Our goal is to inspire change in the way we think about asphalt spaces.

The asphalt landscape is the most public of all landscapes, at the same time the most undervalued: it lies invisible and unrecognized as a cultural landscape. Asphalt is also one of the most liberating inventions that shaped the 20th century world. It allows us to fly and drive everywhere we desire – making the entire world accessible to us. The dichotomy between the omnipresence of asphalt in our daily lives and its public perception as an unappreciated material raises the question how to reinterpret the ordinary landscapes of parking lots and roads.

onAsphalt is a realm; it is an ongoing process to inspire change in our ubiquitous asphalt spaces as more engaged public environments; it therefore allows us to directly intervene in the contents of our culture. Asphalt touches on a multitude of urban issues such as car culture, accessibility, hydrology, infrastructure, nature, and urban density.

Our involvement and interest ranges from the very small (how asphalt can be manipulated or substituted) to the very large (the role of asphalt at a global scale), and includes research, projects, shows, lectures and publications. Issues of sustainability are central to our investigations. We are always on the lookout for opportunities to continue our efforts. Our recent accomplishment is the publication On Asphalt.

onAsphalt is initiated by Paula Meijerink, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at the Harvard Design School and founding principal of WANTED, a design studio in the Boston area (www.w-a-n-t-e-d.com).

Participants in the asphalt project are Harvard Design School landscape architecture graduates Mary Lydecker, Amanda Bailey and Kris Lucius, photographer Anita Kan, and graphic designer Rick Rawlins/Work. James F. Kraus of Art Guy Studios is a Boston based illustrator and designer who’s skills have been invaluable to the content and design of our website (www.artguy.com). The website was produced by Brad Solomon. Not only a webmaster but an excellent musician and audiophile.

The research that onAsphalt represents is made possible through grants from Harvard University.