Infrastructural Love: Caring for Our Architectural Support Systems is a book edited by Hélène Frichot, Adrià Carbonell, Hannes Frykholm and Sepideh Karami, showcasing a thought-provoking collection of 12 essays that explore the complex relationship between architecture and infrastructure. Alongside these scholarly contributors, the book also features 10 speculative design experiments developed in the Architecture programs at KTH Stockholm and the University of Melbourne, offering the readers innovative perspectives on contemporary architectural practice.
But what distinguishes this book from other writings? This article provides an overview of Infrastructural Love, highlighting its critical contributions to architectural discussions and inviting readers to explore how design and infrastructure can address urgent global social, political and environmental challenges.
Infrastructural Love: Infrastructure as a Network of Relationships
“ Infrastructural love requires a radical engagement with the world, putting the practitioner in a close encounter with what requires support and exposing them to the risks inherent in such encounters. “
Frichot et al., 2022, p.23.
The book takes a different perspective on infrastructure as the infrastructure in this context is not merely understood as the traditional physical systems supporting society (such as roads, bridges, and utilities). Instead, it is presented as a complex network of relationships that shape and are shaped by human and non-human actors. Infrastructural Love, therefore, frames infrastructure as a mediator for care, power, and connection, emphasising its role in shaping societal patterns and ecological interactions.
Building on this redefinition of infrastructure, the book encourages to rethink architecture’s role in society, while the selected essays and projects explore three major areas:
01 // Architecture’s Role in Environmental Renewal
The book explores how architecture can contribute to environmental renewal by fostering thoughtful integration of human and natural systems. Central to this approach is the concept of “infrastructural love”, which emphasises care and connection between these systems where they nurture one another. This concept challenges architects to move beyond traditional practices and reconsider the built environment’s ecological footprint. It calls for designs that not only mitigate climate change but also enhance biodiversity and harmonise the built and natural processes.
In Infrastructural Love, some authors reimagine overlooked or neglected urban spaces as opportunities to foster ecological care and social renewal. Hannes Frykholm, for instance, highlights how small, thoughtful interventions can transform such spaces into sites where natural systems and human activity coexist. And these subtle modifications redefine the perception of traditional infrastructure, showing how easily architecture can create environments that are resilient, adaptable, and interconnected. The book also features unconventional approaches to sustainability, where materials often considered as waste – such as debris, dirt, or even pollutants – can be reimagined and seen as resources for architectural innovation.
Together, the selected essays and projects inspire and shift the thinking that architecture can be seen as a proactive force for ecological care and renewal in the Anthropocene.
02 // Infrastructure as a Social and Political System
Infrastructure, often perceived as neutral, in Infrastructural Love, is presented as a political and social force. The book examines how infrastructural systems shape societal patterns, distribute power, and perpetuate inequalities. In this context, infrastructure is explored as a framework that enforces inclusion or exclusion, accessibility or inequality, as the authors critique these marginalising policies.
The book emphasises that design has the power to either sustain or oppose these inequalities. The authors envision infrastructures where design actively addresses such challenges, essentially prioritising care, equity, and accessibility. These reimagined public spaces then promote inclusivity and propose systems that integrate human and non-human actors. This embraces a wider range of perspectives. The infrastructure, in this sense, takes a form of negotiation and transformation: offering a place for discussion and becoming a catalyst for social and political change.
03 // Speculative Design as a Transformative Method
Finally, Infrastructural Love uses speculative design as a tool for rethinking architecture’s role: the experimental projects featured in the book use imagination to challenge conventional architectural practices and envision alternative futures.
“ When imagining future scenarios, architects tell – and sell – stories. Narration and visionary storytelling are important components of architectural culture. Architects’ stories can conform and also critique; they can embrace continuity and also induce radical change. “
Isabelle Doucet (Frichot et al., 2022, p.40).
In both themes discussed earlier, authors push boundaries, provoke critical thinking, and explore imaginative interventions. They demonstrate that speculative design can not only be used for critiquing existing systems but also suggest alternative visions. The essays and projects, therefore, explore how architects employ speculative methodologies to address complexity, experiment with forms of collaboration, and imagine futures free from conventional constraints.
Through speculative design, the contributors reframe architecture as dynamic and evolving rather than static. This methodology enables architects to tell stories, construct “what-if” scenarios, and propose designs that challenge and inspire, transforming architecture into a medium for exploring possibilities and reframing traditional narratives.
urban development by embracing incompleteness and uncertainty as opportunities for architectural innovation. This concept goes away from conventional practices of fully realised structures and instead proposes a “city waiting to be a city”, where all the initial elements like walls and streets are constructed as adaptable frameworks for future growth. The concept also acknowledges the risks of unpredictability and urges architects and planners to continuously adapt and question things._©Richard Grey.
Highlights, Insights, and Takeaways
Infrastructural Love combines theoretical essays with creative projects and exemplifies an interdisciplinary approach that sets it apart from other traditional architectural books. The speculative narrative is accompanied by visually compelling drawings, thought-provoking collages and photographs. While the book has an academic background, its clear language makes it easy to read. However, some essays may prompt readers less familiar with architectural theory to explore complementary resources for a better understanding.
Amid the global challenges of climate change, inequality, political instability and geographical tensions, the book presents architecture as a tool for critically understanding and reimagining the built environment. Infrastructural Love is designed for architects, urban planners, and thinkers, inviting the readers to rethink the role of architecture in shaping the future. After reading this book, you should gain an understanding of how speculative design and infrastructure can reframe our approach to creating resilient, interconnected, and equal spaces. For professionals, the book offers practical insights into integrating care-driven approaches into architectural practice. For students and enthusiasts, it highlights architecture’s transformative potential and becomes a great inspiration for sparking new ways of thinking and designing.
Conclusions
I believe that Infrastructural Love serves as an inspiring resource for students and designers, offering an ambitious exploration of architecture’s role in addressing contemporary challenges. Providing readers with critical theory and creative experimentation, the book encourages them to push the boundaries of traditional architecture and reimagine infrastructure as a living, evolving system.
Highly recommended to those who are interested in shaping a more sustainable and equitable future, as the book reveals how architecture and infrastructure can act as instruments of care and transformation. It also underscores the importance of “support systems” in building more resilient and inclusive futures.
Whether you are an academic, a practitioner, or just a curious enthusiast, Infrastructural Love will inspire you to reimagine architecture and embrace its potential.
Reference list:
Frichot, H., Carbonell, A., Frykholm H., & Karami, S. (eds.) (2022). Infrastructural Love: Caring for Our Architectural Support Systems. Basel: Birkhäuser.
Frichot, H., Carbonell, A., Frykholm H., & Karami, S. (2022). Our Infrastructural Loves: Architectural Pedagogies of Care and Support. Journal of Architectural Education, Volume 76 (2), pp. 52-69. DOI:10.1080/10464883.2022.2097509
