Ephemeral Infrastructure

This research seminar will explore infrastructure and their transformative potential in contemporary urban environments. The bias the seminar will bring to this discussion is the notion of ephemerality in designing infrastructure and the innovative lens through which this crucial aspect of any settlement can be reimagined. As cities confront rapid demographic, environmental, and sociocultural shifts, impermanent infrastructures have emerged as critical tools for addressing transient needs and fostering dynamic public engagement. Innovative Infrastructures: Designing for Impermanence interrogates the design, materiality, and societal impacts of temporary structures, proposing a systematic classification to analyze their diverse applications across global urban contexts.

Key questions guiding the course include: How do we define the boundaries between ephemeral and permanent infrastructure in urban contexts? What are the key factors that determine the lifespan of ephemeral structures? How can we measure the social impact of temporary urban interventions? What role does technology play in enabling more adaptive and responsive ephemeral infrastructures? How do different cultural contexts influence the design and reception of ephemeral structures? What design strategies balance spectacle with utilitarian function? Can temporary interventions democratize urban space, or do they risk perpetuating exclusion under the guise of flexibility?

Through interdisciplinary analysis, students will produce case studies and speculative proposals. These outputs aim to redefine infrastructure not as static edifice but as adaptive systems that embrace uncertainty, resource constraints, and collaborative authorship.
 

Note regarding the Fall 2025 GSD academic calendar: The first day of classes, Tuesday, September 2nd, is held as a MONDAY schedule at the GSD. Courses that meet only on Tuesdays will meet for the first time on September 9th. Courses meet regularly otherwise. Please refer to the GSD academic calendar for additional details.