This post is brought to you by Exhibit Columbus
Landmark Columbus Foundation announces the next step in the 2022â23 cycle of Exhibit Columbus, the University Design
Research Fellowship Competition. More than $70,000 will be awarded to full-time university and college professors in the United States from any area of
design, architecture, art, and landscape architecture to participate in Exhibit
Columbus.
Professors whose work explores community-based urban design projects and
the current challenges of activating downtowns are invited to apply for a
budget of up to $10,000 to support the realization of a project during the three-month exhibition in Columbus. Additionally, travel stipends will be provided
to winners to attend the 2022 Exhibit Columbus Symposium (21â22 October 2022), 2023 Exhibit Columbus Design Presentations (24â25 February 2023),
and ultimately, to design and build a public âinstallationâ that showcases their
research for the 2023 Exhibition (Opening Weekend 25â27 August 2023). As a component of the exhibition, UDRFellows will also be invited to participate
in the UDRF Colloquium, an event that will be produced in partnership with
the R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State
University and Eskenazi School of Architecture, Art + Design at Indiana
University.Â

âThe University Design Research Fellowship component of Exhibit Columbus
is unlike anything else in the U.S.â said Richard McCoy, Executive Director
of Landmark Columbus Foundation, the parent organization of Exhibit
Columbus. âOver the past six years, weâve seen how more than twenty
professors have been able to leverage their research into the UDRFellowship
as a way to advance and explore in the unique context of our community. We
are very excited to see who is interested in participating this year and to grow
this component as a unique and highly visible platform that showcases design
research and education.â
Exhibit Columbus is partnering with the City of Columbus for this cycle in an
effort to enhance its downtown corridor and further the Cityâs goals of creating
a more diverse, accessible, and active city. In 2021, James Lima Planning +
Development was commissioned to envision strategies that could enable downtown activation. For this competition, potential UDRFellows are invited
to respond to, enhance, and/or critique the propositions of these strategies
to generate discussion about the possibilities for the future of downtown
Columbus. Through this process, it is believed that themes connected to larger
issues in downtowns will emerge.Â
Applicants will be shortlisted by the six 2022-23 Exhibit Columbus Curatorial
Partners. Based on the Request for Qualifications process, the final selection of
UDRFellows will be made by a team of Community Jurors.Â

The 2022â23 Curatorial Partners are Paola Aguirre (Urban Designer,
BORDERLESS), Chris Merritt (Landscape Architect, Merritt Chase), Lauren M.
Pacheco (Civic and Cultural Artist, Steel Studio Foundation), Bryony Roberts
(Designer, Writer, Educator, Bryony Roberts Studio), Raymund Ryan (Curator
at Large, The Heinz Architectural Center at Carnegie Museum of Art), and
Holly Warren (Assistant Director for the Arts, Economic and Sustainable
Development Department, City of Bloomington). This group forms the core
of an engaged team that is shaping this cycle of Exhibit Columbus. They have
comprehensive backgrounds in architecture, art, and design, and each has
worked with diverse sets of communities to bring meaningful work to life.Â
âWeâve worked to create a decision-making process that brings together a
world-class set of Curatorial Partners and also creates an unique way for
dynamic members of our community to connect with the process,â said Jamie
Goldsborough, Creative Director for Landmark Columbus Foundation and
coordinator for the UDRF competition. âGiving our Community Jurors the final
say in the process will lead to a new set of connections for Exhibit Columbus
that will help create a greater impact for everyone.âÂ
2022â23 UDRF Community Jurors are Esther Afolayan, Anuja Chandra, Jackie
Combest, Mary Ferdon, Mary Harmon, Erin Hawkins, Anakarina Hurtado,
Grace Kestler, Andres Nieto, Jasmine OâConner, Catie Rix, Shanda Sasse, and
Kim Wadholm.Â
Learn more about the University Design Research Competition here. Download the RFQ here.