Erin Hawkins a Columbus, IN native has spent more than a decade sharing the city’s remarkable architecture and design legacy with people from around the world. She is passionate about telling the story of how her hometown became one of the most architecturally significant cities in the country and about the lasting impact of growing up in a place where thoughtful design shapes everyday life.
Her talk explored the remarkable story behind one of America’s most celebrated collections of modern architecture and the vision that shaped it. Drawing on her extensive local knowledge and a passion for design, Hawkins examined how a small Midwestern city transformed itself into a world-renowned hub for architecture. The parallels between Columbus, a city with 70+ Mid-Century Modern (MCM) structures driven by the 1950s Cummins Architecture Program, and Midland, home to more than 400 MCM homes, churches, civic and commercial buildings, rooted in the influence of Alden B. Dow, are many. This talk galvanizes how each community celebrates Modernism for both residents and visitors alike.