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A Small City Famous for Architecture Rolls Out the Welcome Mat

Columbus, Indiana—known for its modern architecture—makes it feel fresh and lived-in during a biennial festival.
Design by MASS Design Group, Corn/Meal is a corn maze with a twist on the classic picnic table; it’s adjacent to Central Middle School, a project designed by Ralph Johnson of Perkins + Will in 2007.
Design by MASS Design Group, Corn/Meal is a corn maze with a twist on the classic picnic table; it’s adjacent to Central Middle School, a project designed by Ralph Johnson of Perkins + Will in 2007.Hadley Fruits
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On a sunny day in Columbus, Indiana, there’s no more pleasant place to be than at the corner of Fifth Street and Lafayette Avenue.

A broad brick plaza here serves as the town square. The central library, built in the same red brick, faces across the plaza to a historic church with a tall bell tower. Just a stroll away is Washington Street and its bistros, shops, and ice cream parlor. Storefront windows cheer on Columbus East High School athletics—go Olympians, beat North! Fifth and Lafayette is the heart of downtown.