Infrastructural Optimism

Infrastructural Optimism investigates a new kind of twenty-first-century infrastructure, one that encourages a broader understanding of the interdependence of resources and agencies, recognizes an accelerated need for equitable access and distribution, and prioritizes rising environmental diligence across the design disciplines.

Linda C. Samuels is an Associate Professor of Urban Design at Washington University in St. Louis. She is an architect, urban designer, and planner whose work focuses on next generation infrastructure design as a tool for environmental and social justice.

Introduction. The Importance of Optimism 1. Infrastructural Urbanism in the Expanded Field 2. Reinventing Infrastructure: Why now? 3. Infrastructural Opportunism: Three Strategies 4. Infrastructural Opportunism: Two Cases 5. Conclusion: Next Generation +10. Options for a Contentious Era 6. Notes from Sheltering in Place