[Chart showing the typical lifespans of a wide variety of infrastructures (and components of infrastructures), from treated wood ties to deep geological repositories for high-level radioactive waste. The descriptive text reads:

“This chart visualizes the lifespans of equipment associated with waste, water, energy, and transportation systems across North America. As we approach — and pass — the breakdown point for many post-WWII urban infrastructures, important questions emerge. What and how should we rebuild? How do we build in the face of dynamic climates and coastal hazards? Should we design for permanence or for failure? Should we build stronger or weaker structures? Can natural systems be coupled with technological facilities? Cross-disciplinary action by ecologists, urbanists, historians, geographers, and engineers is necessary as we construct the next generation of public works projects for an era of unprecedented change and uncertain risk.”

The chart is on the flipside of the poster advertising this weekend’s “Landscape Infrastructure” symposium at Harvard GSD; poster design is by OPSYS/Alexandra Gauzza. For more detail on the symposium, which is this Friday and Saturday in Cambridge, see mammoth’s earlier post. Click here for a larger (and properly-oriented) image.]