Rural Futures: Inventory and Concept Design in Southwest Minnesota

Abstract

What can be done with abandoned and under-utilized properties in rural America? This issue is vital to the development of Southwest Minnesota.

The opportunity to work in rural settings is unique because the conditions and questions attached to those territories are vastly different from those traditionally focused on by urban design and planning. In collaboration with the RSDP and UMVRDC, this research explores and documents the working process with rural communities in Southwest Minnesota to reimagine and develop design concepts exploring how to regenerate abandoned and under-utilized buildings.