Columbus | Botanical Gardens — A Timeless Modernist Masterpiece 🌿✨

Designed by Dan Kiley, the Miller Garden is an iconic work frequently highlighted in the history of modern landscape architecture. In 2021, I visited Columbus, Indiana, and joined a tour to see this legendary site. 🏛️ Originally the home of industrialist J. Irwin Miller, the residence was designed by Eero Saarinen. What’s especially remarkable is that since the 1950s, Miller’s support for visionary architects helped transform Columbus into a stunning collection of modernist architecture. Here, you can find works by world-renowned designers like Eero Saarinen, I. M. Pei, and many more. The city even offers a dedicated website introducing all its architectural treasures (🔍 visit columbus indiana). Located just a 4-hour drive from Chicago, Columbus is well worth a visit if you have extra time during a Windy City trip! 🚗🌆 Beyond the architecture, what stuck with me most from the tour were the appliances in this nearly 70-year-old modernist mansion: built-in ovens, refrigerators, central air conditioning, and ventilation systems—almost identical to what we use today. It’s amazing to see how advanced (and luxurious) American life—or at least the lives of the wealthy—was back then. 💫 Many switches throughout the house even featured aviation-inspired designs, giving the space a cool industrial vibe. ✈️🛠️ #SceneryOnTheJourney #LandscapeDesign #ArchitecturalDesign #DesignAesthetics #SpaceDesign #DesignInspiration #PoeticLiving #GardenDesign #CourtyardDesign #ArchitectureTravel 🌍📸