Experiential Infrastructure: Considering the built manifestations of tourism to shape visitor experience and city identity.

摘要

While tourism is becoming more personalized to the individual traveler, the city still perpetuates ill-considered tourist ghettos—a detriment to the city and to the experience of the visitor. A new, experientially compelling layer of infrastructure that disperses tourists throughout the city through shifting levels of curation/personalization will enable visitors to develop a deeper connection with the city. This thesis posits that a city that proactively considers the constantly evolving tourist experience will also create lasting benefits for residents.;Seattle is a city of unique topographic challenges and water boundaries which hinder mobility and connections between neighborhoods. The Lake Union Constellation reinvents the idea of the historic Mosquito Fleet on Seattle’s urban waterways, and establishes Arts Terminals at strategic shoreline nodes. The fleet disperses and integrates tourists throughout the city, celebrating two of Seattle’s greatest—yet underutilized—assets: water and neighborhoods. Arts Terminals enhance neighborhoods by linking land to water via arts space, also connecting tourist to resident, and tourist to local culture, while enabling local exploration and a deeper, personalized connection between city and visitor.