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During the recent Minneapolis mayoral debate sponsored by MPR and the Star Tribune, reporter Eric Roper noted that the candidates had not really discussed the built environment. That omission stood out to me — especially considering how deeply the built environment impacts our daily lives.
The built environment is more than the physical backdrop of our cities — the buildings, houses, roads and parks we see every day. It is the physical manifestation of our policies and priorities. It reflects what and whom we value. It is a codependent ecosystem with interconnected systems: Housing links to transportation, schools to neighborhoods, and open spaces influence community life.
As a human system, the built environment is subject to the same social injustices that affect our society. To put it plainly, the built environment can either oppress or liberate. Think of Interstate 35W cutting through south Minneapolis, displacing communities, or the Stone Arch Bridge, which now connects people and celebrates place.
The built environment is primarily shaped by factors like land ownership, political decisions and the allocation of resources, rather than solely relying on statements about diversity, equity and inclusion. Our values are revealed through how we design, build and allocate space.
We must ask: How will a re-elected Mayor Jacob Frey support a just built environment? From reviving downtown to expanding affordable housing, improving transportation and ensuring access to parks and public spaces, the city’s physical development will show us what we truly value as a society.
The Center for Transformative Urban Design believes that these conversations must move beyond aesthetics or individual projects to address spatial justice — the fair and equitable distribution of resources and opportunities across space. Frey’s leadership will be tested not only by policies but by how those policies take shape in the physical city around us.
