Exhibit Columbus has announced that the organization's forthcoming 2020-2021 exhibition cycle, curated by Iker Gil and Mimi Zeiger, will focus on the theme of New Middles:From Main Street To Megalopolis, What Is The Future of The Middle City?

In addition to announcing the new theme, the organization has also named the winners of this year's J. Irwin and Xenia Miller Prize winners. The winners are: Dream the Combine of Minneapolis, ecosistema urbano of Miami and Madrid, Future Firm of Chicago, Olalekan Jeyifous of Brooklyn, and Sam Jacob Studio of London.

Describing the theme of the symposium and exhibition, the former of which will be presented virtually in 2020 with in-person installations taking shape in 2021, the organizers write that "Midwest, mid-sized, or middle American, the notion of “middle" goes beyond geography and does not mean average or neutral. Middle is its own condition, especially in relation to changing demographics, technology, mobility, climate change, health crises, and ways that cities are trying to address past and present injustices." The organizers add, "The middle is a network of relationships, multiple centers, and potentials. In bringing together thinkers, designers, and architects, New Middles approaches present uncertainties with a sense of optimism and possibility." 

In addition to the Miller Prize recipients, Exhibit Columbus has also named a set of University Design Research Fellows for 2020-2021. Those fellows are Ang Li Projects (Northeastern University); Joyce Hwang (University at Buffalo); Ersela Kripa and Stephen Mueller, AGENCY(Texas Tech College of Architecture, El Paso), Lola Sheppard and Mason White, Lateral Office (University of Waterloo & University of Toronto); Derek Hoeferlin (Washington University in St. Louis); Natalie Yates (Ball State University); and Jei Jeeyea Kim (Indiana University).

Additionally, Exhibit Columbus has also named two photography fellows,Virginia Hanusik of New Orleans and David Schalliol of Minneapolis. These exhibitors and presenters will be joined by the Columbus High School Design Team, which is set to create an installation in conjunction with classwork undertaken with the Bartholomew County School Corporation’s C4 Program. 

The in-person exhibition will be tied together, according to the announcement, by a "dynamic wayfinding and a graphic design system" created by Los Angeles-based graphic designer Jeremiah Chiu of Some All None.

Describing the selected practices and design teams for the coming year's exhibition schedule, Anne Surak, Director of Exhibit Columbus, shared in a statement that “These five Miller Prize winners represent the future of architecture and design,” adding. “They bring to Columbus a deep understanding of the ways architecture and design, at a variety of scales, shape our cities and inform the ways we relate to each other. With this award they will have the opportunity to bring their unique perspectives to Columbus, while exploring the customs and values that have created this city’s international design legacy. The lenses through which participants view this thematic cycle, interact with our city’s design legacy, and create work in dialogue with our community will strengthen Exhibit Columbus’s ability to promote a critical design dialogue while creating meaningful impact through our locally responsive and globally engaged program.” 

The virtual symposium with the Miller Prize winners is slated to take place online from mid-September to mid-November, while the in-person exhibition is slated for a six-week run during the Fall of 2021.