I would like to take part on the infrastructure research group. After the Portland field trip, I noticed how much of Portland’s infrastructure was due to the industries generating the most revenue at different times. Every industry created different social structures within the economy, and are present in the organization of Portland. The working class placement within a city is unique, interesting, and influential to the overall quality of life. What is surprising though, is the way those areas have changed over time and reasons why it changed. How could one area be a community for the working class and then become a real estate worth easily over half a million?

The Hayden reading pointed out how our cities have been segregated throughout time and the effects in the urban landscape.  I grew up with a mix of ethnic social normalities that represented the different cultures within my area. Here, one can analyze the power struggle within the design and construction of cities. This can be seen from where I grew up, Las Vegas, and see the areas that are demographically separated. The inner city around the strip is heavily populated with the hospitality workers that work in the major casinos. Compared to the outer areas tend to be resided by professionals in gated communities.

The Townsend lecture was interesting to me, because of the questions that arose from it. For example, “Control and ownership, Who is controlling the infrastructure of our new cities? Who is owning that new information? Is this a form of digital enhanced public services or is this a form of privatization?” Leana Khan, a corporate consolidator, points out Chicago went through a technological advancement in the late 19th century. This is the kind of relationship that interests me in a city.