to meet a specific need and to fulfill a particular function.

Early on he worked for Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) but felt stifled in the world of corporate architecture and started his own much smaller firm in 1947. He also became a fierce advocate of historic preservation and city planning. He had a lifelong interest in sailing and boat-building which was often reflected in his designs especially in some of his residential projects. Harry Weese & Associates won the coveted Firm of the Year Award in 1978. In 45 years they completed over 300 commissions with perhaps an equal number of unbuilt designs.

His luster was tarnished in later years as his drinking and personal problems put a sad footnote on what should have been a celebrated life. After numerous stints in rehab clinics and several strokes his wife Kitty and family had him committed to the Illinois Veterans Home where he died quietly in 1998. Recently his work has come back into focus as a number of articles and a new book has been released on his life and works. Much like the recent surge of interest in Eero Saarinen, the work of Harry Weese is finally getting the critical respect and admiration that it always deserved.

Selected Harry Weese Projects

1957: Lillian C. Schmitt Elementary School – Columbus, Indiana

1958: United States Embassy Building – Accra, Ghana

1961: Northside Middle School – Columbus, Indiana

1963: Sterling Morton Library at the Morton Arboretum

1965: First Baptist Church – Columbus, Indiana

1966: Orchestra Hall Restoration – Chicago, Illinois

1966: IBM Building – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

1966: Tangeman House – Muskoka Lakes, Ontario, Canada

1967: Auditorium Theatre Restoration – Chicago, Illinois

1968: Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist – Chicago, Illinois

1969: Marcus Center for the Performing Arts – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

1969: Shadowcliff House – Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

1970: Time-Life Building: Chicago, Illinois

1970: Formica Building – Cincinnati, Ohio

1972: Arena Stage – Washington, D.C.

1973: Crown Center Hotel – Kansas City, Missouri

1975: Mercantile Bank – Kansas City, Missouri

1975: Oak Park Village Hall – Oak Park, Illinois

1975: Metropolitan Correctional Center – Chicago, Illinois

1976: Willow Street Townhouses – Chicago, Illinois

1976: Metro System – Washington D.C.

1981: Fulton House Condominium Conversion – Chicago, Illinois

1982: United States Embassy Housing – Tokyo, Japan

1984: Miami-Dade County Transit System – Dade County, Florida

1988: River Cottages – Chicago, Illinois

1988: Union Station Restoration – Washington, DC

Links/References

“Reconstructing Harry Weese”: fascinating recent article about his life and career

“Harry Weese: A Man of Many Words and Works (1915-1998)” – a career retrospective from Inland Architect magazine.

The Architecture of Harry Weese: Robert Bruegmann and Kathleen Murphy Skolnik (recently published career retrospective)

Harry Weese Interview: part of the Chicago Architects Oral History Project

Harry Weese Houses: Kitty Baldwin Weese (This book was written by Harry’s wife as a tribute for his 70th birthday – it illustrates 38 of his 82 residential designs).

Columbus Area Visitors Center

City of Columbus: official City of Columbus website

Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives

Columbus Indiana Architecture Digital Archives: A small portion of the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives available online from the IUPUI digital library

3D Models of Columbus Architecture Executed in Google SketchUp:

The Republic Newspaper – Columbus, Indiana newspaper

Bartholomew County Public Library

Historic Columbus Website – David Sechrest’s tribute to Columbus History

Historic Columbus Message Board – a companion interactive forum to the David Sechrest historical website

Bartholomew County Historical Society

Columbus Area Arts Council

Click HERE for a Calendar of Upcoming Events in the Columbus Area.

Click HERE for information about Tours of Columbus Architecture and Design including the Miller House.

Architecture Tours of Columbus are guided by trained and enthusiastic community volunteers. Information on tours and registration is available at the Columbus Indiana Visitors Center website. Click HERE for further information:

The tours consist of a 2 hour bus tour with several building visits at the beginning and during the tour. Please be there a half hour prior to sign up, use the restrooms and watch the short introductory video. We will leave the building promptly on the hour. We also give special tours for groups and organizations which need to be arranged in advance. Maps are available for self-guided tours and a cell phone tour is also available. Click HERE for reservations:

Architecture Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm

Architecture Tour Times: March – November
Monday to Friday: 10:00 am
Saturday: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
Sunday: 3:00 pm

We are now conducting daily tours of the Miller House, the 1957 former residence of the J. Irwin and Xenia Miller family. This mid-century modern masterpiece was designed by Eero Saarinen with interiors by Alexander Girard and landscaping by Dan Kiley and is a National Historic Landmark. It is recommended that you reserve early as there has been a high demand. Click HERE for reservations:

Miller House Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm

Miller House Tour Times: March – November
Sunday: 1:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday: 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
No Miller tours on Mondays

Ricky Berkey

Email me: rickyberkey@gmail.com

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Art, Architecture and Design

This section spotlights a particular building or some other aspect of Columbus design. I welcome your comments, corrections and addendum’s. Please share your experience and perceptions of these uniquely Columbus projects.

Miller House and Garden

• Built: 1957
• Address: Access restricted to official tours only
• Design Architect: Eero Saarinen (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan)
• Interior Designer: Alexander Girard (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
• Landscape Architect: Dan Kiley (Charlotte, Vermont)
• General Contractor: Taylor Brothers Construction (Columbus, Indiana)
• National Historic Landmark (2000)

Miller House and Garden is a classic mid-Century modern (MCM) residence designed by Eero Saarinen for the late industrialist, banker, philanthropist and patron of architecture J. Irwin Miller. Completed in 1957, it was the home of Miller, his wife Xenia and their 5 children. Following Mrs. Millers death in 2008, the residence was donated to the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) who began offering tours of the National Historic Landmark in 2011 in conjunction with the Columbus Indiana Visitors Center. The house can be directly compared to 3 other mid-century modern residential masterpieces which have also been preserved and are open to the public. They are: the Philip Johnson Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut (1949), Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois (1951) and the Charles Eames House near Los Angeles (1949) – all open to the public at scheduled times. The house bears resemblances to Mies van der Rohe’s 1929 Barcelona pavilion because of the walls in the public areas made of thick slabs of marble with exposed edges and the huge expanses of glass reducing the separation between inside and outside. The cruciform columns eliminate load bearing walls maximizing the flexibility of room arrangements.

Miller had first met and became close friends with Eero Saarinen during the design and construction of the First Christian Church. Saarinen later designed the downtown Columbus banking center for Irwin-Union Bank. There are striking similarities between the glass-walled banking pavilion downtown and what a few years later emerged as the Miller House. Unlike some other notable mid-century modern masterpieces that were never intended or proved impractical for full-time use, the Millers needed a practical home to raise their 5 children. The Millers, especially Xenia, were deeply involved in the design process with Eero Saarinen, landscape architect Dan Kiley and designer Alexander Girard. Saarinen’s spare interior of white marble walls with travertine and terrazzo floors was touched with color, texture and whimsy by Girard’s warm, colorful textiles and international folk art. Landscape architect Dan Kiley created a series of geometric outdoor rooms including an allee of honey locust trees that echo the grid of the house. His garden changes around every side of the house giving unique views from every window. The result was a unique collaboration between clients who knew what they wanted and talented designers who could deliver. The Miller House and Garden (MHG) integrates the structure, the interior design and the landscape into a total work of art.

