Historical markers aren't the only design details people have used to spark public conversations. "You should always read the plaque, but you shouldn't always believe everything on the plaque." Voting with your feet
Nonetheless, Mars believes they should be used as a gateway to research. ", a lot of the Civil War monuments in the American South were erected in the 1920s and '30s as a tool of oppression, even though they're commemorating a time in the 1860s," he said. (Alex Halada/AFP via Getty Images)īut Mars emphasized that they must be recognized as "a reflection of the time that the plaque was erected, rather than the time that they're depicting." Mars says plaques, such as this one commemorating scientist Ignaz Phillip Semmelweis in Vienna, Austria, are always worth reading - and interrogating. "They just tell you something to get you started and get you intrigued." "There's an information layer about the built world that's sitting right there in front of you," he said. And Mars says it's always worth reading the tidbits of information etched on them. Plaques in particular can be found anywhere from the sides of buildings and homes to on park benches. One group of items Mars addresses are historical markers such as statues, monuments and plaques. He called his book a field guide to the "cool stories behind everyday things that are right outside your doorstep." It shines a light on some of the unsung heroes of a good urban environment, from power grids and fire escapes to drinking fountains and street signs. "It's a lovely way to navigate the world because it's really easy to get caught up in the bad design and the things that aren't working and ignore the 99 per cent of things that are working really well for you and making life better," he said. He says the podcast, which launched in 2010 as a collaborative project between San Francisco public radio station KALW and the American Institute of Architects, encourages listeners to notice the good design choices "made by usually smart people to make our lives better." The cover of Mars's book The 99% Invisible City.
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