City in the Cloud – Data on the Ground
The Architecture of Data

This book investigates the hidden physical infrastructures behind the digital world. Data may appear immaterial, but it relies on extensive global networks: the extraction of raw materials, the deployment of thousands of undersea cables, and an exponentially growing number of energy-intensive data centers. While these data infrastructures shape global economies and politics, they truly do far more by profoundly impacting local communities, ecosystems, and labor conditions—realms so often rooted in (neo)colonial structures of exploitation.  

The contributions in this volume call for greater transparency, critical awareness, and care toward the material foundations of the data economy—as essential conditions for more equitable and accountable digital futures.    

Bringing together voices from architecture, media studies, technology, art, and political theory, City in the Cloud – Data on the Ground explores the elemental, spatial, and temporal dimensions of the architecture of data. The volume maps the ecological, social, and political costs of living in a hyper-connected digital world and opens up perspectives for rethinking digital infrastructures in the context of planetary resources, justice, and long-term responsibility. 

With contributions by James Bridle, Giulia Bruno, Teresa Fankhänel, Cara Hähl-Pfeifer, Max Hallinan, Mél Hogan, Catherine Hyland, Damjan Kokalevski, Andres Lepik, Niklas Maak, Marija Marić, Anna-Maria Meister, Marina Otero Verzier, Trevor Paglen, Godofredo Enes Pereira, Andra Pop-Jurj, Alison Powell, Māra Starka, and Rafael Uriarte.

The exhibition CITY IN THE CLOUD – DATA ON THE GROUND can be seen from October 16, 2025 – March 8, 2026 at the Architekturmuseum der TUM in Munich!

The German Edition of this publication is available here.