The Millers purchased the 13.5 acre property in 1953 that had previously been a cornfield. Design and construction lasted 4 years with the family taking residence in 1957. Many people from the Saarinen office were involved in the design but notably Kevin Roche who was the principal design associate. Miller needed a home worthy of entertaining world leaders and corporate heads yet still be a comfortable place for his family. He also wanted the house to not be ostentatious despite the fact that he was probably the richest resident of Columbus. He requested that the house be no larger than the functional needs required by his family but that it be of the highest quality. This was one of the very few private homes designed by Saarinen and epitomizes the classic modernist ideals: an open and flowing floorplan, flat roof and glass and slate walls. The rectangular Miller House is shielded from the surrounding neighborhood by a staggered series of arbor vitae hedges. The house is on the the high point of the property that flows via a meadow to the Flatrock River below. At 6,838 square feet, the more private functions of the house are organized around a large central space. Some have compared it to the geometric arrangement of Andrea Palladio’s 16th century Villa Rotunda. These four outer quadrants of the house are the kitchen/laundry, an area for the guests and servants, a corner for the 5 children and a suite for the parents. One part of the space on the wall between the main entryway and the guest suite is defined as well as an open carport for the vehicles.

Structurally, the entire weight of the roof is supported by 16 free-standing cruciform steel columns which defines the 9-square grid of the floorplan. An intricate continuous skylight system forms a grid pattern throughout the house around the columns. The columns and skylights also extend around the entire perimeter of the house. The roof overhangs the walls covering a terrazzo terrace which completely surrounds the house. Inside the skylight grid system are artificial lighting fixtures to illuminate both the interior and exterior of the house at night. Since none of the walls are load bearing, the rooms and areas do not have to fit strictly within the grids. The skylights are used effectively running over dressing areas for example rather than sleeping areas.

As you enter the rather modest front entrance to the home and pass through a short entry way you are suddenly in the vast central living space. Although the word “great room” was defined years later for the combination living/family/dining room in present day ‘McMansions”, this one truly should have defined the term!

Just adjacent to the dining room is a sitting/mingling area close to the circular fireplace designed by Balthazar Korab. Reportedly this fireplace was his only assignment during the 2 years he spent with the Saarinen office, offering up version upon version until Saarinen was finally satisfied. Korab decided to change career paths at this point from architect to architectural photographer which has gained him much renown. A fabric panel to the left of the fireplace screens the center of the room from the main entrance area. This part of the room was typically where guests would meet and talk prior to dinner. Behind this area is the 50-foot long rosewood and glass storage wall designed by Girard to be used for books, display of art objects and with concealed storage for the television, stereo, bar and other items. The storage wall is along the one largely windowless side of the house separating the social area from the carport and the guest/servant suite. Girard used patterned backgrounds and art objects inter-spaced with the family book collection giving the wall the appearance of a 3-dimensional mural.

Another small part of the room is grouped around the Grand piano. The Miller children all took music lessons and as they grew older would accompany Mr. Miller as he played his violin. Many guests would play the piano as well. An accomplished amateur violinist, Mr. Miller owned both a Stradivarius and a Guarnarius. After he died, both were sold to working musicians as Mr. Miller wanted to ensure that they would continue to be played.

In a small section open to the main social area but in a niche between the guestroom suite and the children’s suite is a small living room. Concealed in the storage wall was their TV and entertainment system. This area opens directly to the outside leading to the swimming pool. The swimming pool was part of the original plan but wasn’t installed until 1963 when the youngest child learned to swim. A special rug in this area designed by Alexander Girard is filled with symbolic graphics relating to the family.

Tucked off in a niche on the other side between the master bedroom area and the kitchen is the surprisingly small dining room which can be closed off with a curtain for food preparation/cleanup or dramatically opened when dinner is served. One of the only interior Saarinen furnishings in the original configuration is the built-in dining table. With a terrazzo base and a round marble top it resembles the pedestal series tables and chairs that Saarinen began marketing through Knoll in 1958. It is lit from below and features a bubbling fountain in the center. Alexander Girard worked for the Herman Miller company so it was not surprising that most of the original furniture was from Herman Miller especially Charles Eames. The original dining room chairs were Eames chairs with Eiffel tower bases but they were replaced by the Saarinen “tulip” chairs within a few years. Seat cushions for the Saarinen pedestal chairs were designed by Girard with Xenia Miller and her bridge club doing the embroidery. It has been said that Saarinen sitting in the conversation pit reinforced his idea that modern chairs were a “slum of legs causing a confusing, unrestful world” as he gazed over at the Eames dining room chairs. He asserted that his pedestal chairs were the solution.

The home is probably most famous for the sunken living room (or “conversation pit”). The area holds a square sectional sofa with a multitude of accent pillows. Most of the pillow fabrics were designed or selected by Alexander Girard or Jack Larsen. The sofa cushions were made in both red and white and would be changed around several times a tear. The tops of the sofa back cushions are nearly flush with the surrounding floor area giving those seated inside a clear view of the whole room as well as through the west-facing windows. Although only extra-special guests are allowed to sit there now, the grown up Miller children talk about doing running back flips into the pit and it was obviously the perfect place for a slumber party as well! Although the Miller children grew up with respect for their surroundings by all accounts the house was a place where the kids were allowed to be kids.

The Miller Garden is considered to be Dan Kiley’s residential masterpiece and one of the most important iconic modernist gardens. The garden is divided into multiple outdoor rooms, reflecting the geometric order of the house and responding to adjacent interior spaces. Its highly structured site plan has a strong emphasis on orthogonal geometry, but without conventional symmetry. Kiley structured the space around the garden in a Mondrian-style asymmetrical pattern. The main entrance drive is flanked by an allée of horse chestnut trees. An orchard of apple trees, planted in 2 grids separated by a row of white oaks is just east of the drive. The landscape’s celebrated feature is an allée of 36 honey locusts defining an axis along the west side of the house. Magnolia trees and European Weeping Beech trees are planted very close to the house on both the east and west sides. He carefully sculpted the earth to make a perfect slope leading to the very flat meadow. From inside the house the gentle slope is invisible appearing to be a drop off. The meadow flows down to the river area which was left in a natural state. Early plans for some development along the riverfront area including a sculpture garden were nixed by the Millers who were well aware of the nature of the floodplain area. Reportedly Saarinen himself had an early plan to locate the house much closer to the river. Luckily the house has never experienced flooding even during the devastating floods of 2008. Water is however routinely seen in the spring as the river rises sometimes coming halfway up the meadow area.

Every item presently in the house was owned by the Miller’s with many other pieces held in storage so it gives visitors a good look into the way they lived their long lives there and raised 5 children in the house. Miller House and Garden is owned and maintained by the Indianapolis Museum of Art with daily tours conducted by volunteers from the Columbus Visitors Center.

