Architects and other design professionals are important shapers in a new kind of rural community that is emerging across the prairie states.

1. YOU ARE THE
SHAPERS OF A
NEW RURAL

2. LET’S FACE THE
BRUTAL
FACTS.

3. MORE SMALL
TOWNS WILL
DISAPPEAR.

4. THE RURAL WE
KNEW IS NEVER
COMING BACK.

5. THE LEADERSHIP
WE’RE USED TO
IS OBSOLETE.

6. THERE ARE
NO EASY
ANSWERS.

7. WE CAN CHOOSE
TO THRIVE HERE
ANYWAY.

8. TO GET
COMFORTABLE
NOT KNOWING
WHAT’S NEXT.

9. TO CHANGE THE
STORIES WE TELL
OURSELVES.

10. TO END THE SILLY
OBSESSION
WITH
GROWTH.

11. TO GATHER ALL
THE VISIONS AND
START NOW.

12. THERE’S A
NEW KIND OF
RURAL
EMERGING.

13. WE DON’T NEED
MORE
HEROES.

14. WE NEED
RELENTLESS
NOT
KNOWERS.

15. EVERY COMMUNITY
KNOWS ITSELF
BETTER
THAN US.

16. IT’S CLEAR THIS
IS UP TO
ALL OF US.

17. A FEW THINGS ABOUT
DESIGN
PROFESSIONALS.

18. YOU KNOW SOME
THINGS ABOUT A
LOT OF THINGS.

19. YOU ARE A
GENEROUS
BUNCH OF
COMMUNITY BUILDERS.

20. YOU HAVE A
SUPERPOWER TO
HELP THE REST
OF US SEE.

21. YOU GET THE CHANCE
TO IMPROVE LIVES
FOR
GENERATIONS.

22. YOU OFTEN SEEM
MYSTERIOUS
AND
FRAGMENTED.

23. NOW IS OUR
MOMENT TO
BE BOLD
TOGETHER.

24. ALMOST
SILENTLY.
ALMOST
INVISIBLY.

25. TO INSPIRE
GENIUS
OF SPACE.

26. TO DESIGN FOR
PEOPLE TO
INTERACT.

27. TO MAKE OUR
PROCESSES
BIGGER THAN THE
PRODUCTS.

28. TO LOSE
CONTROL
OF OUR PROCESS.

29. “WHEN THE MASTER’S
WORK IS DONE THE PEOPLE
SAY ‘AMAZING: WE DID IT,
ALL BY
OURSELVES!’”
-LAO-TZU

30. I’M NOT INTERESTED
IN WASTING THIS
MOMENT.
ARE YOU?

31. LET’S SHAPE THIS
NEW RURAL.
TOGETHER.