Infrastructural Tourism
Shannon Mattern
Parts of this article talk about being able to see and becoming aware of the not so obvious underlyings of an area, using the field guide Invisible-5 as an example. I find it interesting how although infrastructure means below the ground, not all of them are actually ‘below’. Unless you’re a passenger, railways are ground level. In an article by Ingrid Burrington, she states, “'Invisible' is a word that people use to describe things—cables, networks, systems, people—when they don’t want to admit they are still learning how to see”. I think people try harder to understand infrastructure when it’s in the form of art. A concept I found interesting were “antenna trees”. Using cell phone towers to look like trees is a great way to make infrastructure aesthetically pleasing. Upon realization that it's not just a tree, curiosity sparks in people to learn more. Art is a useful tool to get the general population to understand and care about infrastructure systems. Invisible-5 is almost like a game, which engages the public. Unconventional ways of presenting infrastructure can have an important impact on people.
Reference: http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/08/how-to-see-invisible-infrastructure/401204/
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