Brutal Utopias

The film retells the fascinating story of the residents’ struggle against the utopian redevelopment of Minneapolis in the 1970s and coming to terms with the consequences of its partial realization. In 1968, architect Ralph Rapson was commissioned to design the Minneapolis urban renewal project, and his solution was a massive, brutalist concrete development. One thing hindered the idealistic plan, the area was home to hippies and anarchists who had their own vision of utopia.

The film is screened as part of the block of short films Archi shorts | The story of the house.