We are now conducting daily tours of the Miller House, the 1957 former residence of the J. Irwin and Xenia Miller family. This mid-century modern masterpiece was designed by Eero Saarinen with interiors by Alexander Girard and landscaping by Dan Kiley and is a National Historic Landmark. It is recommended that you reserve early as there has been a high demand. Click HERE for reservations:

Miller House Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm

Miller House Tour Times: March – November
Sunday: 1:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday: 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
No Miller tours on Mondays

Miller House
(photo by khorsean – used pending permission)

Roof overhangs terrazzo terrace surrounding house
(photo from the IMA – used pending permission)

Miller House
(photo from the IMA – used pending permission)

Main entrance on the left, circular fireplace designed by Balthazar Korab, Alexander Girard bookwall behind
(photo used pending permission)

Conversation pit
(photo from the IMA -used pending permission)

Inside the conversation pit
(photo by Indianapolis Star – used pending permission)

Looking into the social area from outside
(photo by Ezra Stoller – used pending permission)

Inside looking out
(photo by Dwell magazine – used pending permission)

Dining room: table and “tulip” chairs by Saarinen, rug by Girard
(photo by Indianapolis Star – used pending permission)

Kitchen: rug and drapes designed by Alexander Girard, chairs by Charles Eames, cabinets from the St. Charles Cabinet Co.
(photo by Indianapolis Star – used pending permission)

Kitchen
(photo by Indianapolis Star – used pending permission)

Master bedroom
(photo by Indianapolis Star – used pending permission)

Sitting area in master bedroom
(photo by Indianapolis Star – used pending permission)

Mr. & Mrs. Miller in the office adjacent to their bedroom
(1961 photo by Frank Scherschel from the Life photo archive – used pending permission)

Storage wall: behind it is the carport area and the servant/guest area
(photo from the IMA – used pending permission)

Living room area: Entertainment center hidden in the storage wall, patio door on right leads directly to the swimming pool, rug is designed by Alexander Girard with many symbols relating to the Irwin-Sweeney-Miller family
(photo by Indianapolis Star – used pending permission)

Living room rug designed by Alexander Girard: each symbol bears some special relationship to the Miller family
(photo from IMA – used pending permission)

Detail of the Girard rug: symbol represents the layout of the Miller House
(photo used pending permission)

Alexander Girard gate to the swimming pool: at Mrs. Miller’s request the pool was not installed until the children had all learned to swim
(photo by Leslie Williamson – used pending permission)

Childrens common playroom/study room – later used as an office by Mrs. Miller
(photo by Indianapolis Star – used pending permission)

Childrens common playroom/study room – later used as an office by Mrs. Miller
(photo by Indianapolis Star – used pending permission)

This honey locust allee, a trademark of Dan Kiley, has been replanted numerous times over the years
(photo used pending permission)

Site plan for house and garden
(photo from the IMA – used pending permission)

Layout of the house
(photo from the IMA – used pending permission)

Aerial view of the Miller House and Garden
(photo from Googlemaps – used pending permission)

The Architects

Eero Saarinen

• Born in Kirkonummi, Finland on August 21st, 1910
• Died September 1st, 1961
• Cranbrook Academy
• Académie de la Grande Chaumière – Paris (1930)
• Yale University (1934)
• AIA Gold Medal Award

Eero Saarinen was a Finnish-American architect famous for taking modernism to different levels. He is most famous for his simple sweeping and arching sculptural shapes which were amazingly done before the era of computer-aided design and drafting had arrived. Unlike many of his contemporary architects, Eero Saarinen never had a particular defining style but insisted on a unique design to reach the architectural solution for each project.

He moved to the United States from Finland with his family in 1923 when he was 13. His father was Eliel Saarinen who had designed the campus at the Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan as well as becoming the head of the Cranbrook’s Art, Design and Architecture School. Eero became a naturalized United States citizen in 1940. He studied sculpture and furniture design at Cranbrook and then went to Paris to study sculpture at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris, France. He completed his architectural study at Yale University in 1934 and began working with his father who had an architectural practice based out of his home at Cranbrook besides his academic work there.

He worked with his father from 1936-1950 with a wartime stint working for the Office of Strategic Studies (OSS) from 1942-1945. He gained national prominence on his own when he won the 1948 design competition for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (the iconic St Louis Gateway Arch).

After his fathers death, he began his own architectural firm in 1950 as Eero Saarinen & Associates. Besides his many buildings, he also designed interiors and furniture, especially well known for his Womb Chair and the Tulip Chair which were icons of the 50′s and still in production today. He had both studied at Cranbrook and taught there briefly where he had become close friends with Charles Eames who was also an architect as well as a furniture designer known for a number of very iconic chair designs. Eames later became a furniture designer associated with Herman Miller while Eero Saarinen designed furniture for Knoll (Florence Knoll was a graduate of Cranbrook). A number of both Charles Eames and Eero Saarinens furniture designs are still in production today.

Eero Saarinen died while undergoing surgery for a very unexpected brain tumor in 1961: he was only 51 and left behind at least 10 projects that were later completed by the Saarinen firm which was taken over by Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo. Although his popularity as an architect fell out of favor for a few years there has been a recent surge of interest in his designs and many critics have reassessed his work. Saarinen is now considered one of the masters of American 20th Century architecture. Eero Saarinen’s archive material has been donated to the Yale University Library by Kevin Roche.

Selected Eero Saarinen Projects

1940: Kleinhans Music Hall (with Eliel Saarinen) – Buffalo, New York

1940: Crow Island School (with Eliel Saarinen) – Winnetka, Illinois

1948: Womb Chair

1954: Irwin-Union Bank – Columbus, Indiana

1955: Kresge Auditorium (MIT) – Cambridge, Massachussets

1955: General Motors Technical Center – Warren, Michigan

1956: Tulip Chair (part of the “Pedestal” group which included arm and side chairs and tables)

1957: Miller House – Columbus, Indiana

1958 Concordia College (several buildings) – Fort Wayne, Indiana

1959: Yale Hockey Rink – New Haven, Connecticut

1962: Dulles International Airport – Washington D.C.

1962: Bell Labs – Holmdel, New Jersey

1962: TWA Terminal at JFK Airport – NYC

1964: North Christian Church – Columbus Indiana

1965: Gateway Arch – St Louis, Missouri

1965: CBS Building (“Black Rock”) – NYC

Alexander Girard

• Born in NYC on May 24th, 1907
• Died in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1993
• Royal School of Architecture – Rome, Italy

Alexander H. Girard (often referred to by his nickname Sandro) was an architect, interior designer and authority on world folk art. Girard is widely considered as the greatest colorist and textile designer of the modernist era. He utilized traditional folk art idioms to infuse color, whimsy, and humor into vibrant contemporary designs. He was born in 1907 in New York City to an American mother from Boston and a French-Italian father. He spent most of his growing years in Florence, Italy.

He was known for his innovative interior furnishings including furniture, fabrics, wallpaper, textiles and graphics. He is remembered for his bold colors, dramatic and abstract patterns and interesting textures. He was head of the textile division of the Herman Miller Company.

