Paul Davis, Paul Nini and Kristen Harris talk to Cities x Design about what makes Columbus a creative city and why the Columbus Society of Communicating Arts revels in its independence.
Columbus, OH

For the longest time Columbus has been considered a typical American city and its local population has been viewed as a mirror image of the U.S. population as a whole. For this reason the city is often used as a testing ground for corporate America’s latest products and services.
Large chain retailers and brands such as Abercrombie and Fitch and The Limited (parent company of Victoria’s Secret) are headquartered in Columbus. Similarly, large insurance companies are firmly based there as well.
Despite such facts, Columbus doesn’t lack personality and is not afraid of supporting independent initiatives. And with the largest university campus in the United States, Ohio State University is a strong local asset that grows and graduates inspired young minds and plays a role in spreading fresh ideas into the city’s diverse communities.

During our short stay, we had the opportunity to walk High Street of Short North, an area recently praised in the New York Times. Highlights include Jeni’s Ice Cream offering handmade confections made with locally sourced ingredients, the spacious and luminous Northstar Cafe, and Tigertree, a select store with unique design pieces from the area and beyond. The noteworthy North Market (the only market in Columbus and also small business incubator) was unfortunately closed during our visit.


Columbus City Profile
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Keywords – Biotech, Intellect, Renewal, Arches, Education
Population:1,754,337
Founded: 1812
Nicknames: The Arch City, The Discovery City, C-Bus
Tourism / Place branding / Historic Landmarks
- Short North District
- Ohio State University – The largest college campus in the US.
Design businesses
Local businesses
- Jinny
- Rowe
- Abercrombie and Fitch
- The Limited Inc.
Institutions / Organizations
AIA Columbus
- Ohio Craft Museum
- Art and Design Schools
- Columbus College of Art and Design
















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