The Beauty of Manhole Covers

Manhole covers are points of access for the sewerage industry. They are the slabs of metal usually associated with the dirty and smelly world of drainage. This is not the best picture, and you might already wonder what in the world can be beautiful about this?

Art is such a powerful form of expression and lately people have started to experiment with unconventional methods introducing new techniques and avant-garde concepts. From coffee artists, 3D digital artists to dirty car art, this new wave of creativity is transforming the face of the world. As you might have already guessed, the sewerage industry has also found a way to embellish these iron pieces into beautiful designs creating a statement of the industrial heritage.

This global movement has grabbed the attention of our drainage surveyors, so we would like to share with you some of the most beautiful manhole covers across the world.

These iron sculptures are so diverse, and so easily integrated into the contemporary urbanism that people walk past manhole covers without even noticing them. Nonetheless, they reflect the values and the trends of the society so it’s great that people are now appreciating more of these extraordinary artworks which are just beneath our feet. Nowadays, there are a few books published showcasing manhole designs, and there is even a new buzz on social media using the #drainspotting hashtag. However, we voted that the most fun and unconventional way of promoting the manhole covers is with this new craze of guerrilla printing firstly adopted by Raubdruckerin, who literally prints clothing and bags with these urban industrial designs.

Would you wear something like this?