During his life he became an authority and serious collector of folk art amassing thousands of pieces from around the world. In 1962, Girard and his wife Susan established the Girard Foundation in Santa Fe to manage their collection of folk art that numbered over 100,000 pieces including toys, dolls, icons, and ethnic expressions. Girard’s design work was heavily influenced by his passion for folk art. In 1978, Girard contributed his folk art collection to the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico which has an international recognition as home to the world’s largest collection of folk art. During the last year of his life, he donated his vast collection of textiles as well as the contents of his design studio to the Vitra Design Museum. He died in 1993 at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Selected Alexander Girard Design Projects

1951: Rieveschi residence (interior design) – Grosse Pointe, Michigan

1957: Miller House (interior design) – Columbus, Indiana

1960: La Fonda del Sol Restaurant (designs for all phases of the restaurant’s operations) – NYC

1961: Herman Miller Textiles and Objects Showplace (interior design) – NYC

1963: Gregory residence (interior design) – Wayzata, Minnesota

1964: John Deere Headquarters (mural) – East Moline, Illinois

1965: Braniff Airlines (designs for all phases of the airline operations including stewardess uniforms and airplane graphics)

1966: L’Etoile Restaurant in the Sherry Netherlands Hotel (interior design) – NYC

1967: The Compound Restaurant (interior design) – Santa Fe, New Mexico

Daniel Urban Kiley

• Born September 2nd, 1912 in Boston, Massachusetts
• Died February 21st, 2004 in Charlotte, Vermont
• Harvard School of Design

Dan Kiley was one of the highest acclaimed and prolific landscape architects with over 1,000 designs in his portfolio. He grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and discovered landscape architecture working as a golf course caddy. As a teenager with limited funds he would often take his dates to the Arnold Arboretum which further increased his interest in trees and landscaping.

After graduating from from high school in 1930, Kiley became an apprentice under landscape architect Warren H. Manning. Manning in turn had for years worked with another highly regarded landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Both Manning and Olmstead heavily influenced young Kiley. While with Manning, he attended the Harvard School of design but clashed with what he felt was an old-fashioned curriculum. He left Harvard in 1938 without graduating. While at Harvard, Kiley developed a close bond with fellow classmates James Rose and Garret Eckbo.

Manning died in 1938 and Kiley partnered with architect Louis Kahn in Washington D.C. working for the U.S. Housing Authority designing housing projects. During WWII Kiley started out in the infantry but his design skills led to his working for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) as their chief of design. In an odd assignment for a landscape architect, he designed the courtroom in Nuremburg, Germany for the Nazi war crimes trials. While in Europe he travelled widely and was especially influenced by the gardens of the Palace of Versailles designed by André Le Nôtre. The control and symmetry that he encountered there inspired much of Kiley’s later work.

After the war, Kiley opened several small offices on his own eventually establishing his practice in Charlotte, Vermont. He lived on a farm in Vermont with his wife, Anne, and their 8 children. He partnered with architect Eero Saarinen on a number of major projects.

Kiley’s designs were often characterized by unique geometric layouts of allees, bosques, water, paths, orchards, and lawns. Kiley believed that geometry was an inherent part of man and it was the structure man could use to gain comprehension and create stabilization of his surroundings. He also firmly believed that man was a part of nature, rather than being separate from it. Rather than copying and trying to imitate the curvilinear forms of nature he asserted mathematical order to the designs he placed in it. He died at his home in Charlotte, Vermont at the age of 91 in 2004.

Selected Dan Kiley Landscape Projects

1947: Landscaping design for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (never implemented) – St. Louis, Missouri

1957: Miller House and Garden – Columbus, Indiana

1963: Dulles Airport – Washington, D.C

1964: North Christian Church – Columbus, Indiana

1968: Air Force Academy – Colorado Springs, Colorado

1969: Oakland Museum – Oakland, California

1983: Dallas Museum of Art Sculpture Garden – Dallas, Texas

1985: Fountain Place – Dallas Texas

Historic Columbus

Irwin House and Gardens
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

This was the home for multiple generations of the Irwin-Sweeney-Miller family. Built in 1864 and extensively remodeled in 1910, this is the home that J. Irwin Miller grew up in. He continued to maintain it as a family residence even after his sister Clementine Tangeman died who was the last resident. Although the family attempted to find a way to donate the house to a non-profit organization after the death of Xenia Miller in 2008, it was eventually sold and is now being operated as a bed and breakfast. This house is an extremely important piece of Columbus history.

Click HERE for a Calendar of Upcoming Events in the Columbus Area.

Click HERE for information about Tours of Columbus Architecture and Design including the Miller House.

Links/References

Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA): the IMA owns and maintains the Miller House and Garden

Miller House Photo Gallery: from The Republic newspaper

Miller House Photo Gallery: from the Indianapolis Star newspaper

Farnsworth House: MCM residence designed by Mies van der Rohe for Edith Farnsworth

Phillip Johnson Glass House: MCM residence designed by Phillip Johnson for himself

Eames House: MCM private residence designed by and for Charles and Ray Eames

Columbus Area Visitors Center

City of Columbus: official City of Columbus website

Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives

Columbus Indiana Architecture Digital Archives: A small portion of the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives available online from the IUPUI digital library

3D Models of Columbus Architecture Executed in Google SketchUp:

The Republic Newspaper – Columbus, Indiana newspaper

Bartholomew County Public Library

Historic Columbus Website – David Sechrest’s tribute to Columbus History

Historic Columbus Message Board – a companion interactive forum to the David Sechrest historical website

Bartholomew County Historical Society

Columbus Area Arts Council

Ricky Berkey

Email me: rickyberkey@gmail.com

                                       Follow me on Twitter:

                                       Find me on Facebook:

Click HERE for a Calendar of Upcoming Events in the Columbus Area.

Click HERE for information about Tours of Columbus Architecture and Design including the Miller House.

Architecture Tours of Columbus are guided by trained and enthusiastic community volunteers. Information on tours and registration is available at the Columbus Indiana Visitors Center website. Click HERE for further information:

The tours consist of a 2 hour bus tour with several building visits at the beginning and during the tour. Please be there a half hour prior to sign up, use the restrooms and watch the short introductory video. We will leave the building promptly on the hour. We also give special tours for groups and organizations which need to be arranged in advance. Maps are available for self-guided tours and a cell phone tour is also available. Click HERE for reservations:

Architecture Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm

Architecture Tour Times: March – November
Monday to Friday: 10:00 am
Saturday: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
Sunday: 3:00 pm

We are now conducting daily tours of the Miller House, the 1957 former residence of the J. Irwin and Xenia Miller family. This mid-century modern masterpiece was designed by Eero Saarinen with interiors by Alexander Girard and landscaping by Dan Kiley and is a National Historic Landmark. It is recommended that you reserve early as there has been a high demand. Click HERE for reservations:

Miller House Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm

Miller House Tour Times: March – November
Sunday: 1:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday: 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
No Miller tours on Mondays

Art, Architecture and Design

This section spotlights a particular building or some other aspect of Columbus design. I welcome your comments, corrections and addendum’s. Please share your experience and perceptions of these uniquely Columbus projects.

