Functionality versus aesthetics; it is a harsh topic, but very few find it hard to understand until it hits close to home. Take CLOWD for example, UK’s very own organization for the limitation of having onshore wind farms. Sure, we all say that having green energy is important and it will save the world, but when people have to start compromising their view of the landscape, the stands begin to change and people start saying no to what would have been a good solution.
Anyway, on a lesser scale, the mobile phone industry is also prone to getting into fits of criticism and disapproval. Many 3G users (and in particular, iPhone users) often complain of weak signals, low coverage and other factors, but when somebody puts up a phone mast on the roof across their apartment window, it becomes a major problem. Even the Church of England was not spared, despite the church itself approving of the plan (it would increase dwindling church profits), many people protested to the idea of having phone masts on the house of worship.
Fortunately, as stubborn as we all are as a human species, we are also very innovative. Robert Voit has spent the last seven years travelling and taking photographs of the world’s most interesting phone masts. Not because of the signal power or the technological specs of the masts themselves, but because of how they look.
Phone masts cleverly designed to match with their surroundings have been masquerading as cacti, dead trees, palm trees (really tall one at that), and pine trees –well maybe not masquerading, but the idea is ingenuous. After all, no one would really mind if they do not see what they deem to be an eyesore.
Now if only those wind turbines can be made to look like giant redwoods.
|
|
|
|
|
|