Streamline to Skyway - Exploring Modernism in Minneapolis

Development in Minneapolis changed drastically at midcentury as ideas about urban renewal and progressive Modern architecture fueled the remaking of the urban core. The mobile session will showcase and explore the current implications of the city’s Modern Era design.

Beginning in Minneapolis’ Gateway district and ending at the University of Minnesota’s West Bank campus, this tour will highlight midcentury construction and planning projects in and around downtown Minneapolis. From skyways to public plazas to high-rises, the tour will focus on notable Modern buildings, structures, and landscape designs, highlighting several midcentury sites that are known for their historical significance and/or impact on the city’s built identity. The tour will examine the long-term legacies and consequences of these projects, exploring their impact on the ways that people move, work, and live in Minneapolis today. The tour will also provide examples of how Modern era history and historic preservation planning tools that are being leveraged to support current community needs, including creation and revitalization of housing and public space. Through review of these sites, attendees will be equipped to better understand and respond to the history, implications, and potential of Modern era resources in their own communities.

Modern design was often guided by a progressive ethos. This session will explore the complex outcomes of this era of planning. The tour will highlight works by BIPOC industry professionals and invite conversation about the success – or lack thereof – of Minneapolis’ urban renewal projects, especially when considering equity.