Irwin-Union Bank: downtown (now First Financial Bank)

• Built: 1954
• Address: 500 Washington Street
• Design Architect: Eero Saarinen (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan)
• Landscape Architect: Dan Kiley (Charlotte, Vermont)
• Addition & Renovation: 1973 & 1989
• Addition & Renovation Architect: Kevin Roche (Roche & Dinkeloo)
• National Historic Landmark (2001)

This is a building in transition. After the demise of Irwin-Union Bank in the midst of the economic crisis, it was acquired by First Financial Bank. Cummins Inc. has recently bought the property and is in the process of converting the adjoining office space to fit their expanding downtown Columbus operations. First Financial continues to use the main banking lobby until their new downtown facility is completed. While Cummins official plans for the banking lobby have never been clearly laid out, it is anticipated that they will respect the configuration of the largely original interior and exterior.

This bank building built in 1954 set new trends in bank design across the country despite the fact that Indiana banks up into the 80′s were not allowed to cross county lines. Banks in those years were genuinely local banks serving the communities where they were founded. At the time of the construction, they were looking to move away from the image of traditional banks as granite fortresses with tellers behind cages. Irwin-Union was exploring new trends in banking and in customer service and thought that innovative architecture would help them fulfill these goals.

Largely controlled by the Irwin-Sweeney Miller family, the bank was led by J.Irwin Miller who also was the top executive at Cummins Engine Company. Having become friends with Eero Saarinen during construction of the First Christian Church, Miller turned to Saarinen to design their new bank building. Miller wanted a building that would change peoples concepts of banking. Eero Saarinen’s design was a low, glass-walled building set in a grove of trees in collaboration with landscape architect Dan Kiley. The Miesian glass pavilion with its wide roof overhang may have been the first glass-walled, open floor plan bank in the country. It also contained a single drive-up window which was very rare or may have been the first in 1954. Adjacent to the banking lobby was an 3-story office wing that was tucked in behind an existing Victorian storefront along Washington Street. Although there were two glass and steel vestibule connectors leading from the banking lobby to the annex it appeared from the street to be distinctly separate. A simple brick wall on the side of the annex was all that could be seen further enhancing the main glass walled lobby building. Many never realized there was an adjacent office wing. The main building is on a very prominent corner location at 5th and Washington. It has been described as a symphony of glass, steel and concrete.

The building was framed with steel and reinforced concrete. A special brick which was later named Columbus Bank Special (CBS) consisting of 8-10 color variations was developed especially for this project. Main building materials used were glass, poured concrete, steel and wood. Inside the building, 8-inch round steel columns were arranged in nine square bays to support the concrete slab roof. Ceilings are plaster. Flooring in the lobby and corridors was a 1 inch thick glazed, split paving brick in a buff color to hold up to heavy traffic flow and to make customers feel comfortable walking into the building whether they were coming from a factory, a farm or an office. Window coverings were continuous, floor-to-ceiling reed blinds selected by Saarinen.

9 shallow domes on top of the building provide a relief from the low flat roof as well holding the suspended ceiling lights on the interior. The domes appear as sculptural forms on the exterior and from the inside as volumes of light. From an aerial view, they add a distinctive geometric “roofscape” to the building. The large lightweight domes are centered on the 9 square column bays reduce the weight of the concrete slab roof making its slender cross section possible. The white domes are open on the inside coated with a white fibrous acoustical coating acting as a reflector for the lighting suspended in the middle. One of the drawbacks of the domes was that they were quickly discovered to be sound reflectors as well. A private conversation being held underneath one of the domes could sometimes be heard very distinctly under another. The staff had to position themselves carefully to avoid this “feature” from violating a customers privacy.

The lobby interior is a large open space meant to provoke a friendly, open feeling. The building was designed to distance this bank from traditional banking architecture which were mostly imposing, neoclassical style buildings of brick or stone. Tellers were behind iron bars and removed from their customers. Saarinen worked with Miller to develop a building that would welcome customers rather than intimidate them. There was a deliberate lack of partitions and offices. Miller said that he wanted customers to see what the bank was doing with their money. Original furniture was by Herman Miller with side chairs designed by Saarinen. Much of the original main banking lobby furnishings remain in place. Desks were adapted to accommodate modern electronics. Other furnishings were added to replace or enhance the originals. The original teller stations used panels of primary colors which were later changed to more neutral colors. Despite the minor changes and additions, the bank has strived to maintain the original interior and exterior look as much as possible. Alexander Girard provided artwork throughout the building. Girard later worked with Saarinen in Columbus on the Miller House and North Christian Church.

A prominent feature of the center bay is a stairway to the lower level containing the vault, safety deposit boxes, a boardroom/community meeting room and other banking functions. The stairs have white oak treads with open risers, rectangular walnut handrails and guardrails/balusters of machined satin-finish stainless steel. Bar stock is used for the top rails and rod for the verticals. The stairway is partially suspended by the closely spaced vertical rods and reminds many of the pair of suspended stairways at Saarinen’s GM technical center in Detroit which was built a few years after this project was completed.

Kevin Roche had been Eero Saarinen’s assistant during design and construction of the original bank. A 1973 Kevin Roche addition used a 3-story glass arcade to link the banking lobby to the original office annex and to Roche’s own office addition to the rear of the annex. The arcade uses redwood planters to hold trees and seasonal plants. The arcade was also intended as a public space to move pedestrians from Washington to Jackson Street. It was hoped that pedestrians would flow through the space to the post office that Roche had designed several years earlier at 5th and Jackson and then into the new Courthouse Mall adjacent to the post office.

Roche’s arcade incorporated a striped glass laminate meant to help moderate the heat from the sun in the space. The arcade with alternating stripes of reflective mylar and clear glass gives the space the look of a greenhouse and provides interesting patterns as the sun moves over the building in the course of a day. Warm air from this space is recirculated to help heat the rest of the building. The Roche addition had a solar collector to help in heating the building which was a very advanced feature at the time. Many of these early energy saving features were continued in the nearby Cummins HQ building that Roche designed in 1983. Much of the Roche advanced technology can be attributed to Roche’s partner John Dinkeloo who was both an architect and engineer. Roche’s addition kept the floors column free by using load bearing structural cores containing stairs, elevators and restrooms at either end with structural steel columns around the outer walls. Ceiling air ducts, grid work with lighting, are other features are integrated into the design which allowed a three story building that was no higher than the other two story buildings nearby.

Another addition and renovation in 1989, also by Kevin Roche was a restoration of the front facades of several historic storefronts originally designed by Charles F. Sparrell at 518-524 Washington to the right of the main banking pavilion. The interiors were renovated as additional office space. These addition was also linked to the glass arcade.

Dan Kiley’s original landscaping surround the main banking lobby with trees in what Saarinen called an “office in a garden”. The tree’s were enhanced by seasonal blooming plants. A large grove of linden trees were originally planted in a grid behind the lobby building. As originally configured there was one drive-up window at the rear of the lobby building. As the drive-up lanes were increased, they ended up removing most of the trees in the center of the grid leaving trees around the outside. Honey Locust trees have replaced the lindens.

The building was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2001 for its innovative and trend setting architecture.

