51N4E: Negotiating infrastructure. Chapter IX

Issue 4 of the Chapter series brings together research and practice. Drawing on the work of architecture firm 51N4E and NEWROPE — the Chair of Urban Transformation at ETH Zürich — this edition examines how infrastructure can become a powerful driver of urban transformation. The previous chapter explored How Not to Demolish a Building. Through eight projects by 51N4E and four design perspectives developed by NEWROPE, the publication makes a case for investing in an infrastructural shift within urban design. Rather than starting from scratch, this approach builds on existing conditions, addresses multiple challenges simultaneously, and leaves space for future adaptations. Both sensitiv and bold, pragmatic and imaginative, an infrastructural design approach offers stability in complex environments while opening pathways for new uses and the appropriation of spaces. By presenting a diverse range of projects and reflections, this issue demonstrates how design can expand its impact — and how infrastructure can move beyond functionality to embody shared cultural and societal values. Freek Persun, Seppe De Blust, Chloé Nachtergael Ruby Press, 2026 32 X 24 cm, 113 pages