New Books in Communications

Carlotta Daro, "The Architecture of the Wire: Infrastructures of Telecommunication" (MIT Press, 2025)

Oct 5, 2025
Carlotta Darò, an architectural historian and author of The Architecture of the Wire, dives into the interplay between telecommunications and architecture. She discusses the evolution of telecom infrastructures and their aesthetic implications, focusing on the role of anonymous labor and lesser-known figures in technology. The podcast explores art's integration into this history, highlighting works like Molinaggi's telephone paintings. Darò also hints at future research involving acoustics and immersive experiences, showcasing the rich connections between technology, art, and urban culture.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Archive-Driven Genesis

  • Carlotta Darò recounts how her postdoc at McGill and a Mellon fellowship let her dive into AT&T and Bell Labs archives.
  • She describes finding abundant visual materials that set the book's visual and thematic direction.
INSIGHT

Keyword Structure To Tame Scale

  • Darò structures the book around single-word thematic chapters to simplify a vast topic into readable sections.
  • Themes range from matter and aesthetics to law, planning, and wireless imaginaries.
INSIGHT

Telecom As Entertainment Infrastructure

  • The théâtrophone and telephone booth show how telecom shifted from utility to leisure and public entertainment.
  • These micro-architectures reveal how networks remade urban social practices.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app