Front facade, surrounded by trees
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

5th Street side, surrounded by trees
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Saarinen building in foreground, Roche addition behind
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Sadly, the Irwin-Union Bank name has become part of Columbus history
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rooftop picture from 1955
(photo used pending permission)

1961 view of J. Irwin Miller from the fire escape of the St. Denis Hotel building which had been the former home of the Irwin-Union Bank as well as a former Cummins HQ location
(photo by Frank Scherschel from the Life photo archive – used pending permission)

Early view of the interior: although the color scheme has been somewhat subdued the furnishings are still either original or consistent with Saarinen’s interior design
(postcard image used pending permission)

Front facade along Washington Street
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

These two vestibules were the original connection to the Saarinen office annex before the Roche addition, the space where the glass arcade is now was then a row of trees
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Kevin Roche addition on the left, Eero Saarinen building on the right

View of Roche addition from 5th Street
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side view of the Roche addition from the back
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

View of Kevin Roche addition from the Cummins HQ which he also designed
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Roche addition, opposite from the arcade side
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Roche addition, north side
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Part of the Kevin Roche arcade
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side view of the Kevin Roche addition
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Inside the Kevin Roche arcade
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Inside the Roche arcade
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear of the original building with drive-thru lanes to the left
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Park like setting behind building, original Dan Kiley landscaping has been significantly modified but they have tried to stay true to the intentions of his design
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Landscaping along one of the drive-thru lanes
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Washington Street side
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Park-like setting behind building
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Rear of property, Roche addition in background
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

The Architects

Eero Saarinen

• Born in Kirkonummi, Finland on August 21st, 1910
• Died September 1st, 1961
• Cranbrook Academy
• Académie de la Grande Chaumière – Paris (1930)
• Yale University (1934)
• AIA Gold Medal Award

Eero Saarinen was a Finnish-American architect famous for taking modernism to different levels. He is most famous for his simple sweeping and arching sculptural shapes which were amazingly done before the era of computer-aided design and drafting had arrived. Unlike many of his contemporary architects, Eero Saarinen never had a particular defining style but insisted on a unique design to reach the architectural solution for each project.

He moved to the United States from Finland with his family in 1923 when he was 13. His father was Eliel Saarinen who had designed the campus at the Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan as well as becoming the head of the Cranbrook’s Art, Design and Architecture School. Eero became a naturalized United States citizen in 1940. He studied sculpture and furniture design at Cranbrook and then went to Paris to study sculpture at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris, France. He completed his architectural study at Yale University in 1934 and began working with his father who had an architectural practice based out of his home at Cranbrook besides his academic work there.

He worked with his father from 1936-1950 with a wartime stint working for the Office of Strategic Studies (OSS) from 1942-1945. He gained national prominence on his own when he won the 1948 design competition for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (the iconic St Louis Gateway Arch).

After his fathers death, he began his own architectural firm in 1950 as Eero Saarinen & Associates. Besides his many buildings, he also designed interiors and furniture, especially well known for his Womb Chair and the Tulip Chair which were icons of the 50′s and still in production today. He had both studied at Cranbrook and taught there briefly where he had become close friends with Charles Eames who was also an architect as well as a furniture designer known for a number of very iconic chair designs. Eames later became a furniture designer associated with Herman Miller while Eero Saarinen designed furniture for Knoll (Florence Knoll was a graduate of Cranbrook). A number of both Charles Eames and Eero Saarinens furniture designs are still in production today.

Eero Saarinen died while undergoing surgery for a very unexpected brain tumor in 1961: he was only 51 and left behind at least 10 projects that were later completed by the Saarinen firm which was taken over by Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo. Although his popularity as an architect fell out of favor for a few years there has been a recent surge of interest in his designs and many critics have reassessed his work. Saarinen is now considered one of the masters of American 20th Century architecture. Eero Saarinen’s archive material has been donated to the Yale University Library by Kevin Roche.

Selected Eero Saarinen Projects

1940: Kleinhans Music Hall (with Eliel Saarinen) – Buffalo, New York

1940: Crow Island School (with Eliel Saarinen) – Winnetka, Illinois

1948: Womb Chair

1954: Irwin-Union Bank – Columbus, Indiana

1955: Kresge Auditorium (MIT) – Cambridge, Massachussets

1955: General Motors Technical Center – Warren, Michigan

1956: Tulip Chair (part of the “Pedestal” group which included arm and side chairs and tables)

1957: Miller House – Columbus, Indiana

1958 Concordia College (several buildings) – Fort Wayne, Indiana

1959: Yale Hockey Rink – New Haven, Connecticut

1962: Dulles International Airport – Washington D.C.

1962: Bell Labs – Holmdel, New Jersey

1962: TWA Terminal at JFK Airport – NYC

1964: North Christian Church – Columbus Indiana

1965: Gateway Arch – St Louis, Missouri

1965: CBS Building (“Black Rock”) – NYC

Eamonn Kevin Roche

• Born: June 14, 1922 in Dublin, Ireland.
• National University of Ireland, Dublin (1945)
• Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago (1949)

After graduation from college, Roche worked with Michael Scott in Ireland and Maxwell Fry in London from 1945-1948 before coming to the USA to study at IIT under Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. He joined Eero Saarinen’s firm in 1950 and within a few years became the Principal Design Associate to Eero Saarinen and worked closely on all Saarinen projects. When Eero Saarinen died in 1961, Roche completed a dozen projects already underway including the St Louis Gateway Arch, the CBS “Black Rock” building, the TWA Flight Terminal, Dulles International Airport and North Christian Church.

In 1966, Roche reorganized as Roche Dinkeloo & Associates along with partner John Dinkeloo and began many projects on their own. Major projects have included the Oakland Museum and the “Pyramids” buildings in Indianapolis. His works have included museums, corporate headquarters, performing arts centers and university buildings.

Other Roche projects in Columbus, Indiana:

• Columbus Post Office(1970)
• Cummins Midrange Engine Plant (1973)
• Cummins Corporate HQ (1983)
• Visitors Center Addition (1995)
• Addition to Cummins Plant One (1998)
• New Scoreboard at Otter Creek Golf Course (2010)

In addition to working with Eero Saarinen on the J. Irwin Miller Home in Columbus in the 50’s he also designed the largely unknown Miller residence in Florida in 1982. After John Dinkeloo died in 1981, Roche continued the practice with other partners but left the firm name the same to honor his long work with Dinkeloo. Roche received the Pritzker Prize for architecture in 1982 and the AIA Gold Medal in 1993. The firm itself won the AIA Firm Award in 1974.

John Gerard Dinkeloo

• Born 1918 in Holland, Michigan
• Died 1981
• University of Michigan (1942)

John Dinkeloo was an engineer as well as an architect and an expert in construction technology. He started his career at the Chicago office of Skidmore Owings and Merrill before joining Eero Saarinen in 1950.

He worked very closely with Kevin Roche to bring the Roche design ideas to life. In their partnership, Roche was the principal designer and Dinkeloo provided expertise in construction and technology. Their amazing partnership pioneered many new material technologies and construction techniques. Many of their buildings explored environmental techniques years ahead of our current “green” technology trends.

