Experimental Infrastructure: Experiences in Bicycling in Quito, Ecuador

Bicycling infrastructure in Quito, Ecuador, emerges as a dynamic site for democratic engagement and urban transformation. This study reveals that such infrastructure is not merely built but actively produced through interactions between human actors—particularly cyclists—and non-human elements like the city's physical landscape. Using an ethnographic approach rooted in feminist science and technology studies (STS), the research demonstrates how cyclists, through participatory practices like photo diaries, contribute to shaping urban spaces while making political claims for more inclusive Andean cities. The term 'experimental infrastructure' highlights the fluid, relational processes underlying its creation, emphasizing its role as both an intersectional space and a catalyst for democratic action. Based on 15 months of fieldwork, this work challenges conventional notions of infrastructure design by centering lived experiences and intra-action—where subjects and objects co-constitute urban systems.

Gamble, J. (2017). Experimental Infrastructure: Experiences in Bicycling in Quito, Ecuador. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 41(1), 162–180. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2427.12449