Infra-culture and infrastructures: Relational placemaking at the coast

Abstract

This article introduces the concept of infra-culture as a means to understand how cultural and material interactions influence the development of physical infrastructures in places over time. Infra-cultures emerge from the complex interplay between human actions and material forces, forming relational dynamics that influence the purpose, design and evolution of infrastructures. Synthesising perspectives from Science and Technology Studies, relational placemaking and relational cultures in Geography, and Critical Infrastructure Studies, I examine infra-culture through a geohistorical analysis of the Alde and Ore estuary in eastern England, tracing its evolution over 850 years. The analysis highlights how infra-culture influences the estuary's coastal defence infrastructures through assembled effects, mediated experiences and interactions between humans and more-than-human entities. In the context of climate change, where one-third of the global population lives in coastal areas, understanding the role of infra-culture in shaping physical infrastructures is critical. Through a focused exploration of this concept, the article encourages reflection on how coastal infrastructures can be designed more equitably and sustainably, fostering an ethics of more-than-human politics. In doing so, the approach challenges traditional notions of ‘defence’ at the coast and raises questions about what should be ‘defended’ in a rapidly changing world.