Historic Columbus

Dramatic transformation of this site at 5th and Washington when Irwin-Union bank was built, Hooks Drug store on the corner with a mill behind it on 5th Street
(photo used pending permission)

Links/References

NHL nomination form:

Columbus Area Visitors Center

City of Columbus: official City of Columbus website

Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives

Columbus Indiana Architecture Digital Archives: A small portion of the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives available online from the IUPUI digital library

3D Models of Columbus Architecture Executed in Google SketchUp:

The Republic Newspaper – Columbus, Indiana newspaper

Bartholomew County Public Library

Historic Columbus Website – David Sechrest’s tribute to Columbus History

Historic Columbus Message Board – a companion interactive forum to the David Sechrest historical website

Bartholomew County Historical Society

Columbus Area Arts Council

Ricky Berkey

Email me: rickyberkey@gmail.com

                                       Follow me on Twitter:

                                       Find me on Facebook:

Art, Architecture and Design

This section spotlights a particular building or some other aspect of Columbus design. I welcome your comments, corrections and addendum’s. Please share your experience and perceptions of these uniquely Columbus projects.

Hamilton Center Ice Arena

• Built: 1958
• Address: 2501 25th Street (Lincoln Park Drive)
• Architect: Harry Weese (Harry Weese & Associates – Chicago)
• Project Manager: Bruce Adams (Harry Weese & Associates – Chicago)
• Architect of 1975 addition: William D. Koster (Koster & Associates – Cleveland, Ohio)

Hamilton Center (originally called Lincoln Center) is a year-round indoor ice skating facility with 17,000 square feet of ice on 2 rinks. Originally an outdoor facility, it was designed by Harry Weese and built in 1958. In 1975, the skating rinks were enclosed and expanded to a regulation size hockey rink and adjoining practice area. Skaters from beginners to competitive enjoy this top notch Columbus Parks and Recreation facility.

Another example of the philanthropic spirit of Columbus, the facility was a gift to the community by the Hamilton Foundation to honor B.F. Hamilton, founder of the COSCO manufacturing facility in Columbus. Now part of the Dorel Juvenile Group, COSCO orginally stood for COlumbus Specialties COmpany, manufacturers of card tables, chairs and baby car seats. Harry Weese was chosen as the architect by the Hamilton Foundation because of his imagination along with his philosophy of creating a unique architectural statement yet still fulfilling the practical needs of the client and users. The Hamilton Foundation chose an ice skating facility because there was nothing like it in this area. The climate here was never cold enough for long enough to safely freeze area ponds and lakes. Although the original rink area was outside, it utilized refrigeration equipment to ensure a smooth and safe surface. It was still only used however from November thru March.

The original building is meant to be reminiscent of a Swiss chalet, with rough-hewn granite boulders and glass with a very steep interior-beamed triple-peaked roof. The exterior features battered wall construction. The highlight of the interior was the circular granite fireplace surrounded by wooden benches to warm chilly skaters. It featured a skate resistant floor for ease of entry and exit for the skaters. There is a freestanding wall on the outside to allow skaters in the warming building views to the outside but to isolate them from the busy 25th Street traffic flow. Harry Weese described the building as a “Black Forest stage setting for exhilarating evenings under the stars”. In its original configuration, there were two artificially frozen outdoor rinks, 1 measuring 85′ by 185′ and the other 85′ by 40′. It was possible for special occasions or events to open a partition and create 1 surface rink at 85′ by 225′, at the time one of the very largest in the country.

An open house was held on December 20th and 21st, 1958 with the first open skating to the public on the 22nd. Present at the open house were Clarence, Earl and William Hamilton representing the Hamilton Family Foundation. Architect Harry Weese and his wife Kitty were on skates trying out the ice on Saturday the 20th. Official dedication of the facility took place on November 17th, 1960.

The outdoor skating rink was enclosed and expanded in 1976 funded by a city bond issue and was driven by the need to repair the deteriorating original rinks. Architect William D. Koster of Koster & Associates designed the new addition. Despite the fact that the addition enclosing the rinks was 5 times larger than the original building, Koster repeated roof forms and architectural details using similar building materials to make the addition very compatible to the original Harry Weese design. The facility is operated and maintained by the Columbus Parks and Recreation Department.

It now serves as a community center and ice skating rink with adjacent tennis courts. It is also very close to the huge Lincoln Park softball complex. The new main rink is 200′ by 85′ and the studio rink is 50′ by 72″. The building contains a pro shop, skate rental area and snack bar. Besides the skating rinks, the facility can be used for a variety of community events. The original intention was to only have a skating season from October till March with the rinks drained and covered and used for other activities during the rest of the year. Eventually the rinks began to be used year round.

Main entrance
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Side of building facing 25th Street, notice the freestanding wall to isolate skaters from the busy traffic flow
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Original triple-peaked roofline by Harry Weese
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Closeup of windows in the peaked roof
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Hamilton Center sign
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Hamilton Center
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Main entrance
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Original Harry Weese building on the right, the addition enclosing the rinks on the left
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Enclosed rink
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Entire facility
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Indoor rink area
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Indoor rink area
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Indoor rink area
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Inside the warming building
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Circular fireplace
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Snow dumped outside from the Zamboni ice resurfacer (this is the place to find snow in Columbus, even in July!)
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Dedication plaque
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Original 1958 layout
(photo used pending permission)

Original configuration with outside skating
(photo used pending permission)

The Architect

Harry Weese

• Born June 30, 1915 in Evanston, Illinois
• Died October 29, 1998
• Yale University (1936-1937)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (1934-1938)
• Cranbrook Academy (1939-1940)

Harry Weese was born in the Chicago suburbs and went on to become one of the most influential of the Chicago architects. His work predominated in Chicago, in little Columbus, Indiana and around the world. His many projects ranging from high-rises and giant urban complexes to intimate residential designs remain as a testament to his genius.

Harry was a student of renowned Finnish architect Alvar Aalto at MIT. He also studied city planning at the Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan where he met and became close friends of Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen. His life was greatly influenced by his brief time at Cranbrook and his later interior design work can be seen as a result. His association with Eero Saarinen led to many projects as Saarinen referred projects to Weese that he simply didn’t have time to take on. He also became a close friend of J. Irwin Miller which led to over a dozen small projects in Columbus, Indiana.

He was primarily considered a modernist but his work was always shaped by the needs and vision of his clients. As a result his designs were almost always unique without an identifying personal style. Weese’s approach to design was problem solving – each work intended to meet a specific need and to fulfill a particular function.

Early on he worked for Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) but felt stifled in the world of corporate architecture and started his own much smaller firm in 1947. He also became a fierce advocate of historic preservation and city planning. He had a lifelong interest in sailing and boat-building which was often reflected in his designs especially in some of his residential projects. Harry Weese & Associates won the coveted Firm of the Year Award in 1978. In 45 years they completed over 300 commissions with perhaps an equal number of unbuilt designs.

His luster was tarnished in later years as his drinking and personal problems put a sad footnote on what should have been a celebrated life. After numerous stints in rehab clinics and several strokes his wife Kitty and family had him committed to the Illinois Veterans Home where he died quietly in 1998. Recently his work has come back into focus as a number of articles and a new book has been released on his life and works. Much like the recent surge of interest in Eero Saarinen, the work of Harry Weese is finally getting the critical respect and admiration that it always deserved.

