Welcome to ENTER—We’re Glad You’re Here

By Chris Hudson | January 28, 2021

The SOM-designed Columbus City Hall in Columbus, Indiana. Photo by Peter J. Sieger.

SPOTLIGHT

Welcome to ENTER.

We’re a weekly digital and annual print publication that tells the stories of the many people, places, and ideas shaping Minnesota’s built environment for the better. When you subscribe, you’ll receive an email every other Thursday with original content spotlighting thought leadership in design for climate action, equity, experience, economy, and innovation.

We aim for the stories and ideas we share to be grounded in our readers’ everyday experiences of their cities, towns, and neighborhoods.

In the leadup to our launch this week, I’ve been thinking about a scene from the 2017 film Columbus, set in Columbus, Indiana, a small city renowned for its collection of landmark midcentury buildings (including Columbus City Hall, shown above). The movie centers on a unique friendship that develops between Casey, a young woman with an intense interest in architecture, and Jin, the estranged son of a renowned architecture scholar.

The two are standing in front of the 1954 Eero Saarinen–designed Irwin Union Bank, and Jin asks Casey what she knows about the building. She slips into tour-guide language almost immediately, prompting Jin to wave his hand and ask, with a smile, “What are you doing? Who are you?”

What he wants to know is why Casey finds the building so moving. It takes her a moment to collect her thoughts, and just as she does, the audience’s view of the scene moves inside the building. On the other side of the glass, Casey’s words are no longer audible, but her expressive eyes and hands speak volumes.

At ENTER, we know all Minnesotans have experienced that kind of connection to a place—to a special building, a park, a place of worship. In our stories and interviews, we explore design through the eyes of a wide array of Minnesotans who value those connections and are striving to enhance the beauty, justness, and sustainability of their communities. We think it makes for compelling reading.

So, sign up for our biweekly email, if you haven’t already, and introduce us to family, friends, and colleagues who might enjoy our content. Take a look around our website. And stay tuned for information about the ENTER print annual, set to debut in the fall.

Chris Hudson
Editor-in-Chief