Radical Atlas of Ferguson, USA
October 24, 2024
BY ISABEL BERMAN
Patty Heyda (M.Arch '95), a professor of urban design in the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis., has published Radical Atlas of Ferguson, USA through Belt Publishers, offering an intensive exploration of how structural inequality is embedded in the built environment. Through over one hundred detailed maps, Heyda reveals the systemic forces and municipal planning policies that have shaped Ferguson, Missouri, and by extension, other suburban areas in the United States. With a foreword by Estudio Teddy Cruz + Fonna Forman, the book encourages readers to question how urban spaces are planned and for whom they are actually designed.
Ferguson became a focal point for America's racial tensions following the 2014 murder of Michael Brown and the protests that erupted afterward. While the suburb of Ferguson may seem like a typical midwestern town, Heyda’s work reveals the hidden structures—tax incentives, housing codes, urban design, and policing policies—that foster conditions of racial segregation and inequality. Through her intricate maps and analyses, Heyda paints a vivid picture of how these elements contribute to poverty and systemic injustice, challenging readers to rethink what public space should look like and serve.
“There are lots of ways design gets weaponized,” Heyda says in an interview with Newsroom. “Public space is supposed to help people have a voice. But when public policy gives way to private wealth and free-market economics, the result is fragmented, segregated and toxic.”
Radical Atlas of Ferguson USA redefines what maps can convey, encouraging planners, designers, and citizens alike to reconsider the impact of urban policies. This powerful book poses an essential question about the purpose of city design and whom it truly benefits, offering a compelling critique of the ways in which the design of our environments can perpetuate inequality.
To purchase this book, visit Arcadia Publishing.