Selected Harry Weese Projects

1957: Lillian C. Schmitt Elementary School – Columbus, Indiana

1958: United States Embassy Building – Accra, Ghana

1961: Northside Middle School – Columbus, Indiana

1963: Sterling Morton Library at the Morton Arboretum

1965: First Baptist Church – Columbus, Indiana

1966: Orchestra Hall Restoration – Chicago, Illinois

1966: IBM Building – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

1966: Tangeman House – Muskoka Lakes, Ontario, Canada

1967: Auditorium Theatre Restoration – Chicago, Illinois

1968: Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist – Chicago, Illinois

1969: Marcus Center for the Performing Arts – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

1969: Shadowcliff House – Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

1970: Time-Life Building: Chicago, Illinois

1970: Formica Building – Cincinnati, Ohio

1972: Arena Stage – Washington, D.C.

1973: Crown Center Hotel – Kansas City, Missouri

1975: Mercantile Bank – Kansas City, Missouri

1975: Oak Park Village Hall – Oak Park, Illinois

1975: Metropolitan Correctional Center – Chicago, Illinois

1976: Willow Street Townhouses – Chicago, Illinois

1976: Metro System – Washington D.C.

1981: Fulton House Condominium Conversion – Chicago, Illinois

1982: United States Embassy Housing – Tokyo, Japan

1984: Miami-Dade County Transit System – Dade County, Florida

1988: River Cottages – Chicago, Illinois

1988: Union Station Restoration – Washington, DC

Links/References

Hamilton Center Ice Arena: Columbus Parks Department

“Reconstructing Harry Weese”: fascinating recent article about his life and career

“Harry Weese: A Man of Many Words and Works (1915-1998)” – a career retrospective from Inland Architect magazine.

The Architecture of Harry Weese: Robert Bruegmann and Kathleen Murphy Skolnik (recently published career retrospective)

Harry Weese Interview: part of the Chicago Architects Oral History Project

Harry Weese Houses: Kitty Baldwin Weese (This book was written by Harry’s wife as a tribute for his 70th birthday – it illustrates 38 of his 82 residential designs).

Columbus Area Visitors Center

City of Columbus: official City of Columbus website

Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives

Columbus Indiana Architecture Digital Archives: A small portion of the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives available online from the IUPUI digital library

3D Models of Columbus Architecture Executed in Google SketchUp:

The Republic Newspaper – Columbus, Indiana newspaper

Bartholomew County Public Library

Historic Columbus Website – David Sechrest’s tribute to Columbus History

Historic Columbus Message Board – a companion interactive forum to the David Sechrest historical website

Bartholomew County Historical Society

Columbus Area Arts Council

Click HERE for a Calendar of Upcoming Events in the Columbus Area.

Click HERE for information about Tours of Columbus Architecture and Design including the Miller House.

Architecture Tours of Columbus are guided by trained and enthusiastic community volunteers. Information on tours and registration is available at the Columbus Indiana Visitors Center website. Click HERE for further information:

The tours consist of a 2 hour bus tour with several building visits at the beginning and during the tour. Please be there a half hour prior to sign up, use the restrooms and watch the short introductory video. We will leave the building promptly on the hour. We also give special tours for groups and organizations which need to be arranged in advance. Maps are available for self-guided tours and a cell phone tour is also available. Click HERE for reservations:

Architecture Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm

Architecture Tour Times: March – November
Monday to Friday: 10:00 am
Saturday: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
Sunday: 3:00 pm

We are now conducting daily tours of the Miller House, the 1957 former residence of the J. Irwin and Xenia Miller family. This mid-century modern masterpiece was designed by Eero Saarinen with interiors by Alexander Girard and landscaping by Dan Kiley and is a National Historic Landmark. It is recommended that you reserve early as there has been a high demand. Click HERE for reservations:

Miller House Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm

Miller House Tour Times: March – November
Sunday: 1:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday: 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
No Miller tours on Mondays

Ricky Berkey

Email me: rickyberkey@gmail.com

                                       Follow me on Twitter:

                                       Find me on Facebook:

Click HERE for a Calendar of Upcoming Events in the Columbus Area.

Click HERE for information about Tours of Columbus Architecture and Design including the Miller House.

Architecture Tours of Columbus are guided by trained and enthusiastic community volunteers. Information on tours and registration is available at the Columbus Indiana Visitors Center website. Click HERE for further information:

The tours consist of a 2 hour bus tour with several building visits at the beginning and during the tour. Please be there a half hour prior to sign up, use the restrooms and watch the short introductory video. We will leave the building promptly on the hour. We also give special tours for groups and organizations which need to be arranged in advance. Maps are available for self-guided tours and a cell phone tour is also available. Click HERE for reservations:

Architecture Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm

Architecture Tour Times: March – November
Monday to Friday: 10:00 am
Saturday: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
Sunday: 3:00 pm

We are now conducting daily tours of the Miller House, the 1957 former residence of the J. Irwin and Xenia Miller family. This mid-century modern masterpiece was designed by Eero Saarinen with interiors by Alexander Girard and landscaping by Dan Kiley and is a National Historic Landmark. It is recommended that you reserve early as there has been a high demand. Click HERE for reservations:

Miller House Tour Times: Dec – Jan – Feb
Saturdays only, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm

Miller House Tour Times: March – November
Sunday: 1:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday: 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
No Miller tours on Mondays

Art, Architecture and Design

This section spotlights a particular building or some other aspect of Columbus design. I welcome your comments, corrections and addendum’s. Please share your experience and perceptions of these uniquely Columbus projects.

Columbus Holiday Ornaments

Access-Ability (formerly Easter Seals)

This is an annual release of a collectible holiday ornament featuring prominent Columbus Buildings issued by Access-Ability (formerly Easter Seals) as a fundraiser. Access-Ability loans durable medical equipment (wheelchairs, hospital beds, shower seats and more) to any Bartholomew Co. resident.

Bartholomew County Courthouse

Issue date: 1995
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Cerealine Building at Cummins HQ

Issue Date: 1996
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Bartholomew County Library

Issue Date: 1997
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Columbus City Hall

Issue Date: 1998
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

First Presbyterian Church

Issue Date: 1999
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Central School (original)

Issue Date: 2000
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Visitors Center

Issue Date: 2001
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Senior Center (old)

Issue Date: 2002
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

St. Bartholomew Catholic Church

Issue Date: 2003
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

St. Peters Lutheran Church

Issue Date: 2004
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

First Christian Church

Issue Date: 2005
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Columbus Regional Hospital

Issue Date: 2006
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Second Street Bridge

Issue Date: 2007
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

North Christian Church

Issue Date: 2008
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor

Issue Date: 2009
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Bartholomew County Courthouse and Veterans Memorial

Issue Date: 2010
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Mill Race Center

Issue Date: 2011
(photo by Ricky Berkey)

Links/References

Columbus Area Visitors Center

City of Columbus: official City of Columbus website

Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives

Columbus Indiana Architecture Digital Archives: A small portion of the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives available online from the IUPUI digital library

3D Models of Columbus Architecture Executed in Google SketchUp:

The Republic Newspaper – Columbus, Indiana newspaper

Bartholomew County Public Library

Historic Columbus Website – David Sechrest’s tribute to Columbus History

Historic Columbus Message Board – a companion interactive forum to the David Sechrest historical website

Bartholomew County Historical Society

Columbus Area Arts Council

Ricky Berkey

Email me: rickyberkey@gmail.com

                                       Follow me on Twitter:

                                       Find me on Facebook: